Top apprentice named in Doncaster regional awards

Now she has been introduced to her MP after being revealed to be one of the best apprentices in the borough by a major educational charity.

The 18 year old left school aged 16, after picking up her GCSEs at Armthorpe Academy, in her home village.

She said: "I didn't enjoy school. I liked learning, but not in a classroom, so I decided at that point I wanted to look at apprenticeships, because I thought that would be better for me than something academic.

"I sent off to lots of agencies, and was asked to interviews. Eventually, Free2Learn found me an apprenticeship at Healthwatch Doncaster. I put my CV in and they came back with an apprenticeship.

"There was nothing that I really wanted to do for a career when I was at school, although I did business studies and geography because I liked them. But I really had no idea at that point what I wanted to do for a living.

"I hadn't enjoyed school, but exams did not really stress me out and I think I enjoyed year 11 more than I had the rest of my time at school. That may have been because everyone was a bit more grown up by then.

"I liked going to the gym and shopping, but I wanted to learn as well.

"I think I learn better by doing things rather than learning in the classroom.

"When I started my job I was really shy. My role was as a business administration apprentice. I was there to help members of the public.

"That meant I had to go out and ask people about their experience of public health services, and if they we happy with them. I was the most shy person you can imagine, and I was having to go up and approach complete strangers.

"It was hard. They tried to push me quite a lot and we had to go to events and approach people in the street. I found it a bit intimidating because I'd never been in that position before.

"But the more I did it the more it become natural to me."

Ellie finished her apprenticeship in September 2017, and was kept on full time at the Healthwatch Doncaster, working on on the financial side of the service, which draws up reports on health issues which are used by the NHS locally.

Now he is helping train the next apprentice, and working as her mentor within the organisation, which is based at South Parade.

"I know I'm helping people, and I'm really proud that I've built up a lot of skills and grown up as a person, since I started as a really shy teenager," she said.

Emily did her apprenticeship through YMCA Training, and recently attended its regional awards ceremony at its Doncaster headquarters. She was introduced to Doncaster Central MP Rosie Winterton and award the charity's Apprentice of the Year Awards.