National Apprenticeship Week at Browns: Jade's Journey
It’s National Apprenticeship Week, and to celebrate, we caught up with one of our recent graduates about their apprenticeship experience.
Jade Gorman, Customer Support Supervisor, recently completed her Level 3 Customer Service Specialist apprenticeship, achieving a distinction in all aspects of the qualification.
National Apprenticeship Week is a yearly celebration of apprenticeships across the UK and the positive impact they have on both individuals and businesses. It highlights how apprenticeships help people gain recognised qualifications, build confidence, and develop real workplace skills while earning, and supports organisations to grow skilled and motivated teams.
At Browns, we’re proud to support apprenticeship programmes that help our people develop, progress and build long-term careers within the business. By investing in development opportunities such as apprenticeships, we enable our teams to grow their skills and confidence, while continuing to strengthen the high level of service we provide to our customers.
Let’s hear what Jade has to say about her learning experience at Browns...
What made you first interested in completing an apprenticeship in customer service?
I enjoy learning new things and taking on challenges and I believe that gaining additional qualifications creates more opportunities.
What new skills did you gain that you didn’t expect to learn?
I developed more patience especially within maths as the course required us to complete numerous sessions.
What skills do you use every day that you learned during your apprenticeship?
I feel the skills I gained from my apprenticeship have helped me with my problem-solving, prioritisation, and better communication with colleagues. I feel more confident now in dealing with new situations that may arise.
How do you feel Browns supported you with completing your apprenticeship?
I was very lucky to have such a supportive team, especially Kerry and Nicola who made time for me to complete my work and offered coaching and guidance whenever I needed it.
What was your biggest achievement during the apprenticeship?
My biggest achievement was gaining a distinction in all aspects of the course and successfully completing my qualification to this grade.
What was the biggest difficulty you had to overcome during the apprenticeship?
As maths and numeracy isn’t my strongest subject, this area was definitely the one I struggled with the most, but I got through it with perseverance and a strong mindset.
How has completing the apprenticeship helped with your confidence at work?
The apprenticeship has built my confidence. I now feel more comfortable taking on new challenges and trusting my ability to complete tasks effectively without the self-doubt.
How has your apprenticeship helped you to grow outside of work, not just in your role?
This has boosted my confidence and shown me that I can achieve anything if I truly put my mind to it.
In three words, how would you describe your apprenticeship experience at Browns?
Challenging, rewarding, achievement.
Would you recommend completing an apprenticeship at Browns?
Yes, it creates more opportunities for you and gives you the chance to learn new things along the way - another string to your bow, as the saying goes!
What would you say to someone thinking to complete a similar apprenticeship?
Go for it! Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
At Browns, we are committed to supporting our people to develop and progress throughout their careers. We encourage ambition, continuous learning and personal growth, and we aim to provide opportunities that help individuals take the next step in their development.
We believe that investing in our employees helps us build long-term relationships, strengthen our teams and maintain the high standards of service our customers expect.
You can learn more about National Apprenticeship Week, here.