Fiona is a lead Professional Development Expert coach for Leadership and Management apprentices at The Adecco Group UK and Ireland. Fiona shares some advice to apprentices considering a Corndel programme.
The Adecco Group UK and Ireland are proud advocates of apprenticeships and truly believe that their apprentices are helping them future proof their workforce, by learning the most up to date skills and, expanding their knowledge enabling them to put their new-found expertise into practice in their existing roles.
Fiona’s five tips for a successful apprenticeship
1. Take responsibility for your own learning
Apprenticeship programmes suit those who are proactive about and take responsibility for their own learning. Courses typically last between 12 and 18 months and offer a fantastic opportunity for employees from across the business to develop new skills, knowledge and behaviours that will secure their career progression. We are continually inspired by the achievements of our learners.
2. Adopt a growth mindset
A growth mindset leads to pushing the boundaries of what you can do – looking for ways to apply new approaches and to try new ways of working. Our learners often surprise themselves – and impress their managers and stakeholders, with what they can achieve. There’s always more to learn and an apprenticeship provides new opportunities to develop and grow.
3. Involve your line manager
We see greatest success when a learner has the full support of their line manager; working together to find those opportunities to put a new skill into practice. We have seen entire teams adopt new working practices as learners enthusiastically share what they have learned with colleagues and managers. With quarterly reviews for the learner, their line manager and Corndel coach, there is a continuous feedback loop that helps to boost confidence and drive high performance.
4. Make the most of stretch activities
As a Corndel coach, our role is to support and guide learners through the course material, exercises, projects and assessments. Through one-to-one sessions, we are in the fortunate position of getting to know each learner. This means we know what motivates you, what you’re struggling with or what you’re trying to achieve – and we can provide tailored guidance and stretch activities to help you get there.
5. Do your homework
Before you embark on any voluntary training programme, it’s important to genuinely understand what the programme entails. Make sure you take the opportunity of insight sessions to ask questions and find out how previous learners have managed their time and got the most out of the course.
