A Business Administration Apprentice at a local construction firm has celebrated passing her apprenticeship end-point assessment this week.
Sinead Anns-Null joined Newbury construction business, Helix, in August 2021. Throughout her year at the organisation, Sinead has not only undertaken administrative tasks, but also tried her hand at finance, buying and design. Her impressive apprenticeship results demonstrate that Sinead has developed the skills, knowledge and behaviours outlined in the apprenticeship standard, which can
be applied to all sectors across her future career.
Eager to learn more about business administration after studying A Level Business at Newbury College, Sinead decided to undertake an apprenticeship to gain more hands-on experience. Despite Sinead’s interviews taking place amidst strict Covid measures, she has since had the opportunity to meet Helix staff in the office and at events, and soon hopes to visit a construction site.
Commenting on the welcome she received from the Helix team, Sinead said: “This is my first office job, but it has been the perfect start to my career, everyone has been so supportive.
“Working in construction has been a great insight into how different industries work. Many people see construction as a male-dominated industry, but there are opportunities for anyone to thrive in the construction sector. My advice to other girls who are considering a career in construction is to go for it.”
Alongside her apprenticeship, Sinead also completed her Level 2 AAT qualification, which covered topics such as bookkeeping, costing, and accounting software. Sinead achieved 82 per cent (Merit) in the AAT exam, adding: “I would advise future apprentices to create a plan of how you will fit in your studying and coursework alongside your job. You will always have to do the work, so it is important to be organised.”
As Sinead’s apprenticeship draws to a close, Helix have supported her in finding an opportunity to use the skills she has learnt at a local accountancy firm.
Reflecting on Sinead’s time at Helix and her exam success, Managing Director Nic Davies said: “Sinead’s fantastic results are thoroughly well deserved, and testament to her hard work since joining us. She has been a hugely valuable member of the team, even creating user manuals to help other staff with our design system, which she excelled at using.
“Helix is proud to welcome apprentices like Sinead to our team. Since Helix was established, we have offered apprenticeships in areas such as management and business administration. Such schemes are vital, not only to give young people access to the construction industry, but also to combat the skills shortage across the sector.”
