Starting an apprenticeship in administration marked the beginning of an exciting and rewarding journey for Lilly Oliver. Motivated by the opportunity to gain real-world experience while developing essential workplace skills, Lilly viewed the role as a chance to establish a strong foundation in areas such as task management, scheduling, and software systems. From the outset, she was driven by a desire to grow within the organisation and contribute meaningfully to its success.
As Lilly progressed through her apprenticeship, her motivation evolved. What began as a focus on learning the basics transformed into a deeper ambition to refine her skills, take on more responsibility, and make a lasting impact within the team.
Facing and Overcoming Challenges
One of Lilly’s biggest challenges was learning to juggle multiple responsibilities, particularly when faced with overlapping deadlines for both her college work and office duties. Initially, the pressure was overwhelming, but she soon developed effective strategies for managing her time—using to-do lists and her Outlook calendar to plan her days and prioritise tasks based on urgency. Lilly also found the confidence to ask for support when needed, including negotiating deadline extensions to ensure she met expectations without compromising the quality of her work.
Developing Key Administrative Skills
Throughout her apprenticeship, Lilly’s confidence and competence grew significantly. She became adept at answering phone calls, managing schedules, handling correspondence, maintaining accurate records, and ensuring effective filing systems. More importantly, she developed critical soft skills, including the ability to meet tight deadlines, prioritise workloads efficiently, and communicate effectively with both internal colleagues and external stakeholders.
A Project to Remember
One of Lilly’s most memorable experiences was working on a project for her college course that focused on a real business need—increasing brand awareness for the company’s fire extinguisher services. She proposed the use of business cards and leaflets for the extinguisher engineer to distribute, though these ideas could not be implemented at the time due to budget and procedural limitations.
While the plan wasn’t executed during the project itself, Lilly’s ideas were eventually adopted after her apprenticeship concluded. This experience taught her a valuable lesson about patience, timing and the often complex nature of business decisions. She also learnt the importance of flexibility and time management when navigating project work.
Advice for Future Apprentices
Lilly’s advice to anyone considering an apprenticeship in administration is clear: stay organised, be proactive and never hesitate to ask questions. She encourages future apprentices to observe how others manage their workloads, take every learning opportunity that comes their way, and remain open to feedback. Most importantly, she emphasises the importance of maintaining a positive mindset—highlighting that an apprenticeship offers a fantastic opportunity to earn while you learn and to build a strong career foundation.
The Importance of Mentorship
Mentorship played a crucial role in Lilly’s development. Having a mentor provided her not only with guidance on processes and policies, but also with insight into decision-making and leadership. The qualities she valued most in a mentor were encouragement, constructive feedback, approachability, integrity and professionalism—all of which helped her feel supported and empowered throughout her apprenticeship.
Prepared for the Future
Lilly believes that her apprenticeship has thoroughly prepared her for a future in administration or office management. The experience has provided her with a comprehensive understanding of the office environment and has helped her build essential skills such as communication, time management, attention to detail and organisation—skills that she intends to carry forward in her career.
Balancing Work and Study
To balance her responsibilities, Lilly allocated specific days to focus on college assignments and ensured she tackled the most urgent deadlines first. This disciplined approach allowed her to stay on top of both her work and her studies and demonstrated her ability to plan effectively under pressure.
Learning Compliance and Best Practice
Training in workplace procedures and compliance, particularly around data protection, confidentiality and health and safety, played a vital role in shaping Lilly’s approach to her work. She developed a strong understanding of her responsibilities and became more meticulous in checking her work, following correct communication protocols and handling sensitive information with care.
Looking Ahead
Now nearing the end of her apprenticeship, Lilly is excited about what the future holds. Her goal is to continue developing her administrative skills and advancing her career. With a solid foundation and a proactive mindset, she is well-prepared to take on new challenges and opportunities in the world of administration.
We’re incredibly proud of everything Lilly has achieved throughout her apprenticeship. Her hard work, growth, and positive attitude have made a lasting impression on everyone in the team. We absolutely love having her with us and can’t wait to see where her career takes her next. Well done, Lilly – you’re a valued part of the team, and we’re lucky to have you!
