Apprenticeships at ramsac
Posted on February 11, 2022 by Louise Howland
To celebrate National Apprenticeship week, we have spent some time with our existing apprentices and some of our previous apprentices who have moved through the business to other roles, to find out what being an apprentice means to them.
Apprenticeships are very important to us at ramsac. We took on our first apprentice in 2009 and have had many apprentices over the last 13 years, many of whom still work for ramsac and have gone on to enjoy long and fulfilling IT careers with us.
The ramsac apprenticeship is open to people aged 18 or over and offers an excellent mix of classroom learning and on the job experience. Our apprentices work as a full member of our busy IT helpdesk, supporting end users with their day to day IT queries. As well offering a Level 3 apprenticeship, they also earn some industry recognised certificates too, and are trained and mentored in the technical and soft skills required, to be an effective Support Consultant.
Most importantly, they generally go on to receive a permanent contract as a Support Consultant at the end of their 15 month training, and many have gone on to achieve further promotions after that.
Meet our current apprentices
Callan Breare
What made you choose an apprenticeship to start your career?
I didn’t like the idea of going to Uni and spending lots of money and time on a degree, and possibly deciding it wasn’t in an area I wanted to work in. The apprenticeship allows me to get into an industry I like and get relevant qualifications and skills for it; not to mention getting paid for it.
Why did you choose an apprenticeship with ramsac?
I came to a careers open evening that ramsac ran during the summer, where I had the opportunity to meet members of the team, to ask them questions about the apprenticeship position and what it is like working here. They were all informative and very friendly making me think “that’s where I want to work”, so I applied and got it.
How has your experience of being an apprentice at ramsac been?
Great! The training has been brilliant so far. Everyone is happy to help and very knowledgeable on questions I ask them, and they are all easy to approach and friendly.
Josh Arthurs
What made you choose an apprenticeship to start your career?
I had been looking into getting a job in the IT field but was unsure how to do this. I started by applying to complete online courses and while completing these I saw the potential of apprenticeships.
Why did you choose an apprenticeship with ramsac?
I was a bit nervous to start applying for apprenticeships as I had a few rejections in the past due to the fact that I’m older, but when I looked at the ramsac culture book it really enticed me to want to apply.
How has your experience of being an apprentice at ramsac been?
So far, the support I have received from ramsac while being an apprentice has been amazing! Even when I have been a bit stubborn on wanting to do things on my own, everyone has been supportive and willing to help and guide me when I needed it.
Meet some of our previous apprentices
Josh White – Josh started his apprenticeship in 2011, he worked his way through 1st and 2nd line support as a consultant and is now one of two Team Managers in our Support Team. He now mentors and manages a team of support consultants, including our current apprentices. Josh’s key to success is “Being hungry for progression and personal growth has been key, also being interested and having a drive to learn.”
Ben Fulleylove – Ben started his apprenticeship in 2013, he worked his way through 1st and 2nd line support as a consultant and is now a 3rd Line Senior Support Consultant. Ben’s key to success is, “I think I have been successful in my team here so far due to the team communication skills that I have developed, being able to gain constructive criticism has also been vital. Through this, I have been able to learn from my mistakes to progress my career development.”
Ed Bowen – Ed started his apprenticeship in 2015, he worked his way through 1st and 2nd line support as a consultant and is now a Field Support Consultant. Ed’s key to success is, “I have gained the large majority of my knowledge (which has been instrumental in me progressing) from learning from more experienced member of the team. I also did a few exams during my apprenticeship which provided me with a foundation on which I could build upon to reach where I am now.”
Luca Whiteway – Luca started his apprenticeship in 2016 he worked his way through 1st and 2nd line support as a consultant and is now one of the Team Managers in our Support Team. Luca’s key to success is “I’d say I’ve always been good at putting myself in the customers shoes and basing my decisions around that, so I can help deliver that unique ramsac service. This has helped my understanding of our company values and ultimately what experience we offer our clients. I’m very sociable and always go out my way to greet members of the team and help them where needed, and would like to think that’s helped me cement myself as someone in the team you can go to for guidance. I’m not one to shy away from work and know my own limits and what I can do to surpass those. I’m also incredibly lucky in that I’m encouraged to keep pushing myself and always feel that my work is valued and appreciated”
