apprentice

Wireless Communications Rigger Apprenticeship (Level 2)

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The wireless communications rigger is a key member of the field-based wireless rigging team that supports the UK's cellular network and its infrastructure.
The wireless communications rigger is a key member of the field-based wireless rigging team that supports the UK’s cellular network and its infrastructure.

Does the idea of being a key member of the UK’s cellular network and infrastructure sound good to you? If so, read on to find out how the level 2 wireless rigger communications apprenticeship could help you start a new career. Already in a job? No worries! You could change roles within your current organisation and complete the apprenticeship training.

What is a Wireless Communications Rigger?

A Wireless Communications Rigger can install large steel structures on towers and rooftops, adapting the existing structure in the process if needed. They facilitate the lifting and lowering of equipment for installation and removal, install a range of cable types and sizes including Coaxial, CAT5/6 and Fibre Optic, interpret drawings and plans. They also demonstrate a range of climbing techniques, meaning they can even rescue colleagues in difficulty at height.

Where will I work and who with?

Wireless communications riggers work in a variety of environments including rooftop sites, towers and masts in greenfield sites or inner-city buildings. They must be able to work indoors or outdoors, and in a variety of weather conditions.

Wireless communications riggers will generally work in a team of 2 to 3 and will report to a team leader. They will also be required to communicate effectively with site providers, landlords and members of the public.

Jobs and entry criteria for the level 2 Wireless Communications Rigger apprenticeship

The wireless communications apprenticeship provides opportunities for an apprentice to learn the skills required to perform typical rigger roles. These include jobs such as: Wireless Communications Rigger, Rigging Engineer, Telecomms Rigger. A salary of £30,783 is achievable and many other job opportunities are advertised in this range. Use this level 2 wireless communications apprenticeship as a starting point and future proof your career!

Level 2 Wireless Communications Rigger Core Competencies

As part of your job role, you will carry out duties that will satisfy a number of competencies. Some examples are:

  • Antenna installation
  • Carry out installation of earthing and termination of coax and fibre following manufacturers and operators’ installation specifications
  • Installation and demonstrate the technical understanding of the key components of a wireless telecom site
  • Use slings, knots and other attachment techniques to safely lift and lower materials and equipment
  • Personal site safety responsibilities, hazards, risks and control measures
  • Structure integrity and the importance of permanent attachment whilst working at height
  • The importance of effective communication
  • The need for positive working relationships

Entry Requirements

If this is all sounding like the perfect dream, I assure you now it is very real! The entry requirements are usually set by employers and may require a demonstration of fitness and a ability to work at height. Apprentices must achieve level 1 English & Maths and take the test for level 2 if not already done so prior to taking the End-Point Assessment.

For those with an education, the apprenticeships English and Maths minimum requirement is entry Level 3. A British Sign Language qualification are an alternative if this is your main language. All applicants must be a minimum of 18 years old at the start of their job due to insurance reasons.

Conclusion

As demonstrated, the level 2 wireless commuications rigger apprenticeship is a great starting point for anyone looking to pursue a career in infrastructure. The core skills covered in the apprenticeship will open up a wide range of job opportunities. In addition, you will earn while you learn and not feel the financial burden of a universiy degree. Employers are keen to use apprenticeship to shape how their employees learn and progress, so apply today and start the dream job that’s awaiting you.

A guide to digital tools for your Digital Marketing Apprenticeship

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A computer screen showing editing software

The term “Digital Tool” in your apprenticeship will refer to any software program, online resource, or website which helps you in your role as a Digital Marketer. For a quick guide on the types of digital tools and how they can benefit your Digital Marketing Apprenticeship, read on!

What is a digital tool?

These are tools that you use for:

  • Content creation,
  • Content scheduling,
  • Sending email content,
  • Web metrics, analysis, and reporting,
  • Communication,
  • and more.

Digital tools for content creation:

Content creation spans across text posts, such as status updates and blogs, graphic and infographic content, animated graphic video content, filmed video content, pdf content, email content – essentially any kind of visual that you see online.

Canva

Canva is an online digital tool for making graphics and videos. They have both a free and paid plan available. Canva has a huge library of templates, icons, animations, royalty-free images and music that you can use for your business. It’s a must-have for any digital marketer looking to create infographics, videos, or dynamic presentations with a bit of extra eye-catching content.

Herefish and MailChimp

Herefish and MailChimp are both digital tools for creating templates for email marketing newsletters. They both have a library of pre-existing templates, and the option to create your own from scratch, adding in your company branding.

Adobe Creative Cloud

Adobe Creative Cloud is a library of content creation programmes. There are many different ones available, but here were we’ll discuss;

Photoshop

Photoshop is used to create original images, or edit existing images and photos. You can remove distracting objects from a photo, adjust the colours of an image, or create GIF content. Content created in Photoshop has the option to be high resolution, so it is a great programme for logo and asset creation.

Premiere Pro

Premiere Pro is a video editing software. You can cut and move around clips, adjust the speed, audio and colour levels, and layer videos, music and images on top of one another. Premiere can export GIFs, .mov, .mp4, .mp3 and more.

Audition

Audition is an audio editing software. You can import your video content and remove any background noise, amplify the voice of someone speaking, add ambient background noise, and more. Audition is great for anyone looking to clean up audio if you’ve filmed content without a mic – or to polish and perfect audio that already used a mic.

Digital tools for content scheduling:

Content scheduling allows you to plan a date and time for a post on a social media channel. By creating and scheduling content in advance, you can work on other tasks and know that every post is going out as planned.

