ANNA CRUMP RAISWELL
Anna Crump Raiswell, aged 25 from Manchester, recently completed a Level 4 Policy Officer Apprenticeship.
Prior to starting her career, she studied at the University of Sheffield for a Degree in Politics. After this, she started work as a Work and Skills Support Officer for Greater Manchester Combined Authority, back in 2019.
Just as the first lockdown was announced in March 2020, Anna started her Level 4 Apprenticeship, which coincided with her beginning her role as a Policy Offer for the Greater Manchester MCA.
All of her studies for her apprenticeship had to be carried out virtually, due to the pandemic, with the course led by an independent training provider based in London. Towards the end of her apprenticeship, Anna changed jobs to work as an External Affairs Officer at South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and achieved a distinction in her apprenticeship.
How did your Apprenticeship add value to what you do in your career?
“My apprenticeship has been so valuable to my day-to-day working life and I think it will be for my future career too. Unlike my first degree, the apprenticeship closely reflected what I do at work and what I do in my job closely links with what I was learning on my course. Having that extra knowledge and insight really helped me to stretch my knowledge and skills in the workplace. For the assignments, I had to seek information from different members of the team and it meant collaborating to find out more about specific subjects, which I found really useful. It has equipped me with the knowledge, skills and confidence to progress in my career.
“It was Greater Manchester CA who asked me if I wanted to do the apprenticeship. Before that, I’d never considered one, especially since I already have a degree. When I was at school, I had thought apprenticeships were only for people learning a trade or who didn’t have degrees. It really did teach me that anyone at any age can benefit from an apprenticeship.
“My tutors were brilliant and even though it would have been better if we could have got face to face, I found the course hugely boosted my knowledge and stretched my understanding. I learned a lot from my colleagues on the same course too and it taught me about the many different aspects of Policy.
“I would highly recommend that anyone wishing to progress in their career take up an Apprenticeship. I’m really excited about what it will mean for my future.”