Alfie Tomkinson is one of our current Customer Service Practitioner Apprentices, his role is based at Buxton Pump Room, Crescent Heritage Trust
We asked him questions about his apprenticeship for #AskAnApprenticeDay NAW 2021.
Why did you decide to do an apprenticeship?
I thought it was a really good route into employment and you get training on the job and payment. I didn’t want to go to Uni so this seemed like the obvious choice.
How many days in College do you study?
I actually only come into College once a month but during the week I have one day off a week for doing course work.
The other 4 days I’m in work 9 – 4pm (when not in lockdown) at the Pump Room, Crescent Heritage Trust.
What payment do you get?
There is a standard Payment for 14 -19 year-olds of £4.15 per hour.
Aged 19 or over and you’re entitled to the National Minimum Wage after your first year.
My manager actually topped up my minimum pay as it was their company policy, which was amazing!
It’s not bad considering you get a qualification too.
Do you have a tutor at work?
You get a mentor at work and they help you settle in and show you the ropes and give training on the job.
Do you have homework?
Yes, at the beginning of the apprenticeship I had to fill in workbooks, finding the answers with the help of textbooks and my experiences of the job. You then put your learning into practice on the job…
What additional learning experience have you gained from your apprenticeship?
My Apprenticeship has brought loads of experiences such as learning how to update a website on wordpress, creative brainstorming in meetings at the Heritage Trust, helping to organise the Crescent Experience. I’ve even stepped in and been a host myself, moving people around and answering questions and providing staff training.
At the pump room I provided general visitor Information such as giving people bus timetables, charting routes around Buxton for people and more.