Sprout Social

With Sprout Social, you can connect multiple accounts to schedule content. You’re given a calendar, which shows all your upcoming posts. You can set posts to go out on specific platforms, at specific dates and times. For certain channels, you can set thumbnail images too. Currently, you can schedule images and videos, but not documents or Instagram carousels.

An image of a person on a computer, editing a video using a digital tool.
A person using video editing software, which is a type of Digital Tool.

Sending email content:

Every email that you receive from a clothing brand, service, or company is classed as email content (or email marketing). This type of content plays an important role in lead generation and can also be used as a method of linking back to your website and social media.

Herefish and MailChimp

In Herefish and Mailchimp, you can create lists of contacts to receive your content, and put together tailored automations to reach these lists. By using these programmes, bulk email campaigns are sent out without having to manually type out each individual address. If you’ve got content you want to go out to people in a specific postcode, make a list for your contacts in… Derby for example, set up the automation, and hit send! Your contacts will then receive it instantly.

Digital tools for web metrics, analysis and reporting:

Web metrics are classed as a specialist area, and will be important in your apprenticeship when showing that you can monitor your social media accounts, pull through data, and interpret it to form short and long term marketing plans.

Instagram Insights

This digital tool is only available through the mobile app. Instagram Insights will give you the ability to see your audience demographics, such as age and location.  You can also view metrics for feed posts and story posts, narrowing these down to engagement, reach, shares, and profile visits.

One feature that sets Instagram Insights apart is the ability to see which days, and time of day your audience is most active. With this, you can develop a content scheduling plan tailored to your business and audience, posting when they are most active and likely to see it.

Sprout Social

Sprout Social is a one-stop location for all your social platform metrics. You can compare content across channels or view content from one specific platform. Sprout has a Reports feature, where data is automatically pulled through and formed into charts and graphs. This saves you time inputting data to create your own infographics for presentations. Sprout also automatically compares stats from month-on-month, giving you a percentage for each metric so that you can see where stats have reduced or increased.

Herefish and MailChimp

After sending out email content, you’ll need to monitor how it performs. Herefish and MailChimp track data from those who receive your content. They can tell you who received the email, who unsubscribed or opted out, and who clicked a link. They can sometimes also tell you which company the contact works for, and what industry they’re in. This is crucial information to know whether your content is reaching the right audience.

Communication

How do you speak with team members, other internal staff, or external companies? For every email or direct message you send, a digital tool is keeping you connected.

Outlook

Outlook is an email application. You can use it to send and receive emails, schedule meetings or confirm attendance. You can also set out-of-office automatic replies, and make rules to re-direct emails you receive.

Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Skype

After the last few years of lockdown and working from home, you’re likely familiar with at least one of these digital tools. They can be used for online meetings, helping you to communicate from afar. They allow you to share your screen and lead presentations, so this can come in handy for any client proposals you make.

 

Conclusion

There are many digital tools that can be used in your digital marketing apprenticeship. They can make completing tasks much easier, whilst also showing that you have a great understanding of your role as a digital marketer. These digital tools are often part of our everyday lives, without us even realising.

Now that you know how to make, schedule, and report on your content, it’s time to learn some social media etiquette! Check out our guide “The do’s and don’ts of social media as a Level 3 Digital Marketer” to find out more.

Speaking of social media – connect with us!

👋 Follow our socials on: LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Construction Design and Build Technician Apprenticeship (Level 4)

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Construction Design and Building Technician Feature Image

If you have an interest for design and construction but you have never considered how to kickstart a career in this field, then perhaps you should head down the apprenticeship route! In this blog post we will cover everything you need to know about being a Construction Design and Build Technician. Continue reading to find out the best tips for how you can get started.

What is a Construction Design and Build Technician?

Construction Design and Build Technicians can cover a range of occupations and typical job titles can include Assistant Design Co-ordinator or Design and Build Co-ordinator. The design coordinator is the person in charge of making sure that all construction sites follow proper procedures. They spend most time on-site however they can be office based for admin purposes or meetings. The Design and Build Co-ordinator works closely alongside architects while collaborating throughout each phase from initial planning right through installation. Design and Build Technicians must also understand the risks involved within construction and the importance of behaviours in safety-critical environments.

What does the Construction Design and Build Technician role involve?

As a Construction Design and Build Technician you would be responsible for a variety of duties:

  • Identification of client requirements in construction projects
  • Identification of health and safety risks in the design of projects
  • Checking of compliance with regulations on a construction project
  • The minimisation of the environmental impact of construction projects
  • Assisting architects with the development of detailed design on a construction project
  • Co-ordinate design information on a construction project
  • Monitoring of quality on a construction project
  • Assisting commercial staff with the monitoring of costs on a construction project

How does the Construction Design and Build Technician apprenticeship work?

This Apprenticeship will teach you all about the skills and knowledge needed to become a Level 4 Construction Design and Build Technician. You’ll learn industry-recognised standards, along with how they’re applied in practice for professional registration!

This Apprenticeship is designed to prepare you for the knowledge, skills and behaviours typically required of technicians. The final assessment process will resemble what’s required when applying for professional registration with industry recognised bodies

This is a three-year program, but it will depend on the apprenticeship holder’s previous experience and access to opportunities.                            

Apprenticeship entry requirements

The typical entry requirements for this apprenticeship are five GCSEs or equivalent, including Maths and English. For those who don’t meet these qualifications there is still an opportunity to develop skills through additional study at Level 2. Employers can set their own entry requirements, which is determined by the individual employer.

