News story: GIAA’s Business Administration apprentices

On Tuesday, our Business Administration apprentices held an interactive workshop in the boardroom of our London office, during which they presented their personal journeys so far. The group then went on to pitch their business proposals, centred on how communications and social media can enhance the Agency, to a Dragons’ Den-style panel of line managers and subject matter experts.

The panel fed back that the pitches were fantastic and, faced with an impossible choice, the ‘dragons’ asked the groups to merge their proposals and then offered their support to help the apprentices turn their ideas into reality.

On Wednesday our apprentices came together and had coffee with our Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Honer, and our Non-Executive Chair Steve Burnett; and heard first-hand the interesting career paths each has taken to their current leadership roles. They also discussed how valuable life skills are at work, such as the ability to influence and engage customers.

And on Thursday, GIAA’s Learning & Development team hosted a webinar jointly with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy on our new Level 7 Professional CIPFA Qualification scheme, supported by the Apprenticeship Levy.

Lupa said “our interactive session helped me to overcome nerves while presenting and boosted my confidence”,

and Ryan said “while completing my Level 4 has been challenging in some aspects, knowing I have now achieved a qualification that is equal to a foundation degree has been rewarding”.

With 22 apprenticeships in the Agency, GIAA is proud to be on track to exceed our own apprenticeship target this year and contribute to the Civil Service’s target for new apprentices to make up 2.3% of our workforce by March 2021. Recognising the value that apprenticeships can offer an organisation, from addressing skills gaps to growing and retaining talent for the future, apprenticeships offer a win-win for everyone by enabling people to gain qualifications (up to and including post graduate degree level), whilst they learn professional skills on the job and earn a wage too.

In recognition of the importance of growing new talent, GIAA has recently welcomed Helen Ives, our new Trainee and Apprentice Lead, to continue to develop the support and activities the Agency can offer to ensure colleagues undergoing apprenticeships have the best possible experience. Helen said “We’re so proud of how far our colleagues have come during their apprenticeships with the Agency – well done to all”.

Here are some other comments from our apprentices:

Lupa Kazi: “I am learning and growing as an individual as each day passes, as well as absorbing new information every day. Our interactive session helped me to overcome nerves while presenting and boosted my confidence.”

Ryan Auer: “While completing my Level 4 has been challenging in some aspects knowing I have now achieved a qualification that is equal to a foundation degree has been rewarding. For the cohort workshop yesterday, the biggest thing I have taken away from it is gaining experience in presenting which is a skill I need to improve upon.”

Emma Breach: “I found that sharing my presentations was a great learning opportunity as it helped to build my confidence with presenting, technical difficulties aside! It was great to hear everyone’s stories, and the presentations from Helen on her own journey were enlightening.”