Meet Amelia, Business Skills Trainer
What specific subjects do you teach for IPS?
I teach business administration, marketing, data analysis, and IT support
Can you describe your training responsibilities and approach to tailoring programs for employers' business needs?
We train learners to become effective support technicians. The apprenticeship provides a framework of theory to help learners develop the knowledge, skills, and behaviours needed in the workplace. We maintain contact with the employer through the program to agree on opportunities for learners to be involved in projects that they can use as evidence for their portfolios.
What do you find most rewarding about teaching and mentoring apprentices, and can you share a specific success story?
It is great to see learners achieve and progress in their careers, usually, they stay with their current employer but sometimes completing their apprenticeship opens a world of possibilities. One of my learners that achieved recently found a new job working for a Formula 1 team and he is over the moon.
How do you gather and use feedback from apprentice employers to improve your training methods?
We meet with employers regularly to discuss training needs and methods and use their feedback to update our delivery.
Tell us about your background
My background includes degrees in computer science and education. I have worked in education for over 20 years and delivering apprenticeship training for 4 years.
What strategies do you employ to stay updated with industry trends and ensure apprentices receive relevant training?
Trainers keep up to date with new trends by attending forums, webinars, and reading newsletters. Currently, we are attending webinars and joining discussions about the use of AI, the impact of AI in apprenticeships, and how it can be used to improve learning. Also how learners can use it in their job role.
How would your peers and learners describe you?
I think my peers and learners would describe me as organised and happy to support them. I tailor my teaching to learner’s needs, for example, while most of my sessions are done remotely I have a learner that greatly benefits from face-to-face meetings so I see this learner more often. This approach ensures this learner can progress effectively. I support my peers using an online e-portfolio service and I am always at hand to answer their queries.
What challenges have you encountered in your role as an apprentice trainer, and how do you address them to support apprentice success?
The main challenge is ensuring all employers are engaged, some employers are difficult to reach, when that happens we rely on the apprentice's help to re-establish communication with the employer.