10 February 2025
To celebrate National Apprenticeship week, we interviewed Olivia who has just completed a 15 month apprenticeship in the corporate team at The Portman Estate.
Olivia was studying towards a BPP Level 3 Business Administration qualification and has since been awarded a distinction.
Why did you choose to do an apprenticeship?
I’ve never really fitted in the academic box so I struggled to learn in school and be tested. I know that Ilearn better practically rather than theoretically. For me, learning practically made the theory easier and made a lot more sense which is why I wanted to do an apprenticeship.
Since beginning my apprenticeship I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD. Schools aren’t always neurodivergent friendly and apprenticeships are a lot more tailored to this and felt more suitable to my way of learning. Things now make a lot more sense and I feel validated.
I’m completing my apprenticeship with a Distinction and before this I’d never been tested in a way that has shown my intelligence. I can now display it in a different way because of this style of learning.
What have you learnt during your time here?
I’ve learnt to manage my OCD and ADHD in an office setting which I struggled with initially. Offices are a structured environment and my mind isn’t… I’ve learnt to adapt to make it easier for me – taking concentration breaks and completing tasks in a bitesize way that gives me accomplishments along the way. I’ve also developed more empathy (understanding how different people approach work) and I’ve learnt that people have different styles and all are valid.
How did you find the apprenticeship experience?
It’s difficult to sum up 15 months of everything but it was a really positive one. It was what I thought it would be but much more. As I progressed through the apprenticeship I was given more to do which gave me a varied experience and I’ve been able to action things I never thought possible.
Any advice for young people thinking about an apprenticeship?
I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do but I feel that an apprenticeship was the right thing for me to do. It really is the way to go – it’s an opportunity to be in work but you’re also encouraged to work things out. It gives you opportunity to explore the world of work before entering the workplace in a more traditional setting. I would recommend it to anyone.
What’s next for you?
I’m going to be a HR assistant for a civil engineering company. I mentioned in my interview last year (here) that the apprenticeship gave me a passion for human resources and this new role allows me to focus on that in a concentrated way. I’m also going on to study a HR specific qualification which is CIPD Level 3. I feel so much more confident doing this now from my apprenticeship as I have learnt so much about my learning style to gain more qualifications.
What have you enjoyed about The Portman Estate?
The people… they are so open to encouraging learning and development and I’ve been pushed in a positive way by them. They are also very open and accepting of new talent as a business, and are starting to identify the benefit of new talent, encouraging young people in the workplace.
What will you miss?
The culture – it’s a smaller company so I have a lot more personal interactions with people and it makes the office environment enjoyable. Senior leadership take interest in all employees – credit is given and spotlight to colleagues is good. In other organisations sometimes people can go under the radar but I feel we are all celebrated here.
Any other thoughts?
I hope The Portman Estate look to more apprenticeships and offer less traditional methods for those who don’t want to do university. This has been a great place to do it. Apprentices can be vulnerable and taken advantage of due their greenness in the workplace but Portman doesn’t do this and makes you very welcome. It would be great to explore more alternative learning paths to get people into the workplace.
