1 st Year
Term 1 - Week 1

Day one: Today was 'Induction Day', at school. The local training provider visited our class and welcomed us all to the Young Apprenticeship programme. We played a few games that tested our communication and team-working skills. It was also an opportunity to get to know the rest of the pupils doing the Young Apprenticeship, which was great.

Diary of a Young Apprentice

In the afternoon we were visited by a local employer who told us what it would be like to work with them. She told us all about the world of work, what was expected of us and what type of things they wanted us to do. It was really interesting! We followed the cycle of a product from its design to its sale.

Our homework was to write down our expectations for the programme over the next two years. I think I will write about the work placement, I am most looking forward to that part of it as I think it will give me a real sense of achievement.

Term 2 - Week 3

Day one : Today I spent a full day working in a solicitor's office. I have spent the whole of last week here and I will spend the rest of the week here as well. I am settling in quite well. My supervisor is called Alan and he helps me to work through all of the tasks he sets me, he is really encouraging and I don't feel nervous to ask him questions if I need to. Today I filed all of the case records in alphabetical order and I also wrote a paragraph on the data protection act after reading about it on the internet. Alan told me that I can use this paragraph as evidence towards my portfolio for my NVQ in Business & Administration. We put it in my folder, along with proof of all case record filings and Alan signed it off for me.

Term 3 - Final week

Day two : The training provider visited our school today and we sat tests online. This counted towards our Level 2 Technical certificate in Business & Administration. This test shows how much we have learnt in the time we have spent at the training provider, over the last year. I was worried that I hadn't revised enough, but as the results are given immediately, I found out straight away that I had passed.

2 nd Year

Term 3 - Final week

Day one : Today was my last day in the solicitor's office. We put together all of the evidence for my NVQ portfolio, including emails I had sent, paragraphs I had written and statements from my supervisor to say that he had seen me do certain tasks, like taking telephone messages. My teacher at the training provider was visiting me for the last time to go through my portfolio and assess the NVQ, we also discussed how my work placement links in with the Level 2 Technical certificate I completed last year. She asked me lots of questions and looked through my portfolio to make sure that everything was there. I should know my final result quite soon. Now it's back to school full-time, to concentrate on my GCSEs for the last 2 terms.