Meet Medigold Health's Apprentices

Edward Jones

Software Development Apprentice, Medigold Health

Edward is currently studying for his BTEC L4 Diploma in Software Development Methodologies via the apprenticeship route at Medigold Health

What does your typical day look like?

It varies. I mainly focus on my assigned project work, which consists of coding, problem-solving, and development. I also get involved in helping the team to accomplish certain tasks that they are working on.

What do you like best about your job?

Being part of a great team! I enjoy contributing in the team and I get satisfaction from knowing I played a part in completing a team task, it’s extremely rewarding. I’ve been working in software development for the past couple of years and it’s something I really enjoy; doing the apprenticeship is a bonus.

Why did you decide to start an apprenticeship?

I decided to start an apprenticeship because it is a great way to gain access to the software development field. It’s an opportunity for me to learn from professionals and from specialist trainers from my apprenticeship training provider who are there to help me gain the skills and knowledge I need to succeed.

What qualification will you receive at the end of your apprenticeship and how often do you attend college?

I will receive a Diploma in Software Development Methodologies L4. I attend college once a week.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start an apprenticeship?

Go for it! Apprenticeships are a great way to really understand an industry and find a career that you enjoy and you get to meet different people and make new friends.

Would you recommend an apprenticeship to other people?

Yes, I would!

Give us one interesting fact about yourself!

I also develop games and I’m currently developing a gaming app.

Paula Mateus

Marketing Assistant Apprentice, Medigold Health

Paula is currently studying for her Level 4 Marketing Executive Apprenticeship via the apprenticeship route at Medigold Health.

What does your typical day look like?

I look forward to logging into work each day as I know no two days are the same. My day will consist of learning new things, putting my various skills into use, and working on different campaigns – it’s super exciting!

One element of consistency in my varied role is my morning routine – I always start each working day with a giant cup of detox tea and some motivational reading. During this little ritual, I normally have a catch up with my wonderful mentor, Medigold Health’s Marketing Director, Nicole Corr (I can guarantee she will always have me laughing with her humorous GIFS!) I then read through articles and blog posts and plan out my day’s tasks.

What do you like best about your job?

A mixture of things, but mainly it’s the ability to be as creative as possible! My role allows me to focus on creating content, which always gets my creative juices flowing. As well as researching current industry and economic trends, I also get to curate content to schedule, create blog posts and graphics for the website and social media posts, and sometimes even produce videos (which I thoroughly enjoy). I have a degree in Film and Media Studies, have freelanced at a TV studio and have an immense passion for photography, so you could say being creative comes naturally! I learn better when I’m able to instantly practise what I’ve learnt in theory, and the apprenticeship gives me the flexibility to do that, which I really enjoy.

I love meeting new people and learning from them, and it’s great that this is also a fundamental part of my role. (I did say it was a mixture of things!)

 Why did you decide to start an apprenticeship?

It’s quite a funny story!  I had been working at Medigold Health for almost two years, as a Customer Service Administrator and really enjoyed the role, but when the Marketing Assistant position was advertised on the portal, I knew I had to apply. Despite never having had any marketing experience within a corporate environment, I knew this was the career path I wanted to pursue, and the prospect of being able to take on a role that would allow me to be creative and also put my degree to use was too good an opportunity to miss.

Although I was aware I needed more experience, I was confident in my skills that I’d developed during my university course and previous roles, and my interviews went really well.

When the job offer was presented to me together with an opportunity to do an apprenticeship hand in hand, it was a no brainer; I immediately said YES! Having the chance to develop my skill set by learning the theory of marketing whilst working for a company that I’m familiar with and esteem highly is a wonderful opportunity!

I’m so grateful that Nicole Corr and Gemma Ely saw potential in me, and that Medigold Health were prepared to invest in this apprenticeship.

What qualification will you receive at the end of your apprenticeship and how often do you attend college?

I will gain a Level 4 Apprenticeship qualification in Marketing. As my apprenticeship requires 20% of my working hours, I make time to study throughout the week.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start an apprenticeship?

Do it! It is really beneficial and a great route into work – you get to put all the theory into practice immediately.

Would you recommend an apprenticeship to other people?

Yes, I would recommend it, 100 percent. It takes a lot of organisation, discipline, and self-motivation, but if you’ve got all those things you will enjoy the apprenticeship route.

Give us one interesting fact about yourself!

I’m a big seafood lover! Shrimps, oysters, lobsters you name it, I love it!

William Maple

IT Support Apprentice, Medigold Health

William is currently studying for his ITQ Level 3 via the apprenticeship route at Medigold Health.

What does your typical day look like?

I work in the IT department and a typical day is normally very busy!

I look at tickets on the helpdesk and prioritise and log jobs for customers who are experiencing computer, printer, server or any other IT issues and schedule them in throughout the day to look at. The highest priority jobs are dealt with first, whilst quick jobs are completed there and then. This system allows us to keep all customers happy and minimise disruption to their working day as much as possible.

What do you like best about your job?

The independence!

I like receiving tasks to work on independently as it makes me feel accountable and therefore motivates me to perform at my best. It also gives me the full experience in the working environment.

Why did you decide to start an apprenticeship?

I think it’s the best choice. IT is about having good problem-solving skills and an apprenticeship gives you ‘hands-on’, practical experience in a real job role. You are learning the right skills in a real environment – that’s the kind of experience that employers look for when recruiting new team members.

What qualification will you receive at the end of your apprenticeship and how often do you attend college?

I will receive ITQ Level 3. I attend college once a week on a Wednesday.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start an apprenticeship?

I would encourage them to investigate the option. An apprenticeship is a great way to gain experience in an industry that you’ve never worked in but are looking to get into, especially for IT, which is mainly experience-based.

Would you recommend an apprenticeship to other people?

 Yes, it’s a good choice for anyone who can’t decide whether to continue studying or starting work. In my opinion, it’s a good steppingstone between college and work.

Give us one interesting fact about yourself!

I’m fluent in Swedish.