For this particular apprenticeship it would be helpful to have the following skills:

  • knowledge of building and construction
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • thinking and reasoning skills
  • analytical thinking skills
  • maths knowledge
  • knowledge of engineering science and technology
  • the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
  • knowledge of public safety and security
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Career Prospects

There are many different areas you could specialise in with your qualification and the progression would not stop there. It is possible to move into project management in addition to a higher-paying job as an Estimator or CAD drafting for construction projects!

You could find work with:

  • national and international building firms and contractors
  • central and local government
  • organisations that do their own construction work, like utility companies, major retailers and the NHS

For further information on how you can get started read here.

Level 4 Construction quantity surveying technician

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Starting as a construction quantity surveying technician

Are you interested in working in construction? Starting a new career can be a difficult hurdle to cross, but with the right training and experience, you can be set on the right path. There are a wide variety of jobs in the area of construction, with many different opportunities available to you. In this article, we are going to talk about what a construction quantity surveying technician does. Read on to see if this position is right for you.

Construction technician

Jobs and entry criteria for the Construction quantity surveying technician

There are many different jobs available that link to this qualification. Some jobs are: Assistant Quantity Surveyor; Quantity Surveying Technician and Assistant Cost Analyst. The typical entry requirements for a role such as this is 5 GCSE’s, including English, Maths, and a Science. Though the employer can also set their own requirements at their own discretion.

Key responsibilities of a Construction quantity surveying technician

Working in this field comes with responsibilities for the cost and the completion of projects. If you are good with budgeting and numbers, then this may be the role for you. There are numerous responsibilities that come with this role, but a few of these responsibilities are:

  • Helping senior managers with the budget of construction projects
  • Keeping an eye on and controlling the costs of a construction project
  • Selecting and managing specialist contractors
  • Contributing to the mitigation of disputes using accurate records
  • Reporting the expenditure of income on construction projects
  • Report of progress on construction projects
  • Assisting senior managers with legal and contractual issues on construction projects

These are the main responsibilities that come with the job role. Knowledge and experience in managing or in any of these areas can be a big help with fitting into the job role. For more information on the skills and knowledge that you will need, visit ApprenticeTips for help on learning what you might need to start an apprenticeship.

Construction quantity surveying technician Competencies

Having competencies in health and safety, sustainability, construction technology, contracts, procurement, cost control, and financial reporting are desired for this role. You will be trained in these areas, but any prior knowledge will go a long way in helping you. You will also be tested on a variety of behaviours such as your ability to work in a team, commitment to a code of ethics, commitment to equality and diversity, and your ability to communicate effectively. This course will also keep a close eye on your personal development. You should be able to recognise your own areas where you need improvement to move forward. Communicating these needs effectively is another competency that you will develop.

Modules and exams

This sort of apprenticeship is usually over a 3-year span, however, previous experience may result in a shorter time frame. This depends on when competencies are met. Once this course has been completed, you will be awarded a Level 4 qualification in Construction and Build environment. The measurement of success is dependent on how well the competencies are met.

Conclusion

This course is good for those with no experience, as well as those who have been in this field before. If you are someone with experience in English and Maths and enjoy managing projects. Then this line of work may be good for you. You will get to work on a variety of different projects in the construction area. Working as a construction quantity surveying technician means that you will be given certain responsibility for projects.

If you think this role is right for you, then contact us today!

5 Steps to Creating a Successful Email Marketing Campaign

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iphone, ios, home screen, close up, pixels, retina, smartphone, icon, mail, email,
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Knowing how to create and deliver a successful email marketing campaign can be a hugely powerful tool to have in your portfolio. As a digital marketing apprentice, it can sometimes feel like you are not quite sure where to start. Is it the subject line, the copywriting or even the target audience?

In this post, I aim to give you a formula that should help your emails perform, time and time again.

Why Email Marketing?

Businesses across the globe are learning that even though Social Media is growing rapidly, Email Marketing is not a channel that can be neglected.

It consistently shows the highest conversion rate of all marketing channels. And, as a result, delivers the best ROI. Therefore, learning how to deliver them effectively, is vital to a business’s growth and success.

Some statistics pulled together by Optinmonster compare Email Marketing with Social Media in terms of potential reach and a few common KPIs.

A table showing the comparison between Email Marketing and Social Media statistics.

The article delves into each of these elements and helps you understand the key differences between email and social media. Give it a read here to dive into the detail.

How to do it

  1. Understand why you are sending the email

Before anything else, you need to make sure you understand why you are sending this email. What is your goal? What do you want customers to do as a result of getting the email?

There are a number of different goals that emails can help a business achieve, such as;

  • Raising brand awareness
  • Generating revenue
  • Encouraging website traffic
  • Informing customers

As part of your goal setting, it is important to set out how you will assess whether these goals are being met. This can be done using KPIs or Key Performance Indicators. We will look at these later on in more detail.

Once you have a good idea of your email campaign goal, it will help you formulate the content, the targeting and how you analyse the performance.

2. Decide on your audience

A large part of an email marketing campaign is the audience.

Woman's hand writing the word "audience" on a whiteboard, with arrows.
Photo by Melanie Deziel on Unsplash

There are a number of ways to identify a target audience based on certain characteristics. These can be broken down into 4 main segmentations;

  • Demographic: Age, gender, race, marital status etc.
  • Psychographic: Lifestyle, personality, values and beliefs etc.
  • Behavioural: Spending habits, brand interactions, customer loyalty etc.
  • Geographic: City, region, country etc.

Use your brand and campaign goals to identify your customers.

3. Create your email

Depending on your end goal, there are several types of email campaign to choose from. You also need to make sure the type you opt for is suitable for your chosen audience.

