Apprentice of the Month – November

Our apprentice of the month is Patricia Martinez. She works for Intelex as a Business Development Representative. Intelex provide a cloud-based interface for environmental, health and safety, quality and business performance management, helping customers to report essential business information, ensure compliance requirements, manage risks and improve operational performance.

Patricia is in the process of completing the IT Technical Sales Level 3 apprenticeship. This apprenticeship delivers a winning combination of technical and sales related knowledge and skills. With 80% of learning taking place on the job, this is a qualification designed for the busy Tech and Telecoms companies of today.

-          Why did you decide to go ahead with the apprenticeship programme?

I was not actively seeking an opportunity with an apprenticeship when looking for a role within business development. The apprenticeship came as a component of the role which encouraged me to do some research. I am grateful for this being an opportunity, alongside the internal training offered within Intelex.

-       What areas of development did you see the programme meeting for you within your role/responsibilities from where you started?

I was looking forward to having classroom sessions alongside the e-learning. This gave me the chance to network with a variety of different people, while engaging with different businesses and industries. My native language is Spanish, but I speak Italian as well. I have also learnt English, so it was an exciting opportunity to go through the apprenticeship in this language.

-          What were your perceptions of doing an apprenticeship before starting on this journey?

I did not have many preconceptions of the apprenticeship. However, before I started I did some research and approached the learning with an open mind. Being successful has always been at the forefront of my mind, and I realised the apprenticeship as a great opportunity to develop and accelerate my progress.

-          How have these changed since starting the course?

I have not found it too difficult but it requires a lot of commitment. At times it has been a challenge to juggle a variety of responsibilities within the role. I believe this is something commonly experienced by learners who have not previously completed a qualification of this nature. To ensure I handled the different responsibilities of the role and my training with Pareto, I quickly adjusted my level of effort to ensure that these were met, and even exceeded.

-          How would you describe your experience of doing this qualification?

Our skills coach, Chi, has spoken extremely highly of Patricia. “In three words… Patricia is passionate, determined and successful.” Chi and Patricia have successfully navigated some complications whilst being on the programme. We always ensure that we work together to achieve the best outcome possible. As well as resilience, Patricia has shown so much commitment and perseverance to overcome multiple challenges, making her ready to enter her gateway period. Patricia showed a real commitment to her functional skills assessments, allowing her to achieve great results. I am sure she will continue to exceed expectations from a performance point of view and in terms of her attitude.

As my skills coach, I think Chi has been a calming and positive influence, while also making sure to encourage and support me. Since the beginning of the programme, Chi understood the best way in which we could successfully work together. He has a great understanding of the business and the role, which has helped me to develop and work towards my potential.

-          What impact has the course made to your confidence?

When I started the programme I felt quite shy. However, with the help of Chi, my confidence has increased massively. Since then, I have contributed significantly in group sessions, helping me to feel engaged and involved.

-          Having completed/once you complete the course, what is next for you?
Work towards a promotion.

I hope to continue excelling in my role, while eventually understanding the market even more.

She will go on to achieve great things, we are sure! She has been integral to the success of her team.

-          What advice would you give to anyone else thinking of doing an apprenticeship?

“Realise that to achieve highly and truly see the benefits, you must utilise every classroom session and bit of training. It is best to approach the training with a curious and inquisitive mind, always understanding why. Be open minded to others’ experiences in their business and role to expand your knowledge as much as possible.”

We think that this is great advice from Patricia, who is such a dedicated and well-rounded learner. The cliché, “you will get out what you put in” is absolutely key to any continuous development. This programme is a great investment in your professional development, as Patricia’s story shows!