George Herritts has recently completed his Level 4 Procurement and Supply Chain Practitioner Apprenticeship with Informa through Oxford Professional Education. Read on as George shares his experiences with his apprenticeship and the positive impact it has had on his career at Informa.
What was your background before starting your apprenticeship?
I have had a mixed experience working in customer service and sales roles such as a Sales Negotiator in an independent Estate Agency and then also I was Cabin Crew at easyJet for a couple of years too. I’ve also worked in Retail while at college taking business studies.
Why did you decide to sign up to the apprenticeship?
I have completed an apprenticeship before, at easyJet, I was in the trailblazer group where we were the first cabin crew apprentices in the UK in 2018. I enjoyed the experience then and it’s such a great way to get into a new line of work. I wasn’t cutting it in Sales and I was looking for an apprenticeship and Informa has been the opportunity of a lifetime with the added benefit of gaining an internationally recognised qualification in an ever-growing industry.
How are you finding studying this apprenticeship?
I’ve since completed my End-Point Assessment having finalised my project report and presented and answered competency based questions on my Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours. I’ve really enjoyed it, made some great connections and I think I’ve taken every chance I’ve had at Informa to support my learning and individual growth too. The learning was well structured and with my flexibility I have been able to allocate off-the-job hours for myself throughout the week.
How does the apprenticeship support your daily work?
I’m fortunate enough that my success in my role and the continued learning I did throughout my apprenticeship allowed me to get a promotion to a Junior Procurement Analyst and no longer on a fixed term contract. But also as I completed more learning through CIPS, I transitioned from supporting renewals to leading some renewals and this will only give me more confidence over time.
Tell us about the company and what your job role involves?
Informa is a information based exhibition and academic publishing company operating in B2B and B2C markets. We like to dabble in M&A and this means we’ve had tremendous growth in my time at the business. My role sitting in the central technology support and solutions team, is looking after suppliers and contracts that provide a lot of back-end technology for our markets teams. I strive to get best value and the best outcomes for the team while remaining within budget.
How does Oxford Professional Education support you in your apprenticeship?
I’ve had great support from the OXPEG team, knowing that a prompt response is always what I will get to any question as well as taking the hassle of exam bookings away when sitting my exams in the past 18 months.
Would you recommend this apprenticeship to others?
Absolutely. Whether that’s with Informa or not, Procurement is such a diverse role where you can experience lots of challenges but also lots of relief once a contract is over the line. You also meet so many new faces and building rapport with others is vital to your success.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of starting an apprenticeship?
From memory I understand a typical degree with tuition fees etc will set a University Graduate back £52,000. And this will only go up with interest. I have completed my qualification and gained a level 4 qualification for nothing, while also gaining top experience and a salary. Uni students won’t get that benefit. It’s a great chance to develop yourself and build the foundations of your career.
Oxford Professional Education offer a range of marketing, project management, and procurement apprenticeships. If you are interested in completing an apprenticeship or would like to hire an apprentice for your company, get in touch with our team to find out more.