Case Studies

Apprentice Reflections

Becky Airey

One working day as part of the Total Place Project Team is very different to another; however it would usually begin with checking emails. I reply to them, take actions from them and pass any important information to the rest of the team.

Organising meetings is a regular task within my job role which usually involves checking of people’s diaries, a lot of emails, and even more phone calls. I then would have to produce an agenda for the meetings and sometimes take notes during them, which would need to be typed up and sent to all attendees. I may also be required to organise large events and keep a record of who has been invited, who has accepted or declined, and send out any relevant paperwork.

I’m responsible for coding any invoices, ensuring they are signed by the budget holder and taking them to Procurement to be paid. I am responsible for our contacts database, which is very important to our work, ensuring it is always up to date and accessible to all team members in a shared file.

Kelly James

I aim to start work around 8 each day so that I can finish earlier, but in reality it’s normally about 8.30 when I start. I switch my computer on when I get into the office and whilst waiting for it to load make myself a nice cup of tea! I then sit down to go through, and reply to, any emails that I have received. Sometimes the emails contain jobs that I need to do. If this is the case I get on with whatever task I have been given, this could be adding comments from the public to consultation logs for various schemes, to preparing papers for upcoming meetings. My tasks vary from day to day. One day I could be doing photocopying and filing, one day I could be going out on to site. I enjoy going out on site as it can be really interesting. A major project that our team is currently working on is the Weymouth Relief Road so I sometimes go there. When I’m out on site I could be simply gaining more knowledge about the different schemes, such as the Weymouth Transport Package (in preparation for the Olympics in 2012), or I could be taking photographs to show how the schemes are progressing. I then upload the photos I have taken to our Flickr account and website for the public to view. I then need to write comments on them to provide people with an understanding of what they show. Another part of my job is setting up consultation logs to record comments from the public on schemes. For example, if we consult the public about a new cycle scheme we are constructing we need to give them an opportunity to give us their comments. We must then record their comments and look at how we can take them on board and make any necessary changes. It is a good way to get a general view and idea of the issues causing concern to the public. I normally finish work at 4.30 but will stay later if I want to get something done. No day is ever the same where I work and that’s what I enjoy most – the variety. I also work with a great team who make the day enjoyable!

Phoebe Patterson-Sweeney

I work for the Dorset Primary Care Trust in the Occupational Health Department. I get into work at about 9am; I start the day by going through the follow up drawer which is where we keep files waiting for GP/specialist reports and, if necessary, chase up the surgeries.

I then log into my computer to check my emails and follow up any that need action. I will normally then sort through my in-tray; ordinarily there will be appointments that need booking or notes that need to be tied up with files.

At about mid-morning I will go through the post; this involves opening, date stamping and distributing to the correct people. In the post we often get pre-employment questionnaires which I then have to log on to the database and pass to the nurses for resulting.

As I am also on reception I am the first point of contact with all of the employees who are referred to us. In this role I have to sign people in, let the doctors and nurses know that people have arrived and book follow up appointments.

Towards the end of the day I check that the doctors and nurses have the correct files for the next day’s clinic and I also bundle any correspondence and ensure that it is out for the doctors the next morning. I also have to help with locking up which involves ensuring windows and blinds are shut, locking filing cabinets and switching the phones over to answer phone.

Along with these duties I also do general admin such as dealing with telephone queries, filing and photo copying.

Sasha Cobby

A typical morning for me, in the CRM team at West Dorset District Council, could involve me manning the planning reception. My main duties would include filing planning files, which involves either a trip to West Dorset’s basement or up to the Council’s industrial storage unit, where files that are over six years old are kept. Collecting and answering post is also a priority during the morning; this would normally involve finding specific documents that a customer has requested e.g. plans for a past planning application. However, my main priority is to assist customers that call into reception; usually they wish to see a specific planning application, however with some questions - for example, if the customer wished to know if a building is listed or in a conservation area, it would be necessary to use a couple of computer programs in order to find the required information.

In the afternoon I normally cover the main reception; this also involves dealing with the general public in a face-to-face situation, helping to solve their problems, answering their queries and contacting the appropriate department on their behalf. I also answer the phone and emails that are sent to customer services, which could mean taking messages, answering problems or simply passing them to the correct department. One of my other duties is to issue parking permits; as well as issuing new permits I also update existing ones if the customer has moved or changed car etc.

As my job is customer focused, no two days are the same, making my job interesting, varied and sometimes challenging, as you never know what the next question is going to be.

