We caught up with ex-City of Bristol College apprentice, Niah Rhoden-Edwards, to discuss their experience of completing an apprenticeship.
The Covid-19 pandemic kicked in when Niah had just started their apprenticeship. Talking of their experience, they commented: “My biggest challenge was the sudden transition from working and studying on-site to everything moving online. I was only five weeks into my apprenticeship when the first national lockdown happened.’’
They were able to succeed in their apprenticeship due to a combination of their resilience, support from City of Bristol College and their employer. They commented: “I overcame my challenges through support provided by CoBC’s additional resources, e.g. Study Skills. CoBC and my employer also supported me with my dyspraxia diagnosis.’’
Finishing their apprenticeship, Niah has been able to progress from the skills they gained to developing in their role. They commented: ‘’Following all the units I studied and my on-the-job work, I still work at University of Bristol however, now as a Project Officer (Employability and Opportunities).”
We asked Niah if they had any advice for future students interested in undertaking a City of Bristol College apprenticeship. They stated: “If you’re interested in completing an apprenticeship through CoBC, my advice is to research the courses that you’re interested in. With numerous options available, knowing the different roles you can progress into is helpful. Additionally, CoBC provides various in-house services like Study Skills that can offer significant support.’’
To discover the apprenticeships supported by City of Bristol College, simply follow this link. You can also email the apprenticeships team directly at apprentice@cityofbristol.ac.uk.