Every year, apprentices who attend the Local Government Apprentice of the Year event feedback that one of the benefits of the day is the knowledge and skills they gain from networking and collaborating with other apprentices.
“I would recommend this to other apprentices as it’s a great opportunity to be celebrated and to share your knowledge whilst also learning from other apprentices’ experiences”
This year’s Learning at Work week theme was all about connections. The idea behind the theme was to highlight the social aspect of lifelong learning at work. This comprised three
aspects including how we can build understanding, skills and knowledge by connecting with colleagues through learning and also create collaborative cultures and relationships that further support a lifelong learning culture.
Every year, apprentices who attend the Local Government Apprentice of the Year event feedback that one of the benefits of the day is the knowledge and skills they gain from networking and collaborating with other apprentices.
This year’s event could not have been more well-timed, following the week after Learning at Work week. The opportunity to connect with other apprentices, was one of the key reasons that
one of this years’ Local Government Apprentice of the Year winning team participants – Libby Trusler, attended the event. Despite feeling nervous about pushing herself to do something outside of her comfort zone, she also hoped that attending the event would build on her confidence and help her realise her potential.
At first, I was nervous due to the fact I have no prior experience in housing and there may be apprentices within this area also taking part. However, throughout the day I realised that you don’t need to have any prior knowledge of the topics to do well and to produce good quality work, and I really did enjoy the theme we were given”
Libby, who is a level 3 HR Support Apprentice at the London Borough of Islington recalled how during the event, not only did she feel that she got the opportunity to connect and share her ideas with her team, she also felt that everyone supported each other, ensuring that all team members had an opportunity to share their views. Undoubtably, this great collaboration and
team work impacted on the work produced by Libby and the rest of her team which led to them winning the Team of the Year prize.
Since the event, Libby has reflected on how the team dynamic impacted on how much she enjoyed the event. Libby’s experience of the event also supports the key Learning at Work week theme of connecting with others to help us build understanding, skills and knowledge, highlighting the value of team collaboration. She has also reflected how she now realises her potential and the strength in her existing skills. She feels this insight will make her feel more confident in decisions in her current role and future career
“We wanted Libby to gain recognition and acknowledgement for all the hard work she puts in, and to be celebrated for the positive impact she has at the council”
Mary Wycherley, London Borough of Islington