Here are some of the most popular or recognisable email types;

  • Newsletters – These are ideal for when brands want to share industry information, news, business updates or even sending out a weekly round up of blog posts. Typically they are sent on a regular schedule such as daily, weekly or monthly and are very rarely used for promotional purposes.
  • Promotional campaigns – Typically used when a brand is trying to sell a product or service. The email will highlight key features, benefits, positive reviews and sometimes a price point before directing customers to the website to purchase using a CTA.
  • Triggered emails – These are emails that are sent as a result of customers performing a specific action such as abandoning an online shopping cart. The email will remind the customer of their cart and prompt them to return and complete their purchase.
  • Re-engagement emails – When a customer has become ‘inactive’ with a brand, these emails will target them with the goal of getting them to re-engage. For example, if a customer stops regularly visiting a website, a brand might send them a special discount code to tempt them back to being ‘active’.

Although the email type plays a large part in whether you meet your goals, it is not the entire picture. Making sure you send the email at the best time can also be crucial in its success. And so, on to step 4…

4. Find the best time to send it

To get maximum engagement with your emails, you need to consider when you send them. This means looking at both the day of the week and the time of day.

Some thing are obvious, for example, sending an email to a UK audience at 3am would get very little engagement as people are likely asleep. However finding the right hour of the day might seem a little more tricky.

Luckily, a huge number of studies have been done, analysing millions of email campaigns, to find that optimal time. And, whilst the studies vary in size and style, they all show a very similar pattern.

A infographic showing that the best days of the week to send an email marketing campaign are Tuesday, Thursday and Wednesday.

Based on number of email opens and clicks, Tuesday came out as the top day of the week to send out those emails, with Thursday coming up as a great day to send a second email in the same week.

Whilst the studies did find slightly more varying results when it came to what time of day to send emails, there were a few more popular times, based on differing factors.

An infographic showing the key times of day at which to send an email marketing campaign based on different data factors. 10am, 8pm. 2pm and 6am.

Of course, you can take from this that Tuesday at 10am should be the best time to send your emails and it is definitely a good starting point but we should always consider our specific business, brand and audience when making this decision as well.

5. Measure your success

When it comes to KPIs for an email marketing campaign, there are a few common ones that businesses tend to focus on. These are;

  • Clickthrough rates – the percentage of the audience who clicked on one or more links within the email. CTR is good in understanding what content your audience most engages with.
  • Conversion rates – the percentage of the audience who click on a link within the email and then complete an action. This action can vary e.g. purchasing a product or filling out a form.
  • Open rates – the percentage of the audience that opens the email. This can often be a good indicator of your subject line strength.
  • ROI (return on investment) – this is essentially the revenue you made as a result of the email campaign, divided by the cost of delivering the campaign.

In order to establish the success of your campaign, it is important to align the initial goals you set at the beginning with the KPIs you measured at the end. If your goal was to drive more customers to your website a positive indicator of success might be a strong clickthrough rate.

Hopefully this guide has given you the confidence and information you need to create your own successful email marketing campaign. If you are keen to try your hand at some more digital marketing, check out these blog posts for more helpful tips and tricks;

Happy marketing!

Fast-Track Into Your Career as an Associate Project Manager – Level 4 Apprenticeship

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Do you see yourself developing and pitching project’s across diverse industry sectors? Do you enjoy being a part of a team to achieve project outcomes? If you have identified with any of those, then you are in the right place. What better way to fast-start your career than diving straight into an Associate Project Manager Apprenticeship. Utilise and develop your transferable skills to help companies succeed in a substantial project.

What is an Associate Project Manager?

Behind every company’s success is a well-rounded Project Management Team. Projects can be developed and presented across many industry sectors. Large and small – they are all significant.

Covering everything from developing and pitching your project’s business case, managing budgets and risk management. An associate project manager understands what is required to be achieved and how it will be done.

With this Apprenticeship, you will be able to fast-track your career and develop skills in project management. You can use those skills to take on many job roles in this sector.

Is this role right for me?

All job roles require a specific level of knowledge before diving deeper into the role. A successful associate project manager utilizes resources with suitable skills, experience, and knowledge to work together in a motivated and well-rounded team, with clearly defined reporting lines, roles, responsibilities, and authorities. Here are the required pieces of knowledge to become an Associate Project Manager Apprentice:

  • Project governance
  • Stakeholder management
  • Project communication and context
  • Leadership
  • Scheduling, Budgeting, and Cost Control
  • Consolidated planning
  • Business case and benefits management
  • Project scheduling
  • Resource management
  • Project risk and issue management
  • Project quality
Man women reporting project planning analysing management

What skills am I required to have?

In this apprenticeship, it is expected to have a range of skills that are relevant to this job role. These skills can also be developed and worked on. Being trained by experts in the project management field will put you ahead of the competition for future job roles you take on. The required skills and behaviors are listed below:

Skills:

  • Project governance – Project monitoring, reporting cycle to track, assess and interpret the performance of projects.
  • Stakeholder and communications management – Communicate to a variety of different audiences. Contribute to negotiations relating to project objectives.
  • Budgeting and cost control – Develop and agree on project budgets, monitor forecast and actual costs against them, and control changes.
  • Business case – Contribute to the preparation or maintenance of a business case including achieving required outcomes.
  • Scope management – Determine, control, and manage changes to the project, including assumptions, dependencies, and constraints.
  • Consolidated planning – Monitor progress against the consolidated plan and refine as appropriate.
  • Schedule management – Prepare and maintain schedules for activities aligned to project delivery.
  • Risk, and issue management – Respond to and manage issues within a defined governance structure.
  • Contract management and procurement – Facilitate a procurement process, contribute to the definition of contractual agreements and contribute to managing a contract.
  • Quality management – Develop a quality management plan, manage project assurance, and contribute to peer reviews.
  • Resource management – Develop resource management plans for project activities.

