Meet the Apprentices - Meet Katy Whiting, CNC Building Control, Broadland District Council and South Norfolk Council

Each day during #NAW2020 we will be introducing you to inspirational apprentices and rising stars, working in Local Government in the East of England, who blaze their own trail.

I joined South Norfolk Council as a Business Support and Transformation Apprentice in 2018. I had just finished Sixth Form, and whilst all my friends were going off to University, I knew it wasn’t a step I wanted to take. I was unsure of where I wanted to go with my career. However, I knew I still wanted to learn, so when this apprenticeship became available, I saw this as an opportunity to learn and receive an income at the same time, and I have achieved this.

This apprenticeship has given me such a broad insight into local government. The trust and support that my team have invested in me has given me the confidence that I need to move forward with my career. To me, an apprenticeship is the best opportunity to kick start your career, because you not only learn the background and fundamentals of the job, but you are also coached into developing skills that you didn’t even realise existed, as well as being offered such a broad range of training!

Having an apprenticeship within local government opens up so many doors, as you are exposed to such a range of challenges and tasks and are able to shadow a variety of job roles and gain knowledge from experts of each area.

The encouragement I have been given from my colleagues has driven me to achieve things I would never usually put myself forward for. Most recently I took part in the East of England LGA Apprenticeship Challenge and won the first heat. From my own personal experience, my advice to anyone would be to have confidence in yourself- you are capable of more than you think. Be adaptable and ready to take on every opportunity and challenge.

I would recommend an apprenticeship in local government to anyone. It doesn’t matter how old you are or how little experience you have.  I came into my apprenticeship not knowing how a local government operates, but I have since completed my apprenticeship, having gained so much experience, skills, confidence and knowledge, and have now secured myself a full-time position here at South Norfolk Council.

Apprenticeships give the opportunity to look beyond traditional routes into employment and allow you to explore a diverse range of career options in local government and beyond. Our #NAW2020 feature provides just a small taster of the true value that an apprenticeship can bring, to both individuals, local authorities and the wider community in the East of England.