Robbie chose the apprenticeship route over going to university. A decision that has enabled him to progress far more quickly than his peers, whilst still gaining a qualification.
I started at Enterprise as an apprentice. I’d just finished my A-Levels, and although I was applying to universities to study Business Management, I also wanted to consider the apprenticeship option too.
The idea of an apprenticeship appealed to me due to the opportunity to gain experience with on the job learning and development, whilst gaining a degree at the same time. And for me, it was the best decision I made. I started with Enterprise on an apprenticeship at the age of 18, as a Management Trainee. Just two and a half years later I’m already an Assistant Manager and I will be graduating from my degree course in May.
Based on the experience I’ve had, I would definitely recommend an apprenticeship; I’ve been able to develop skills that are essential in the workplace, gain first-hand experience in sales and customer service, obtain a qualification and I’m already progressing in my career – all by the age of 20!
Through my time on the Management Training Programme, I improved so many skills. Every day you’re interacting with customers and business accounts and you learn how to ensure they have a great experience and encourage them to return to do business with you again and again – this was all valuable for enhancing my communication, interpersonal and sales skills. I was responsible for fleet growth and driving revenue, I did this through marketing and understanding the profit and loss statement for the branch – I really was learning how to run my own business.
Now that I have progressed to an Assistant Manager position, I am more focused on operations. I run logistics and oversee fleet management. It’s my job to ensure that we exceed every customer’s expectation. I’m also responsible for developing my team and making sure they are progressing and enjoying themselves at the same time.
The advice I’d give to anyone considering the apprenticeship path would be to work hard to get the results you are aiming for, look for consistent and continuous improvement opportunities to develop yourself, but also be sure to manage your time effectively, be strict with your study time so that you don’t fall behind on assignments.
If you are keen to earn and continue to learn, take a look at Enterprise’s apprenticeship opportunities and apply now!