Behaviors:

  • Collaboration and teamwork 
  • Leadership 
  • Effective and appropriate communication
  • Drive for results 
  • Integrity, ethics, compliance and professionalism
Project planning teamwork collaboration management

What are the entry requirements to become an Associate Project Manager Apprentice?

Individual employers will set their own entry requirements for their apprentices. Typically candidates will have achieved a grade C or above in at least 5 GCSEs including English and Mathematics. And, hold a minimum of 48 UCAS points or equivalent.

Additional Details

The typical duration of this apprenticeship will be 24 months.

Either before or during the apprenticeship, apprentices will be required to achieve level 2 qualifications in English and Mathematics. Prior to taking the end-point assessment (EPA).

Conclusion

When you complete the course, you’ll have many opportunities in project management. From working as a dedicated project manager to related roles such as program managers, project planners, and more.

If you’re new to project management and looking to develop your existing career with practical, widely valued skills in this essential discipline, this apprenticeship program is for you.

Keep up to date with our new apprenticeship roles or even blog content that will push you in the right direction as an aspiring apprentice, Sign Up to our mailing list and be the first to be alerted.

Alternatively, you can follow us on Twitter or Linkedin.

Want to find out more about the current apprenticeships we offer? Feel free to take a look at our other posts here: https://www.apprenticetips.com/

Chartered Management Apprenticeship (Degree)

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Chartered Management Apprenticeship (Degree): Role Overview

The Chartered Management Apprenticeship (Degree) is for anyone who wishes to take the lead on projects, take responsibility for co-workers with the aim of delivering success, however that may be measured. The chartered manager should be an exemplary figure to those below them, and live and breathe the company ethos.

There are chartered managers everywhere. In the public, private, engineering, business, governance sectors. Their nature makes them suited for tackling challenges in any sector. A cool head and a capability for managing multi-faceted projects, and the ability to break down interpersonal problems that may arise. This allows them to get their team(s) back on track to the common goal.

Technical skills

Top-down view of strategy: Knowing the overall objectives of the business. Keeping these in mind, and applying it in day to day activities. Keeping on top of risks, monitoring progress, and forecasting growth, are all cornerstones of the role.

An eye for sales (and marketing): Being able to fully understand the product or service that you sell should be a given. Understanding the marketing mix, (place, price, product, promotion), and how it applies to your offering is key.

Digital, and an awareness of new technologies: This is important in any role in the digital age. If a piece of software can make you do your job quicker, or better, it should be used. Being able to spot ‘weak points’ in your processes, and strengthening them with tech.

Understanding finance: To be able to create budgets and financial reports, such as tax administration. Furthermore, to be able to wisely spend, negotiate, and procure as necessary. Finally, to conduct all of this whilst keeping clear, transparent records.

Managing projects: The most important skill that the a Chartered Manager should possess. Consequently, they will understand how a project moves forward, and at times, will need to push it in order to meet deadlines.

A person sat at a desk using a calculator, with several computer monitors around them.
A Chartered Manager will be comfortable being responsible for large budgets, and showing the returns against these.

People skills

Communication: Different platforms require different etiquettes and language. Identifying the difference and knowing what tone of voice or structure to use is key. Furthermore, an ability to use different forms of language such as persuasive language, and being able to use it to generate sales.

Managing/leading people: There will always be disagreements, in any workplace. Therefore, a good manager will take control of these situations, and work towards a resolution in a calm manner. Furthermore, being able to manage expectations of staff, and set realistic targets that challenge staff, not overstress them. Finally, to be able to understand company culture and reflect it onto staff.

Building relationships for the future: Long lasting relationships are beneficial to any business, regardless of their involvement (stakeholder, supplier, customer). Hence it is important that a Chartered Manager does what they can to increase the lifetime value of anyone who touches the business.

A sports coach instructs a team huddled in front of them. It shows how managers are the same no matter where they are.
Management is the same anywhere. Instructing your people and leading by example.

Self management and behaviours

Accountability: Mistakes will be made, there will be times when questions will be asked, as is natural with senior roles. Therefore, it is key that post problem, what went wrong has been examined. Additionally, you take what is learnt and apply it to situations in the future to avoid the same mistake.

Personal management/Professionalism: To lead by example, you must be seen to be proficient in your role to ensure confidence from your staff. Hence, being on time, organised, and appropriately dressed goes a long way.

Flexibility: When approached with a problem, being agile and adaptable to overcome it, with a considered solution. Furthermore, responding to feedback from clients/customers, changing your processes to suit. As well as being open to fresh ways of working. Additionally, actively seeking the views of others helps those who touch the business feel valued, be it workers, clients, or suppliers.

Decision making: Tied in with flexibility. Such as, how it is important to be able to consider contrasting views on reaching a well-informed, unbiased decision. Furthermore, using evidence to support decisions, and being able to forecast the outcome of your decision.

Entry requirements and qualifications

Different employers will have different requirements for entry. It is suggested that the apprentice would have A-Levels and/or Level 3 qualifications. Furthermore, functional skills, such as Maths and English should also be completed. Despite this, good experience may also be considered in place of existing qualifications.

Upon completion of the Chartered Management Apprenticeship (Degree) (four years, can be altered dependent on experience) the successful apprentice is awarded a degree in management and business. This will be a BA (Hons), a BSc (Hons) or a BBA (Hons). Furthermore, there is also the option to be assessed to become a fully Chartered Manager.

