Sejal - Assistant Project Manager (Development Team)

To celebrate National Apprentice Week 2024, we caught up with Sejal to hear about her apprenticeship journey at Leicester City Council...

Apprenticeship Programme:

Chartered Town Planner Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship

How did you find out about the apprenticeship opportunity?

I found out about the degree apprenticeship opportunity through senior colleagues in the Development Team at Leicester City Council. A colleague at the time was already on the same degree apprenticeship programme and could therefore give me more insight about the opportunity. I could see how she was immediately implementing practically at work the theory she learnt on the course and could understand the reality of balancing work and study.

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Why did you want to do an apprenticeship?

I wanted to do the apprenticeship as I saw real benefit in combining ‘on-the-job’ practical work experience alongside studying for an MSc Urban and Regional Planning (DA). The part-time study opportunity enabled me to continue earning but also study. I also believed that completing the apprenticeship would develop the necessary skills and experience to further my planning career. I knew that gaining a nationally recognised professional qualification- Royal Institute of Town Planning (RTPI) Chartered Town Planner status would broaden opportunities and allow me to progress onto the next step in my career through the career-grade system set up in the Development Team.

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What support have you received during your apprenticeship?

I have received a lot of support from both my employer and the University institution where I completed my master’s degree. The Development Team’s support included guidance and support throughout the apprenticeship programme, identifying and organising work shadowing opportunities as well as time allocated for comprehensive CPD training and courses. I also received a lot of support from my line manager in helping me complete my degree apprenticeship. I studied with the University of Birmingham part-time for 2 years and then worked full-time for a further two years gaining the work experience required to apply for the RTPI’s chartership- their Assessments of Professional Competence (APC), which was a required output of completing the apprenticeship. I recently passed my APC and am now a chartered member of the RTPI. Now that I’ve completed milestone, I am looking forward to my graduation ceremony at the University of Birmingham later this year.

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What are the best parts of being an apprentice?

For me, the best parts of being an apprentice is learning from the experts. The various levels of interaction I have experienced with professionals from different disciplines have been a huge advantage to my learning. I always took the opportunity to ask questions and gain first-hand insight of the concepts and theory that I learnt in the ‘classroom setting’.

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How does the 20% off-the-job learning work for you?

As part of the apprenticeship programme, for the first two years I received ‘day release’ from work meaning that I continued to earn a full-time salary but I was out of the office studying one day a week, whilst working 4 days a week (30 hours) throughout my educational studies as part of the degree apprenticeship. Off-the-job learning needed to be undertaken outside of my day-to-day job role and duties which often involved work shadowing opportunities, attending CPD training and, self-directed reading.

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How will / how has the apprenticeship benefited your career??

The apprenticeship has benefitted my career already in that I am in a career grade role where I have progressed from a Project Officer to an Assistant Project Manager during the time I took to complete the apprenticeship. I first started in the Development Team as a Graduate Project Officer following my BSc Geography and MRes Geography. I am already working on more challenging projects as a result of the knowledge gained during the apprenticeship period. I hope too that gaining the Chartered Town Planner qualification will enhance my future employability and opportunities.

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What advice would you give anyone thinking of completing an apprenticeship?

I would say that it is a fantastic opportunity, but time management is absolutely an essential skill when completing an apprenticeship as on this particular route you must balance a full-time job with studying alongside your home/personal life over a 48 month period. University assignments, for example, needed to be completed in my spare time during the weekend and evenings over a period of 2 years. For the last 2 years of the apprenticeship, I have dedicated a lot of spare time to working on the APC putting together documents demonstrating my experience.

I would also recommend taking every possible opportunity to learn whilst on-the-job as this is invaluable experience that can be applied whilst undertaking your studies.