Calvin Lindsay
Hammersmith and Fulham Bridge Partnership (Advanced Apprenticeship programme in IT)
My name is Calvin Lindsay, I'm 20 and will be completing the IT apprenticeship in spring 2010.
I have held a strong interest in computers since a young age, and I decided I wanted to develop my skills in this area to pursue a career in IT.
I began looking for Apprenticeships in IT and applied for one at Hammersmith and Fulham Bridge Partnership that seemed to be exactly what I was looking for: a job in IT support linked to Kensington and Chelsea College where I would work towards an NVQ qualification.
I attended Kensington and Chelsea College one day a week. I really felt I learnt a lot during this time, as in the past I had not really had the opportunity or need to study Microsoft Office products such as Word and Excel in such depth. I have already had opportunities to use the skills I developed in this area in the workplace. Attending college really complimented my office work, as it allowed me to develop my skills both theoretically and in practice.
The Apprenticeship has really helped me bridge the gap between school and work. In the workplace, I realised that I was learning more and more every day. Job shadowing my more experienced colleagues contributed to this. However the times I have learnt the most were when I have been 'thrown in the deep end' and forced to think through problems logically for myself.
The skills I have developed at Kensington and Chelsea College have really helped me to manage my own workload and increased my confidence. The confidence and skills that the Apprenticeship gave me have affected me in a number of areas in my life, including taking up web-design in my spare time and getting involved in youth work. It has even benefited my ability to work as part of a team in football and rugby which I participate in weekly.
The Apprenticeship has given me a real grounding to my career, and, as I am now coming to the end of the course, feel that the hard-work I have put into it is paying off.
My opportunities have really been broadened through the qualification. I know that I could use it to go on to university, or to really develop, learn and progress within my job.
