Shirley Glover

What made you decide to undertake an apprenticeship, and what was your role at the time?

I moved to the UK in September 2021. I am a qualified teacher and taught children aged 3-8 for 20 years prior to this move in Zimbabwe, Botswana and Qatar. The UK does not recognise my teaching qualifications, so it felt like a good time for a change, I just did not know what that change looked like at the time. When I moved, to bring my children with me who have South African passports, I needed a job. The only job I could find was in care. I was an assistant care coordinator in a domiciliary care company for about six months before deciding that although I found the caring aspect of the role fulfilling, there was a lot about the industry I could not get behind.

I signed up with Lawrence Dean Recruitment and was placed in the Health and Safety department, then applied for an HR Admin role which made me permanent with the council which I was thrilled about. An opportunity to support with Employee Relations came up which interested me as it was more people focused, and this led to a secondment into my current post as Employee Relations Partner. I had learned everything I knew through mentorship and learning on the job but felt it would be good to get a qualification and a deeper understanding of the theory that underpins the practical implementation of the role. I had spoken to Mags Mahoney about possible training a few times and picked up some courses online. When the intake for apprenticeships opened in the summer of 2024, we decided the time had come and with support from Raymond I secured a place on a level five people management course through the CIPD and North Herts College.

What were the most significant challenges you faced, and how did you manage them?

My role is busy, there is a lot going on in employee relations in the council and in the beginning, I struggled to be firm on my self-study time – finding it hard to focus on my college work when I knew there were emails and messages from staff waiting for responses. I have got better at safeguarding this time but still slip up from time to time! The course is demanding and submitting a 3900-word assignment every six to eight weeks is a lot, so there have been many a weekend spent reading and writing, but I am enjoying the learning and the process. So, in essence, balancing the demands of a busy role, the course and life outside of those second things has been and I suspect will remain my biggest challenge – the key is in pacing myself, leaning on the support my managers and colleagues provide and understanding I can’t do everything at 100% all the time!

What new skills or knowledge did you gain?

I am part way through my sixth module of seven. Each one has explored a different area of HR such as talent, employee relations, reward, strategy and organisation design, and the fundamentals of the skills, attributes and behaviours required by the HR or people profession. Through the course my understanding of the theory and legislation that underpins what we do has grown, allowing me to continue to ask questions, examine my practice and our processes and procedures and I hope, making positive contributions as I do so.

How did your manager and colleagues support you during your apprenticeship?

My manager has been and continues to be my greatest champion, along with my initial manager in the council. Having said that the wider HR team have all supported me on my journey to this point and continue to support by checking in with how I am getting on, offering advice and specific support with the different modules and a permanent open-door policy for any questions or queries I may have – and believe me, I have many, very regularly! Beyond the HR team, the staff I have worked with, both manager and employees alike have been generous in sharing their understanding and experiences and shown patience when I have not had an answer immediately and needed to come back to them with what they have asked for.

How did completing an apprenticeship affect your confidence and future opportunities?

I have not yet completed my apprenticeship, but what I am looking forward to on completion is a solid platform of the level five qualification from which to further grow my career in HR.

What advice would you give to others considering an apprenticeship, particularly existing staff?

Go for it! It is demanding and challenging and there will be days when you wonder whether you have any will to live left! But it is rewarding and interesting and the input you get from the course, your tutors, your cohort and hopefully your team are well worth it! You will have to guard your time and if you are like me your time management skills will increase dramatically – or so I tell myself!