Climbing the ladder of opportunity for National Apprenticeship Week

During this National Apprenticeship Week, we are celebrating the apprentices who are currently completing their apprenticeship with Warner Goodman, and also those who have secured permanent roles with the firm after completing their course.  With the theme of ‘climbing the ladder this year’ it’s fitting that we start the week with two former apprentices who are already on the way up; Gina Spampinato and Becky Spurrier.  Both have completed their apprenticeships and are now Marketing Assistant and Residential Conveyancing Administrative Assistant respectively.

Gina Spampinato

I started my apprenticeship in September 2015, and while working towards my BTEC Level 2 in Business Administration I worked in the Marketing department at Warner Goodman. 

Towards the end of my time at College, I decided that university wasn’t the right path for me and so an apprenticeship seemed like the natural choice as it would allow me to gain the experience in a field I wasn’t familiar with while I carried on learning.  Through learning on the job, I was able to apply what I was learning to my place of work, and we were given optional units based on industry so it was interesting to learn the theory behind what I was doing at work.

I decided to apply for the role at Warner Goodman and in my interview I could tell it was a friendly place to work.  It was important to me that I worked somewhere with a good atmosphere and Warner Goodman seemed to tick all the boxes. 

After working in the Marketing department for the last 18 months, I have realised I would like to pursue a career in Marketing, possibly continuing my education in the field to allow me to continue to climb the ladder.  Without my apprenticeship, I may not have been given the opportunity to enter into the Marketing world as it was an area I hadn't been informed about prior to enquiring about the apprenticeship.

The people at Warner Goodman have helped me realise my potential and have given me plenty of support both during and after my time as an apprentice.  The best part of my apprenticeship was hosting an event on my own as at the time there was no Marketing Manager.  It was a really positive feeling to know I was trusted to look after a room full of potential clients.  There was good feedback after the seminar which was particularly rewarding as it showed that my hard work had paid off.

I would definitely recommend an apprenticeship to those currently considering their career choices.  They are a great way to get onto the career ladder and keep on climbing.  The traditional route isn’t for everyone, but learning on the job gave me the experience I needed in the workplace to progress as well as a recognised qualification. 

Becky Spurrier

I completed a Business Administration Level 2 apprenticeship while placed in the administration department of the firm’s Portsmouth office.  Once I completed my apprenticeship I was delighted to be offered a permanent position working in the Residential Conveyancing team under one of the Partner’s, Paul Winslade.  I am the Administration Assistant as well as Legal Secretary for the team.

I decided to explore the opportunities with an apprenticeship as I knew it would be a good step in the door and give me an opportunity to gain a qualification whilst working. I had heard of Warner Goodman previously and knew of its great reputation for training, so when I saw the interesting job description for the apprenticeship I was keen to apply.

During my apprenticeship I went to College once a month, which was incredibly helpful to enable me to complete the units required and ask for assistance if it was needed.  The units in my course helped me to understand the process of an office based environment as I had only worked in hospitality and retail beforehand.  While I was at College I was nominated for an award for my achievement on the course; a real highlight and great motivation to continue to achieve.

In the future, I would be interested in learning more about the law, and possibly progress into a paralegal role, however at the moment I am keen to understand the full extent of my current role in Residential Conveyancing.  The firm has been fantastic, especially my managers who gave me the opportunity after my apprenticeship.  Both have been so supportive with my current and future career goals and are always there if I need them.  One thing I thrive on is knowing I am part of a team; that there are others there for me, and I am also there to offer support.

My apprenticeship opened the door for me as I had no legal or office experience, so it has created a good stepping ladder for my progression.  I would definitely recommend an apprenticeship to anyone interested in this line of education and career.  I found it a great way to learn but also work at the same time.  It is a great way to earn money but also gain a qualification if you are unsure what path to take.

If you’d like to find out more about apprenticeship, or other career opportunities available at Warner Goodman, you can email recruitment@warnergoodman.co.uk.

PHOTO: Becky Spurrier, Residential Conveyancing Administration Assistant

ENDS

This is for information purposes only and is no substitute for, and should not be interpreted as, legal advice.  All content was correct at the time of publishing and we cannot be held responsible for any changes that may invalidate this article.