Studying an apprenticeship for personal development
Annabel is Head of Green Gas Solutions, our commercial biomethane business, and was given the opportunity to study apprenticeship as part of her personal development. Here’s her story.
How it started
Throughout my working life, I have worked with amazing apprentices and ex-apprentices but I never realised I might become one myself. In September 2022, I was given the opportunity to sign up to an 18 month Level 7 Senior Leader apprenticeship with the Cranfield School of Management.
Studying alongside work
Like lots of engineers, I learn best through doing and the apprenticeship structure of relating the course material to real life work situations is perfect for me. I get six hours off-the-job training time per week but in reality my job stays the same size. This prompts me to try and find more efficient practices in my work – SGN IT despair as I experiment with all the Office 365 apps to eliminate admin! Fortunately I have a lot of support from my manager Marcus – he’s focused on the impact of what I do rather than micromanaging how I do things.
Learning about updating leadership
The other students are great and our cohort has people from Asda and the NHS – hearing about their experiences and perspectives, particularly relating to the pandemic, is very interesting. But the real pay-off is the learning. So much has changed since I started in the workplace and this course looks at how to update leadership practices to match the world we now live in – they refer to it as VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous).
There are in person workshops, virtual lectures, reading lists, assignments, presentations and portfolios which are all designed to help leaders navigate this changed landscape. It’s at level 7, equivalent to a Master’s degree, and can count towards an MBA if I decide to go further.
Where I am now
The module on Impact, Influencing and Identity was fascinating – for example, on the subject of conflict, it started with an introduction to an academic model, then an assessment on the conflict modes I most regularly use (spoiler alert – I’m a bit of an Avoider!). They then introduced a set of techniques to identify which modes to use when, and tips to help me move from one mode to another. We then did one on one coaching with others in the group on a live work situation we were experiencing. I took this learning back to work to try and move a difficult work topic to a more collaborative space.
It’s not a silver bullet but by understanding myself and the impact of my reactions on those around me I can try and improve my leadership style. We have to keep a ‘journal’ of our practice, and write a portfolio showing how we have applied our learning in the workplace, so don’t be surprised if you find me scribbling away after a crucial conversation or a difficult meeting.
I’ll finish with a quote from Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company, who completed his apprenticeship in 1882: “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young”.