I joined Tameside Council in March 2018 as a Level 2 Apprentice studying Business Administration, working in Operations and Greenspace. This is a diverse workforce ensuring the provision of services to provide high quality local environments for residents such as looking after parks and open spaces, playgrounds, providing street cleansing and grounds maintenance and we also work collaboratively with other services and promote community engagement.
When I first started I was apprehensive and nervous about my journey ahead and whether I would ‘fit in’ with other apprentices – I was about to turn 30 and although there is no age that would affect a person getting onto an apprenticeship, I still felt slightly terrified at the thought of having to mingle with younger people when currently, the only thing I know to talk about – is my kids and wine!
Pretty much immediately my fears vanished, both the students I studied with at college and my fellow apprentices at TMBC I found to be lovely and hearing about their journeys and successes made me feel all the more driven.
Prior to beginning my life as an apprentice, I was a university graduate and I then worked my way up the career ladder from a Call Centre Advisor to Customer Care Manager within a finance company. After giving birth to my two children I quickly realised my priorities in life had changed; new things were now more important than ever. I was desperate to work closer to home and have the job stability I craved in order to support my family.
I decided to take the plunge after much deliberation and pursue a new career path. I have since learned and developed many new skills, as well as improving those I‘d already gained. I completed my Level 2 apprenticeship at 12 months and at this time, a vacancy arose within the service for Office Manager, I was successful upon application and was completely delighted to have a permanent role within the team.
Immediately, I enrolled onto my Level 4 Apprenticeship in Business Administration. The opportunities for learning and development are fantastic and the support I have received from all members of my team has been incredible. My apprenticeship provider also works closely with my Manager to ensure I’m getting the most out of these opportunities; they are always encouraging.
In my current role as Office Manager, I am responsible for providing business support across the whole of the Operations and Greenspace Service and must facilitate the smooth running of the office. I am the initial point of contact for members of the public, colleagues, and elected members etc. and am also responsible for the monitoring and maintaining of administration systems and processes and provide support to the Head of Service and the Management Team.
I love every aspect of my role; every day is enjoyable and I truly feel lucky to be part of such a wonderful and welcoming team. I am excited to see what more I can achieve during my career with Tameside Council – it will certainly be a happy lifelong one at that!
Take a look at the opportunities currently available in Apprenticeships & Early Careers.