Simon Bryan - Ipswich Borough Council

NAW Case Study

I am a Property Administrator at Ipswich Borough Council, within the Commercial Property Team. My day to day duties include keeping the 900+ asset schedule up to date with compliance, lease and rent details, raising Purchase Orders and Invoices, and ad hoc duties for the team of surveyors and property managers including mentoring and shadowing of surveying tasks.

My apprenticeship has impacted my career as I began as an Administrator but less than a year into my role, the team asked me if I want to train to be a surveyor as they could see potential in me. What I have learnt so far has helped not just my knowledge but my abilities to help the team with more in depth work with the assets.

The main thing I like about my apprenticeship is that it’s mainly remote. This means that I can work my usual days but on one day a week I sit and learn the course without having to travel. I also can use what I learn directly in the role the next day, significantly impacting the speed I can assist other surveyors.

The main benefit of Apprenticeships is that you can earn while you learn. Having a full time job but also learning the theory related to my role means I can hit the ground running with what I have just learnt and share my knowledge with not just peers but colleagues too, all without the debt and travel of doing a standard University Degree.

The main thing I would always recommend to others on why to study an apprenticeship is that instead of growing a mountain of debt and then struggling to get a job in the field you studied, instead you get paid to learn and don’t have to worry about finding a relevant job as you already have at least a year’s experience in that role.

Employers should offer apprenticeships because they provide employees with the valuable skills that develop the employee, thus benefit their team. In turn the upskilled in house employee will spend more time in the role and further developing a career. This can then be used to help those below and create a cycle of development where the whole workforce can maximise their knowledge to the fullest.