After completing his A levels at Llanfair Caereinion High School, Cai Watkins chose to follow a vocational education path and joined Cambrian Training Company (CTC) as a Contract Support Officer Apprentice, where he began a Level 2 Business Administration apprenticeship (equivalent to five GCSE passes). Cai successfully completed his Level 2 apprenticeship in 13 months and then progressed and studied his Level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship (equivalent to two A level passes), which he successfully achieved last year at the age of 21.
Whilst working full time at CTC, Cai has learnt the different business administration skills as part of his apprenticeship and gain first-hand experience of implementing these skills in his job role. He’s also had the invaluable opportunity to learn from his Line Manager and other Senior Managers and Directors in the company. After 2 years working at CTC working in contract management, the Directors promoted Cai to Acting Head of Business Unit: Contract Manager when his line manager took 12 months maternity leave, which was made into a permanent position at the beginning of this year.
In his role as Head of Business Unit: Contract Manager, Cai is responsible for monitoring and contract managing CTC’s nine sub-contractor’s contracts, as well as monitoring and reporting to the Board on CTC’s three in-house sector business units’ performance. This role requires financial analysis, contract negotiation, project management, data analysis, interpersonal and communication skills to name a few. He has mastered these in the ‘world of work’ and as a result he has successfully achieved his Level 2 & 3 Business Administration apprenticeships. In his role, Cai must be reactive on any changes that are communicated from the Welsh Government to ensure the contract remains compliant.
“At school and especially during my A levels the teachers were pushing everyone to go to university and apprenticeships were not discussed. However, my Dad is a huge admirer of apprenticeships as he started his career as an apprentice in the Army so that was always a driving factor for me,” Cai says.
The duration of the apprenticeship is dependent upon the type and level of qualification being studied. For work-based-learning apprenticeships, each apprentice is allocated their own Training Officer who visits the apprentice on a monthly basis in their place of work to check on progress, provide feedback on work that’s been completed, give any required training and additional work to be completed. All apprentices need to have Maths, English and IT skills to GCSE grade C/4. If an apprentice hasn’t achieved these essential skills, they will be supported to do so with the expert tutorage from an Essential Skills Tutor who will also visit the apprentice in their place of work.
“The Training Officer is there to support me throughout the apprenticeship, providing advice and answering any questions I have and ensuring I keep on track in my studies so that I completed the apprenticeship on time” explains Cai.
CTC was very supportive of his apprenticeship studies and with the work experience Cai gained in his job role. Cai studied in the workplace for around one-two hours per week and only needed to do around another one hour of study outside work per week to successfully complete his apprenticeship.
“Completing my apprenticeship has made me much more confidence and I now have the skill set and knowledge to achieve and succeed in my job. I hope to continue to progress in the company and my long-term goal is to work my way up to becoming a Director.
“I have learnt so many life skills during my apprenticeship that I wasn’t taught in the school system. While studying for my apprenticeship I have earned while I’ve learned, progressed in my career and I don’t have thousands of pounds of student debt that many of my contemporaries have.”
