New career for Middleton apprentice

Middleton apprentice was chosen from nearly 100 applicants to join Rochdale Borough Council’s apprenticeship programme

A last minute change of career has paid dividends for an apprentice from Middleton after she was chosen from nearly 100 applicants to join Rochdale Borough Council’s apprenticeship programme.

Ashlea Oatway from Langley, left St Anne’s Academy in 2007 before training to be a hairdresser at Bury College. After ‘cutting it’ for a year the 18 year old realised life in a salon wasn’t for her and decided to look at other options:

She said: “I was interested in learning more about business, maybe in some kind of administration role.”

After contacting Connexions advisers in Middleton she was recommended to consider apprenticeships, as she’d still be able to continue studying, but have a real job at the same time. When Ashlea found out that Rochdale Borough Council were looking for young people to join their apprentice programme she jumped at the chance:

“Straight away I thought it was a fantastic opportunity, although I knew the competition would be strong. It looked like a great opportunity to get my career started and seemed to offer loads of potential for progression within the organisation. I was over the moon, when I heard I had got one of only five places couldn’t believe it”.

Last September she joined the council, spending the first 3 months getting a taste of life in the council’s Legal and Democratic service, attending real court cases and doing general admin duties.

She’s now in their Performance and Development Service which comprises communications, policy and research, information and the joint health unit, responsible for driving change and improvement across the council.

During her apprenticeship she’ll get experience throughout the authority.

“I’ve got a really diverse role, working with lots of different people, arranging diaries, producing databases and assisting with events. I’m looking forward to getting more responsibility and getting my NVQ shortly.”

As part of her apprenticeship at the council, Ashlea spends one day a week working towards her NVQ in Business Administration, where she is already on course to have completed Level 3 by June.

Rochdale’s in-house apprenticeship scheme follows the national framework for apprenticeships with apprentices achieving at least three national qualifications during their training. Head of People Management Stephen Harper said he is proud of everyone on the programme:

“Having capable employees like Ashlea is a real asset to the organisation.

Many of our apprentices will go on to progress through and add real value to the council.”