Life as an Apprentice at Essex County Council

Life as an Apprentice

At Essex County Council (ECC), we are passionate about better lives for the people of Essex.  For us, that means employing a diverse workforce, drawing on the different values and experience that not only reflect the communities that we serve, but make us a better performing organisation.

Following on from an annual week-long celebration of apprenticeships taking place across England, we caught up with the Resourcing Team’s newest team members who recently joined us as Recruitment Consultant apprentices, to find out what it is really like to be an apprentice at ECC.

Firstly, welcome Harry and Cameron!

What attracted you to apply for an apprenticeship at ECC?

Harry – “I was attracted to Local Government generally due to the sense of community and how you can have a direct impact on people’s lives. I was specifically attracted to Essex County Council due to it being innovative and forward thinking, constantly adapting to meet the needs of the residents especially in these challenging times.”

Cameron – “I worked for Essex County Council when I first left college and gained valuable life skills and experience from the job, and I felt that this would be the best place for me to push on with my career and improve on a professional scale”.

At ECC, we believe that apprenticeships are for everyone; apprenticeships are a great way to start your career, to change your career, learn something new or to develop in your current role.  Both Harry and Cameron are prime examples of using an apprenticeship scheme to not only start their career but change direction.

Before starting with ECC, what was your background?

Harry – “I am a recent graduate from the University of Arts London. Upon finishing my degree, I worked as a sales assistant in retail.”

Cameron – “My last role with ECC was an apprenticeship within Business Support working within the School transport team and I was then in that role for the 12-month placement. After that I then spent 3 years working as a sales adviser for Vodafone and then under a partner agent – TJC Communications. The main role of my job was to provide high level customer service and sales experiences for a diverse and wide customer base. During the lockdowns I was then moved to working on a web chat role.”

At ECC, we work hard to ensure the right opportunities are available, so you develop and grow, and take ownership of your future with us.

What are you hoping to achieve from your apprenticeship?

Harry – “Professionally I hope to develop my knowledge of recruitment and learn from the experts around me, whilst gaining professional qualifications. On a personal note, I hope to integrate into the Essex County Council community.”

Cameron – “I’m looking to build a long-term career in recruitment, and I feel like this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up”

At ECC we have development inspirational and diverse learning opportunities to support our people to grow both personally and professionally.  We encourage our people to be curious and look for opportunities to grow

What opportunities are there for progression within your role?

Harry – “The main route of progression is to move into a Recruitment Consultant role and progression opportunities are regularly discussed with my manager.”

Cameron – “Having spoken with my manager over my first week I’ve learnt about the different roles within resourcing, the team focus on more than just recruitment itself, and it is something I am interested in.”

As well as apprenticeships, we also have a range of opportunities for you to work with us, from permanent and temporary roles, to entry routes such as apprenticeships, work experience, graduate programmes and many more.

What advice would you give to someone considering ECC as a future employer?

Harry – “I would advise to anybody looking to apply to just go for it. Just from my short time here I can already see the vast amount of opportunities and experience you can gain from the Council. It’s a solid foundation to build a career from.”

Cameron – “The opportunities and different areas of work that are available through ECC are very hard to compare to anything else available to someone looking for work, there is something for everyone no matter what experience they have and it really gives people the chance to kick start a career of their choosing.”

So, if you are thinking of your first move, your next move, or want to try something new, look no further.  Click here to search and apply to all our latest vacancies.