Nicki Onn - Lincolnshire Action Trust Case Study

Nicki Onn is currently completing her Level 3 Business Administrator Apprenticeship with Lincolnshire Action Trust (LAT) as a Business Support Administration Apprentice. Nicki began her apprenticeship journey enrolling onto a Level 2 Business Administration Apprenticeship in 2020, now a year later she has progressed onto Level 3! Nicki has a really interesting role working within the criminal justice system where she carries out various projects which support prisoners and their families.

Nicki originally trained to become a nursery practitioner. However, after working in the role for 5 years she decided that she needed a career change which offered her the opportunity to progress further. Nicki’s amazing career journey proves that apprenticeships are not just for school leavers, but can be used to change career paths and secure a rewarding role!

Read more on Nicki’s apprenticeship journey below.

Tell us about your current role

I’m currently working at the Head Office in Lincoln as a Business Support Administration Apprentice. Lincolnshire Action Trust works within the criminal justice system offering support to families and prisoners to help them get back into the community. We help prisoners get housing, employment and training to support them upon their release. Some prisoners don’t have anywhere to go and don’t have a support system – if they went into prison in summer and are released in winter, occasionally they will be discharged with a t shirt and shorts. We need to ensure they are supported in the community and also support their families to help keep family ties and provide them with emotional support.”

What are your day-to-day tasks and responsibilities?

“I have various projects to carry out within my role. One is called Women’s Service, which supports women as they have very different support needs compared to men. I complete the admin for this which entails logging daily contact and compiling reports. I also help with another project called Young Oasis which supports 5 to 18-year-old children that have family members or close relatives who have a substance use of drugs or alcohol. The Young Oasis team now offer confidential one-to-one support to children and young people in Lincolnshire who have been or are affected by a family member using drugs or alcohol. Oasis recognises that substance use does not recognise class or social boundaries, and can affect anyone within the community. It also doesn't just affect the individual and can have a devastating effect on the whole family, with children often feeling isolated and afraid. We have also started a new project called Personal Wellbeing which is for men, to provide them with emotional support with their family or general wellbeing such as going to see a doctor or mental health professional. My role is really varied so it gives me lots of different experience.”

 Was this your chosen career path?

“I never really thought about working in the criminal justice system. I previously worked for 5 years as a nursery practitioner with young children. I trained to do that and got to a point where I wanted a bit of a change and went for a completely different career. I saw this job advertised and thought I would give it a go. I have learnt a lot about the criminal justice system since.”

What is your career journey so far leading up to your apprenticeship?

“I went to College after school to complete a Level 3 Childcare qualification. Following college, I went straight into nursery working for 5 years. I loved working with children and I really miss it but there wasn’t much progression. The pay was minimum wage and I had a lot of responsibility for such little pay. I was thinking about it for a year or so and thought, is this it? I’m never going to be able to afford my own house or do nice things because I’m always going to be on minimum wage. It was a really tough decision because I really enjoyed the job, I got so much enjoyment from it, and it was such a rewarding career. However, the cons outweighed the pros. I started looking for around 2 months for a job, I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go. I applied for a few admin roles but as I didn’t have any experience or qualifications, I wasn’t successful. I decided the next best thing would be to do an apprenticeship, and here I am!”

How did you apply for your Apprenticeship?

“I applied online and then was invited to an interview for the Business Apprentice role. During the interview I was asked the usual questions such as what I thought I could bring to the role and where I saw myself in 5 years. I left the interview and then a day later they called to offer me the job which was great! I started a few weeks later where I had an induction period shadowing the projects and getting used to the business as a whole.”

What do you like about your Apprenticeship?

“It is really good, my tutor Lucky is really great. He’s helpful and always there to support me. He gives me really positive feedback on my work.”

Do you have any advice for someone thinking of doing an apprenticeship?

“When I was looking at apprenticeships, I believed it was something a 16-year-old does when they leave school. It was almost like I had gone backwards and failed. I know now that is not the case and I am really happy I did it. The wage for the first year isn’t great, however after 12 months you get the experience, knowledge and a qualification. It is scary jumping from one career to another, but I threw myself into the deep end and that is what you need to do. You have to realise it is going to be challenging and hard, but at the end of the day it is going to be worth it. You’ve got to go for it, nothing worth having is easy to get.”

Why do you think employers should offer Apprenticeships?

“I think there are benefits and cons to apprenticeships. It depends on the organisation as taking on an apprentice provides an opportunity to mould them into the business and they are usually willing to learn. But they do take up a little more time compared to an experienced member of staff. If an employer is thinking of taking on an apprentice, I think they need to take into account all the extra meetings, paperwork and organising etc.”

What are your ambitions for the future?

“The reason I was interested in this role was because there are so many different options at the end of my apprenticeship. I completed my Level 2 Business Administration Apprenticeship and then progressed onto the Level 3. Once I have completed this level there is an option to carry on being administration support or there are different pathways to work in the community, such as working directly with people. There are so many different options. I haven’t got just one pathway to look down, I can decide and have options for my future.”

What are your tips for candidates attending an interview?

“The best tip I have is to ask the interviewer questions at the end of the interview. Even if it is just a little question like ‘what do you find most challenging about the role?’ and then ‘what do you find most rewarding about it?’ This then gives you a better idea of their role and the organisation.”