Bright future for Heywood apprentice

Heywood apprentice Nichola Djamalis.

As the race to become Sir Alan Sugar’s new apprentice on the hit BBC1 show reaches its finale, a bright young apprentice from Heywood is also striving ahead with her career.

Nichola Djamalis, 19, from the Summit in Heywood, used her apprenticeship with the Council as a stepping stone to university to study Psychology.

She was chosen from nearly 100 applicants to join the Council’s apprenticeship programme when she left Holy Cross Sixth Form College in Bury last summer.

She was initially unsure about what to do next and didn’t have a specific career in mind, so decided to get some work experience.

“As I didn’t know what I wanted to do after college, I thought taking time out from studying full-time and getting some experience in a work environment would be the best idea,” she said.

“I found out that the scheme also offered the opportunity to gain more qualifications as well as practical work experience, which would develop my skills even further. I was really shocked when I found out I’d got a place! I didn’t expect to be accepted as I was aware of the large number of applicants that there were.”

The course is made up of four days placement a week and one day studying towards NVQ levels two and level three in business administration and ECDL qualification – The European Computer Driving Licence. Placements are on a three month rotational basis to give the apprentices the opportunity to experience the work of different council services.

Nichola joined the council last September and has spent time in the Customer Service Team. She is currently in the Legal and Democratic Service and has been undertaking general administration duties as well as providing information about land search prices to customers.

“I’ve been processing the financial information within the land charge department for land search payments," she continued. "I take appointments for personal searchers to come in and do their own land searches, and I have also started inputting the basic searches into the system using a dedicated computer application.”

Before she completes the course in August, Nichola will be attending several Bright Futures Workshops to develop her career through learning and development activities including communication skills and team-working skills.

Head of People Management Stephen Harper said: “Having capable employees like Nichola is a real asset to the organisation. Many of our apprentices will go on to progress through and add real value to the council.”

Nichola would certainly recommend the council’s programme to other young people who may be considering an apprenticeship, particularly if they are unsure of what to do after finishing school: “I’d tell others to go for it! It really gives you a feel for the world of work and puts you in better position to move on and achieve more after having the initial grounding of basic office duties.”

Nichola will be studying Psychology at Manchester University in September.