Apprenticeship Success Story: Millie Thomas
Glanville Environmental is proud to run an Apprenticeship programme that focuses on training a new generation of skilled individuals to join our workforce.
Our apprenticeship scheme covers everything from office-based roles to operational staff, and we work with the best providers in the South West to ensure our apprentices get the best out of their learning experience both in the classroom and on the job.
Millie Thomas is Training Administrator for Glanville Training Academy, having completed her Level 3 Business Studies Apprenticeship in June 2022, and we want to share her success story with you.
After finishing her GCSE examinations in 2020, Millie was looking to start a career in Health & Social Care, however, after researching available courses she realised that a Business Studies apprenticeship would open more opportunities for career growth. Having applied for a Level 3 Business Studies Apprenticeship course with Skills Group, Millie completed a 6-week classroom-based course to gain an understanding of business studies and then interviewed for the role of Business Administration Apprentice at Glanville which she started in January 2021.
Despite not knowing much about the company, Millie felt that Glanville was best suited for what she was looking to get out of the apprenticeship and believed that as a rapidly growing company, we could provide her with the skills and knowledge she needed to pave a career for herself upon completion of her course.
As we provide a wide range of services from Civil Engineering to High-Pressure Water Jetting and CCTV services as well as Training, we felt it was important Millie developed an understanding of a few different areas of the company and how she can apply it to her apprenticeship. She was integrated across the HR, Accounts, and Training departments where she carried out a host of tasks to support the team and gain the relevant experience required for her apprenticeship.
Her duties as Business Administration Apprentice included filing, creating new starter packs, logging & de-logging invoices, dealing with employee timesheets, taking payments over the phone, receptionist duties, taking deliveries, recording petty cash and vehicle tax renewals. The wide range of tasks carried out across her apprenticeship meant she obtained a broad understanding of Glanville Environmental as a business and in turn, this enabled her to become a valuable asset to the company.
Millie tells us "I did a bit of everything which gave me a real feel for the business and where I could go with my apprenticeship".
Not only did her apprenticeship involve learning about the business, but it enabled Millie hands-on experience in the workplace where she now thrives and has transferred her skill set to the training centre where she supports the team and has built not only solid working relationships with her colleagues but gained friends for life as she is now an integral part of the Glanville family!
Gaining confidence and being taken seriously doesn't come naturally to many young people, however, Millie has proven that hard work and dedication come with rewards as she has flourished into a well-respected and essential member of the team.
Upon completion of her apprenticeship, Millie moved to the Accounts department full-time as Accounts Administrator, however, found herself wanting to progress and fly the nest of the Accounts team that help shaped the beginning of her career at Glanville. In July 2022, Millie moved to the Training department as the Training Administrator for Glanville Training Academy, where she is responsible for sourcing and booking internal and external courses for candidates and managing the training requirements of Glanville Environmental employees, completing Toolbox Talks and Near Miss reports on the system and helping other departments when required.
When asked what she has gained from her apprenticeship, Millie explains:
"Choosing an apprenticeship with Glanville was the best decision I ever made! My apprenticeship taught me the ins and outs of the company, and I have developed confidence in myself and my role as Training Administrator. I've formed amazing friendships, a family that looks out for me, and a career for life. And I can't forget the tea-making skills, I can now make an 8/10 cup of tea, so there's still an improvement to be made!"
There is a path out there for everyone, and if going to university isn't for you and instead, you're looking to gain hands-on experience while earning a good wage with a company that will provide you with a welcoming family and a career for life, then check out our apprenticeship opportunities today.