By Wendy Noble
The introduction of business fundamentals and project management is a mandatory element of the Business Administrator Level 3 apprenticeship by month nine of the programme. Many apprentices aren’t aware of what change management or project management entails, and this is a fantastic opportunity to empower them to drive a business change or improvement forward within their own area of responsibility.
The interactive training day is designed to provide the knowledge that apprentices will need to take away to allow them to consider suitable project themes with their line manager to meet the brief of a business change or improvement. The one-day course includes:
- Understand how to manage priorities
- Change management
- How to manage resources
- How to plan a project
- The project lifecycle and project team
- Project-related documentation
- How to deliver a project
Many business administrators may never have the opportunity to take on such an important role or task, and being an apprentice provides such a fantastic opportunity to support this activity and personal development journey.
We have had such a wide range of projects from our apprentices which have all resulted in driving change and improvements forward to benefit their own team, department, or organisation, and these have all been recognised by the wider organisation.
This then assists in preparing for the EPA (end point assessment) as one of the EPA activities is to present their project to the EPA assessor again, which has resulted in amazing results.
This also supports apprentices in future employability, career development, and education, which many employers have implemented due to the attitudes and achievements of their apprentices.
Lexi’s Journey at Husqvarna
Lexi Christon, a Level 3 Business Administrator apprentice at Husqvarna, highlights the real-world impact of this programme. Lexi joined Husqvarna straight from secondary school, marking her first professional role. Initially focused on HR tasks, Lexi’s responsibilities included day-to-day administrative work and involvement in projects, particularly within the recruitment process. However, as her apprenticeship progressed, she transitioned into Learning and Development (L&D), working closely with her manager Rufus Ayre to identify skill gaps and support employee development.
Husqvarna worked with us to ensure Lexi’s day-to-day experiences aligned with her apprenticeship modules. Rufus noted: “What we’ve tried to do is build her day-to-day work around the modules she’s studying. We make sure that when she’s studying a certain module, she’s exposed to those tasks, really emphasising the learning she’s getting both on-site and from the provider.”
Lexi shared how the apprenticeship helped her face new challenges:
“With it being my first job, every new situation was a challenge. But having the university and my team’s support really helped me develop. Watching how others handled situations was invaluable for my learning, and I could relate this directly to my coursework, creating a seamless connection between learning and doing.”
Through the apprenticeship, Lexi has gained a strong foundation in business fundamentals, such as managing priorities, resources, and projects. Her hard work has not gone unnoticed. As she approaches her End Point Assessment (EPA), Lexi has already secured progression opportunities, including a Level 5 qualification in People Professional and CIPD (check about distinction)
Rufus concluded: “Apprenticeships are about creating our own future talent pool. Lexi’s development demonstrates how impactful apprenticeships can be, not just for individuals but for the business as a whole. They provide a well-rounded skill set and an opportunity for long-term success.”