Chartered Management Apprenticeship (Degree): In conclusion

The Chartered Management Apprenticeship (Degree) is a brilliant opportunity to get a foot in the door of project management and working at a wide-scale. It is a role that suits someone that is eager to build their skillset across a variety of competencies. Additionally, someone who is well organised, can keep a cool head, and is comfortable managing numbers. It is a great role that leads to a rewarding career.

5 Top tips to create a successful blog post for your digital marketing level 3 apprenticeship

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What is a blog post?

A blog is short for “weblog” and they have been around since 1994 with over 600 million blogs on the world wide web today. A blog post is a discussion or an informative page on a website that offers its readers some form of valuable content. Their authors are somewhat classed as “blogger” or “bloggers” and they typically write about what is interesting or relevant to them at the time using entries posted in chronological order, writing in the same style as a diary or a journal.

How can blogging benefit a business in its marketing efforts?

Blogging is acknowledged for being super popular amongst B2B organisations with helping the promotion of products and services. Why? With more than 4.66 Billion active internet users, blogs create connections between a business and its relevant audience by helping to drive website traffic into conversion for leads. They are a great way to form trust with potential prospects, building stronger relationships with its readers whilst keeping them up to date.

So you’ve just started out with your blogging skills in your level 3 digital marketing apprenticeship and you don’t know where to start. Don’t get overwhelmed, the whole purpose of this blog is to help you in your beginner’s digital marketing apprenticeship So let’s get right down to it with our top tips.

#1 Headlines and Titles

Your blog headline should be powerful enough to get your viewer to want to read the full article. To create a good headline you should keep it personal and specific to the content inside so viewers know if they want to read it or not. If you are stuck on inspiration try looking at a newspapers or a magazines to see how their headlines are structured, you can also find our frameworks guide useful here:

The How to Framework – This is good for viewers that want to educate themselves on particular information.
Example – ‘How to create a good social media strategy

The Listicle Framework – This is good for viewers who enjoy reading about numbers like this blog! They are also good for viewers who like their content broken up so it is easier for them to digest.
Example – ‘5 top tips to create a successful blog’

The Question Framework – This would appeal to a more specific type of viewer. Targeted questions make strong headlines.
Example – ‘How do you make an article go viral?’

The Storytelling Framework – This intrigues viewers, as it creates interest for the reader with a narrative structure. It has a storybook likeliness about it.
Example – ‘How we developed more engagement through social media’

The Command framework – This is effective with viewers as it is straight to the point and easy to read.
Example – ‘Read this if you want to gain more open’s in your emails!’

Once you’ve jotted down a few ideas for your headline you can go to the advanced marketing headline analyzer to test how effective the algorithms think they are. And don’t forget, use words that drive action they will help with user clicks!

#2 The Structure and approach

The approach:

The style you should write will depend on the audience you are trying to communicate with but most of the time it should be conversational and informal. As a rule with blog writing, you should always put the reader first like you are talking to them about a topic including the use of ‘I’ and ‘You’ in your text so it reads more of a conversation.

Blogging is more of an informal platform to communicate to readers, with this in mind, paragraphs and sentences should be kept short so it’s easier for readers to take information in bite-size chunks and avoid confusion.

Do not use Jargon unless necessary. The purpose of your blog is to communicate information to viewers, this is best done using simple words so stay clear from the long complicated words that most readers do not understand. You have to break it down for them and see yourself as though you are teaching intermediate students.

Use statistics. Be more specific to the information you are trying to deliver. You need proof to back up the facts and information you are trying to educate your readers on to show viewers that they can trust in what you are writing for them. As humans, we have always judged that If someone else is talking about it then it’s probably true.

The Structure

Always start off with an introduction as this will be the opening of your blog which hook viewers with a bold statement to read the rest of the article. The introduction should be a short overview of what will be covered in the blog. 

Then write up your conclusion, this should relate back to your introduction and summarise the important information and what the post was about. This is your opportunity to go over the main message you are communicating in the blog trying to indicate to the reader what they should take away from it. Make sure to label this subheading as ‘conclusion’ or something along the same lines like ‘finial thoughts’

Finally, move on to fleshing out the main body of text, this should include subheadings throughout to able readers to skim through the content. Paragraphs in the main body should be around 5-6 lines long maximum, you want to keep your reader engaged not bore them with large amounts of text at one time.

#3 Imagery and Media

Relevant images and media use are just as important as the text in your post. They offer a visual element to your blog that supports everything you’ve written about in your article. Just like the headline and introduction, your blog will not work without some form of visuals. 

Readers want to get to the point as fast as they can. Images can help tell your story without them having to read the rest of the content in your blog, not that your text isn’t important because it is.

Photos act as a tool to transform your blog from a standard chunk of text to an exciting blog with more than 1 element, making the text more diverse and attractive.

Images can also help give your readers a bit of a rest by breaking up chunks of text so it is easier for them to digest. They are used to separate sections in blogs which makes your points easier for readers to understand. 

Make sure that you insert clear crisp images, there’s nothing worse than coming across an image that looks like it was developed in the early 2000s. High-quality imagery keeps your bounce rates at bay. Nobody likes a poor quality image or file. Image quality must be taken into consideration as the better quality they are the more appealing your blog will be to your readers. 

If you’re not using your own created imagery or files you will need to check if it is legal for you to use them as a lot of images have copyrights. The consequences of violating copyrights are serious so you’ll want to check ahead before posting online. You can find a bunch of free stock image websites here :

Stockunlimited.com
Freeimages.com
Pexels.com
Pixabay.com
Unsplash.com 
Pikwizard.com

#4 Facts in Links

Everybody loves to click a link and everybody loves factual information. Clicking a link can add an exciting feature to the text sections of your article. It takes the user from one page to another providing a more in-depth experience white it opens up your sources and gives your blog posts more credibility.

