Thinking of an apprenticeship in IT? Go for it, says former Apprentice Ollie. Doing an apprenticeship gave him valuable work experience, recognised qualifications, lasting connections and much more.
I joined Osiris IT as a Business Administration Apprentice. Six years have since flown by, and I have absolutely no regrets for choosing an apprenticeship over university, or choosing Osiris IT over any other employer.
I completed my A levels in IT and Business in 2014 and was unsure about my next step, I knew university wasn’t for me at the time, and I was keen to get into the world of work and settle into a stable career path with lots of room for progression.
I came across Osiris off the back of an unsuccessful job interview. Looking back, it was a period of uncertainty I didn’t particularly enjoy, but fortunately, it all turned out alright for me. After I met Phillip, our Managing Director in the city, and a stint of work experience, I received an offer with Osiris, which I accepted with genuine excitement.
“Apprenticeships provide highly motivated, qualified and experienced staff members with an ethos of learning and personal development.“ - Phillip Roffe, Managing Director
I remember my first few days well. I felt nervous and desperate to make an excellent first impression, but I really didn’t have anything to worry about. The Osiris team were friendly and thrived on supporting one another, and it’s a mantra we still continue today. I try and be as supportive of our new apprentices as my colleagues were of me back then.
When I started on the apprenticeship at Osiris, my role was primarily administrative, where I worked on the financial side. This was a hectic role, but despite feeling like I had been thrown in at the deep end, I really enjoyed it as I gained a lot of confidence and experience, quickly being a trusted member of the team. It also gave me a unique insight into the world of work, moving around and getting involved in all aspects of IT. Looking back, it’s crazy to think how much we’ve grown since then.
Osiris is a classic example of what you put in you get out. They supported me in my personal progression as I later moved into a new Service Delivery role, working more on the IT delivery side and completing a level 3 qualification in Team Leadership. Upon completion of my second apprenticeship, I went ahead and completed my Level 6 Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship. This was when I achieved a promotion to the role I am doing now, Operations Manager, responsible for IT service delivery and operations. It covers everything from making sure we deliver an exceptional service on all 24,000 phone calls and 12,000 tickets we handle, to making sure all key client systems remain available, and also getting involved in the strategic element both for clients and internally at Osiris. My progression is not unique. Most of our staff joined via our apprenticeship route and have never looked back.
Through this role, I have:
- Worked my way from a Level 2 up to Level 6 after completing a Leadership and Management Degree alongside Chartered Manager Status with no plans of stopping at this.
- Significantly developed a whole host of skills and achieved things I never thought myself capable of.
- Become a trusted subject matter expert on IT operations (depending on who you ask..).
In all honesty, I would tell anyone who might be interested in applying for an apprenticeship with Osiris to reach out and speak to us. We’re a diverse team with various roles suiting different skillsets and interests, always looking out for talent to grow with us.
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