Libbie Bridle joined Packaging Automation in 2019 as and IT Apprentice, this is Libbie’s Apprenticeship story …
To be honest my first choice wasn’t an Apprenticeship, I had made the decision to go to College but very quickly, during my first year, realised it wasn’t for me. I wasn’t enjoying it and knew I had to decide about what would be best for me.
I knew that Apprenticeships were a great way to continue your education but still have the opportunity to gain the important social and work skills which are essential. With this in mind I decided to leave college and get my foot in the door of the working world !
My Apprentice journey at PA has been great. I have been learning throughout and have constant support from not only the IT department but the rest of the business too. Due to the great support and training offered I have noticed a huge difference in my knowledge and confidence since beginning my Apprenticeship a year ago.
The thing I enjoy most about being an Apprentice, is the fact that I can gain all the work experience necessary for a ‘real life’ job but still continue with my education and qualifications. Apprenticeships are such a rewarding thing to do.
My current role as an IT apprentice includes such a variety of things. Not one day is the same, I am constantly being exposed to and get involved in new things. Within my role, I offer IT support to the rest of the company and get the chance to be involved in projects and larger scale tasks.
I would advise anyone thinking of taking the Apprenticeship route to do lots of research to find an apprenticeship role they are really interested in. Once they have found one, I would tell them to take the step, and go for it ! My experience has been nothing but positive and has helped me increase my knowledge, social skills and confidence.