You can direct readers to your other blogs and specific parts of your website by inserting hyperlinks into your blogs. This will boost page views and improve your page ranking as they help crawlers and indexing on the web improve your overall SEO. Readers will also stay on your site longer increasing ‘time on site’ and lowering bounce rate stats. 

Other bloggers and websites appreciate being linked to as it drives more organic traffic their way. This would be classed as an external link. You should really reach out to the website you link to, to inform them that you’ve included their site in your blog. You could also ask them to share your blog which creates a benefit for everybody.

There are many benefits to using links in your blog, just don’t overdo it. 

#5 The Keywords

Keywords are the words people type into a search engine. Finding the right keywords for your blog will be an essential part of your blogging strategy. They help your users find and identify your blog post through their search queries to get their questions answered. 

You’ll want to think about the audience you want to target and what keywords you want to rank for. Keywords help promote your SEO by generating more organic traffic from search engines. You can search for keywords through keyword tool generators such as Ahrefs.com, Wordstream.com and many others you can find on the web. 

Once you have made a list of the keywords you want to use, It is important to evaluate each one for their difficulty score. Each score is calculated by the strength of pages that are currently ranking for page 1 on a search. If you have a fairly low domain authority I’d start off with keywords that have a score of below 30. For more on Keyword difficulty checkout this Semrush’s article

In Conclusion

Blog writing is not that hard if you follow these top tips. You’ll be on the fast track to creating a unique, engaging blog post in no time. Even if you are a beginner. The more blog posts you construct the better you will become, practice makes perfect right? Blog writing is an excellent way to improve your writing skills for sure.

If you found this article useful and want to learn more Digital Marketing skills, head over to our website
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Kickstart your career with a Level 4 Vehicle Damage Assessor Apprenticeship

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Do you want to gain a higher level of education and have a full-time job in a vehicle garage? Could you see yourself as an individual that wants to fix vehicle damage in a motoring apprenticeship? If your answer is yes, this could be the apprenticeship to kickstart your career, working on vehicle damage repair as a level 4 Vehicle Damage Assessor. 

With the use of the latest electronic estimating systems, you can provide customers a first-class service. You will assist in making assessments on what repairs are needed and how much it will cost for customer vehicle damages. 

The role of a Vehicle Damage assessor apprentice

Working within the automotive body shop industry as a vehicle damage assessor you will accurately inspect and assess all elements of a motor vehicle that has sustained damage and requires repair. During the course of your apprenticeship, you will gain everything you need to become an advanced Vehicle Damage assessor.

The course will involve studying a range of theory and practical tasks that you will need in today’s automotive repair industry. You will be employed by industry-leading professionals that will help you to acquire valuable skills and experience including an excellent training provider to guide and assist you through your apprenticeship course. 

Vehicle Damage Assessor Apprentice Knowledge

Health and Safety

In the workplace, you will be expected to carry out and understand all vehicle safety systems. You will also gain a good understanding of the current Health & Safety legislation during your apprenticeship.

Tools and Equipment 

During your apprenticeship, you will learn how to use the tools and equipment used in given processes including the use of electronic costings systems. You will also have an understanding of vehicle construction and the materials needed to carry out a damage repair.

Day to Day Duties

  • To be able to apply the importance of teamwork in the workplace
  • Communicating effectively in the workplace 
  • Have knowledge of the systems and operations which cover steering, suspension and braking
  • Learn about Transmission and drivelines
  • Have knowledge of the principles of electrical systems 
  • Ability to show a clear understanding of electricals and the use of electronic components 
  • Keep up to date with vehicle repair technologies including Paint, Panel and MET.
  • Have a good understanding of commercial aspects of a body shop
  • Know how to produce a job card
  • Tend to non-accidental related vehicle damage
  • Get to know how to carry out industry vehicle repair methods.
vehicle damage

Desired Skills for the job

You will be able to:

  • Recognise properties of different types of vehicle damage
  • Maintain records
  • Use manual and digital image technology
  • Locate vehicle unique identification details
  • Diagnose safety faults on vehicles
  • Read, adhere to and apply relevant legislation
  • Use repair methods
  • Make judgements on vehicle damage, taking into account safety and cost
  • Commercial decision making
  • Prepare costings based on parts and labour ratios
  • Oral communication, listening and negotiation skills
  • Use industry guidelines appropriately
  • Recognise the importance of gaining approval before work commences
  • Use of estimating software, spreadsheets, online databases

Level 4 vehicle Damage Assessor apprenticeship key behaviours 

As a vehicle damage assessor you will be expected to demonstrate the following:

  • Being Customer-focused, always putting the customer first.
  • Have a right-first-time approach to tasks, showing you are committed to delivering and maintaining high-quality workplace standards.
  • Present a calm and reasoned approach to any situation.
  • Be able to deliver a professional approach, demonstrating integrity and confidence in daily activities.
  • Adherence to company values, showing passion and enthusiasm for the industry.
  • The ability to take responsibility for health and safety is imperative.
  • Have good attention to detail.

What requirements do I need as a Vehicle Damage assessor? 

All apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment.

Please note that we would accept holders of the British Sign Language (BSL) qualification if it is your primary language.

Working Hours

Monday – Friday between 8:00 – 5:00pm

You will be required to be employed for 40 hours a week for a duration of 36 months. This does not include your End Of Point Assessment (EPA) period.

