BLOG: My Queen's apprenticeship experience – Jamie Beck
"Everyone I've worked with and helped has been a delight to work with, and I've settled in well and quickly here at the CPH."
A special blog for NI Apprenticeship Week by Jamie Beck, Apprentice Technician, Centre for Public Health, Institute of Clinical Sciences (CPH).
I was inspired to take on a role at Queen's due to wanting a career change. I had always been interested in IT and saw that the Belfast Met College was running an apprenticeship scheme at Level 3. One of the employers taking on through this scheme was Queen's. Having lived in Belfast for the past few years, I knew what an established organisation the University is and knew it would be a fantastic employer to see me through my Apprenticeship.
My days vary in my apprenticeship role from completing lots of desk work like reports and note-taking, to rebuilding and repairing various new and old devices. In the CPH, there is a ticket system that my line manager and I handle between us. These types of jobs typically involve us helping members of the University with a wide variety of issues.
I feel very supported here in my role, and there's a trust that the University will see me get the qualification. When I first started, I was told that, if I wished, I could carry on and complete a Level 5 and Level 6 Apprenticeship. Everyone I've worked with and helped has been a delight to work with, and I've settled in well and quickly here at the CPH. The main emphasis of the work we carry out is to make sure it's done correctly. This has allowed me to learn how to do things properly rather than quickly.
Within CPH, I've started to be treated as the first call for any IT issues my colleagues may be facing. This has been a very rewarding feeling for me. I also feel that I'm helping to take some of the work off my line manager's plate, allowing him to focus on other projects.
I couldn't recommend an apprenticeship here at Queen's more. My experience has been brilliant.
