Article summary: Hear from Liz about her experience as an apprentice at Eaton Ltd, as well as employer Alitex about how their business has benefitted from taking on apprentices.
Apprentice Case Study
Name: Liz Ferguson
Apprenticeship you are undertaking/completed: CMI Level 3 Management
Company you work for: Eaton Limited
Job title: Contracts Manager
Please give us a brief summary of your role
In my role as contracts manager I work with our customers to negotiate pricing and contractual terms that will ensure longevity for our business.
Please explain your journey to becoming an apprentice
I graduated from university in 2007 and always wanted to return to education at some point. When I joined Eaton in 2017, I was aware of the multiple opportunities to learn and grow and when this apprenticeship came up and I saw I could do it whilst working I couldn't wait to get started.
Piece of advice you would give someone thinking of doing an apprenticeship
Just do it! Being able to learn alongside working is a totally different experience to sitting in a classroom. Learning with your peers and being exposed to different sides of the business, in my case, has really helped me grow in my role.
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
Hopefully in the next few years I'll be continuing on my learning journey and getting some more experiences under my belt.
Employer Case Study
Company name: Alitex
Which type of apprentices have you hired through PETA?
Engineering
Please give us a brief summary of your company
Manufacturers of luxury glasshouses, their fittings and optional accessories.
Why did you choose to hire apprentices and how has this benefitted your company?
An apprentice is a mutual opportunity for the apprentice to gain real world experience in engineering whilst completing parallel education to a higher level. From the company's viewpoint, the right apprentice will give back more in effort and achievement than the investment made by the company.
A piece of advice you would give an individual thinking of doing an apprenticeship
Find a company that takes an interest in developing your career long-term, even if that means you only spend the apprenticeship years with them.
A piece of advice you would give to other companies who are considering taking on apprentices
Find the individuals that consider an apprenticeship with your company a worthy investment for their time and career, then make it so they never regret their decision.
Hear more from Liz and some of our other apprentices' experiences on our YouTube channel.