Additional Details 

  • Maximum Government funding – £9000
  • Occupational Level – Level 4 
  • EQA Provider – Ofqual 
  • Level 4 equivalent – Foundation degree 
  • Earliest start date – 18/04/2019
  • 1 position available

Conclusion

In summary, the level 4 Vehicle damage assessor apprenticeship offers a great opportunity for those who want to learn to develop themselves in an automotive career path. Whilst gaining experience and life skills in the workplace you will also receive a level 4 qualification in the field which you can take with you on your career journey. The automotive industry is ever growing with employment at around 200,000 so why not earn while you learn and kick start your career today!

Want to learn more about the apprenticeships we currently offer or know someone our roles may benefit from? Take a look at our most recent available roles:

Level 3 Utilities Engineering Technician Apprenticeship
Level 2 Textile Manufacturing Operative Apprenticeship
Level 7 Systems Engineer Apprenticeship 
Level 3 Manufacturing Technician Apprenticeship 
Level 6 Rail and Rail Systems Senior Engineer Apprenticeship

Don’t forget to follow us on Linkedin and Twitter to keep up to date with the latest job opportunities!

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Level 3 Rail Engineering Apprenticeship

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Railway Engineers hard at work

Are you looking to kickstart your career in The Railway? If yes, a Rail Engineering Apprenticeship is where you need to be. Rail can represent an interesting and rewarding career path. As a Railway Engineer, you will be doing work that makes a difference to millions of passengers everyday. The apprenticeship is a fantastic way to build on your existing skills and develop new ones that will be essential to your future in the business. 

Not only is this career fun and rewarding, you are also looking at the potential to earn up to £70,000 with the average salary starting at £25,000. 

Occupational Profile for Railway Engineering

Rail Engineering Technicians will provide technical support to Rail Engineers. Some examples of what the engineering disciplines will cover include; track, overhead line, signalling and telecommunications. As an apprentice you will have the opportunity to undertake the core learning and specialise in one particular field. Job titles include: Track Technician, Overhead Line Technician, Electrification Technician, Traction & Rolling Stock Technician, Signalling Technician, Telecoms Technician and Rail Systems Technician.

The entry requirements for this role are typically at least GCSEs in English Language at Grades 9-4, Maths at Grades 9-5 and one other subject at Grades 9-4. Or you will hold an NVQ or BTEC Level 2 of above in an Engineering subject or equivalents. 

Two female rail engineers focused on work in orange vests

Core Knowledge, Skills and behaviours of a Railway Engineer (level 3)

There are several knowledge, skills and behaviours that are required of a railway engineer. Throughout your apprenticeship you will develop and improve each one of these. To see the complete lists, visit Institute for Apprenticeships’ “Rail Engineer Apprenticeship” page.

Knowledge Required

  • Safe and Professional working practices 
  • The scientific, technical, engineering, mathematical and design principles
  • How to work effectively and contribute to engineering solutions and innovation
  • The importance of 3rd party requirements and client confidentiality
  • How the railway works commercially   

Skills Required

  • Keep themselves and others safe by adhering to safe working practices.
  • Plan a high standard of technical work
  • Deliver a high standard of technical work
  • Solve problems
  • Manage resources
  • Communicate effectively

Behaviours that a railway engineer should demonstrate

  • Act professionally
  • Be risk aware
  • Display a self-disciplined, self-motivated, proactive approach to work
  • Work reliably and safely
  • Work effectively and efficiently, individually and as part of a team
  • Receptive to feedback
  • Prepared to make a personal commitment

Specific Knowledge and Skills:

In addition, for the discipline they are following, Technicians will have the following specific knowledge and skills regarding different techniques and methods used to construct, install, maintain and renew The Railway.

Track. You will need a good understanding of track geometry, the requirements, methods and techniques to install track. The impact of the railway environment e.g. tunnels, embankments, vegetation and drainage. Be able to undertake detailed inspection and analyze the performance and condition of track. 

Electrification. Be able to work to high and low voltage power rules, isolation and earthing of electrical systems at different voltages. Work on live battery & inverter systems. Understand, manage and maintain harmonic & power quality systems, transformer rectifiers, motor generators and transformers, DC traction breakers, protection and SCADA control systems.

Overhead Lines. Knowledge of excavation, ground works, different ‘piling’ methods and foundations. Understand construction design and bonding layouts, electrical clearance, insulation installation wiring and risks around radial load and correct methodology. 

Signaling. Understanding and application of safety integrity and fundamental signaling principles as applied to train control systems, the varying types of signal control and the signaling symbols and alphabet used in signaling design drawings. 

Telecoms. Understanding telecoms principles and associated operating procedures for railway communication and information systems (and systems interfaces) including optical networks, passenger alarm, customer information, CCTV and wireless networks. 

Traction & Rolling Stock. Understanding of vehicle design, construction, maintenance and operation. Working knowledge of the traction and rolling stock systems, sub systems and components which include mechanical, electrical, process controller and fluid power equipment. 

Rail Systems. This is a specialism in its own right and requires knowledge and skills from across the rail engineering disciplines above to be able to provide technical support and direction across a number of disciplines including traffic management systems, new train control systems, wheel/rail interface, remote condition monitoring and the requirements of a digital railway.

What Qualifications will you gain?

Qualifications gained during this Apprenticeship:

– Level 3 Rail Engineering (Competence)

– Level 3 Rail Engineering (Technical Knowledge)

Duration of Apprenticeship:

Typically 36 months. This will depend on your previous experience and access to opportunities.

Are you ready to take on the challenge?

See some employers / training providers ready to hire in the links below:

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