Stephan Bailey

A day within Network Traffic Control requires me to carry out a range of job roles.

My first duty is to monitor two systems which I am currently managing. One being Icelert, a system used by the county council to determine if roads around the county need salting. The ice severity is determined by a variety of factors and its maintenance is crucial. If there is a problem with any of the weather stations around the county it is my job to have them fixed. If this is not done it could potentially lead to accidents.

The second system I must look at is Dorset Voyager. This is a travel information website that will be launched to the public imminently. Working closely with an IT company, Cloud Amber, we are constantly making improvements to the website in order to launch it to the public. This exciting opportunity will pull together different systems such as ANPR cameras to parking guidance systems to be able to broadcast current real-time information to Dorset’s growing population.

Once I have completed this task I then have to use our ordering system to pay any invoices from the various companies we deal with. This can be from £100 to £20,000. It is important that I am as efficient as possible when doing these thus ensuring orders are paid on time. Through liaising with the procurement team this is done to the best of my ability.

Other duties I perform on a daily basis are responsibilities such as using our specialist Faults Management system to report any defects with traffic signals for our maintenance engineers to repair. This involves me finding out the exact location of the signals, each with an individual reference. I then input this onto the system which is automatically sent to engineers out on site. Once I have sent this report it is the responsibility of an engineer to sort within a specific time frame. I also deal with customer queries and complaints through the means of the telephone and our specialist PEM system. I delegate these to colleagues and make sure they are sorted promptly.

In conclusion I feel I am appreciated at work, which motivates me to do the best I can on a day to day basis and give 100% effort in being as efficient as possible. I feel I am a valued member of staff and look forward to the challenges ahead in the future.


Apprenticeships Apprenticeships 2010 Welcome About Dorset The Business Administration Apprenticeship What's involved in the application process Case Studies Frequently Asked Questions General Apprenticeship Information --- Subscribe to our RSS feed What is RSS? --- Text Size: A A A ---	Case Studies Apprentice Reflections Becky Airey One working day as part of the Total Place Project Team is very different to another; however it would usually begin with checking emails. I reply to them, take actions from them and pass any important information to the rest of the team. Organising meetings is a regular task within my job role which usually involves checking of people’s diaries, a lot of emails, and even more phone calls. I then would have to produce an agenda for the meetings and sometimes take notes during them, which would need to be typed up and sent to all attendees. I may also be required to organise large events and keep a record of who has been invited, who has accepted or declined, and send out any relevant paperwork. I’m responsible for coding any invoices, ensuring they are signed by the budget holder and taking them to Procurement to be paid. I am responsible for our contacts database, which is very important to our work, ensuring it is always up to date and accessible to all team members in a shared file. Kelly James I aim to start work around 8 each day so that I can finish earlier, but in reality it’s normally about 8.30 when I start. I switch my computer on when I get into the office and whilst waiting for it to load make myself a nice cup of tea! I then sit down to go through, and reply to, any emails that I have received. Sometimes the emails contain jobs that I need to do. If this is the case I get on with whatever task I have been given, this could be adding comments from the public to consultation logs for various schemes, to preparing papers for upcoming meetings. My tasks vary from day to day. One day I could be doing photocopying and filing, one day I could be going out on to site. I enjoy going out on site as it can be really interesting. A major project that our team is currently working on is the Weymouth Relief Road so I sometimes go there. When I’m out on site I could be simply gaining more knowledge about the different schemes, such as the Weymouth Transport Package (in preparation for the Olympics in 2012), or I could be taking photographs to show how the schemes are progressing. I then upload the photos I have taken to our Flickr account and website for the public to view. I then need to write comments on them to provide people with an understanding of what they show. Another part of my job is setting up consultation logs to record comments from the public on schemes. For example, if we consult the public about a new cycle scheme we are constructing we need to give them an opportunity to give us their comments. We must then record their comments and look at how we can take them on board and make any necessary changes. It is a good way to get a general view and idea of the issues causing concern to the public. I normally finish work at 4.30 but will stay later if I want to get something done. No day is ever the same where I work and that’s what I enjoy most – the variety. I also work with a great team who make the day enjoyable! Phoebe Patterson-Sweeney I work for the Dorset Primary Care Trust in the Occupational Health Department. I get into work at about 9am; I start the day by going through the follow up drawer which is where we keep files waiting for GP/specialist reports and, if necessary, chase up the surgeries. I then log into my computer to check my emails and follow up any that need action. I will normally then sort through my in-tray; ordinarily there will be appointments that need booking or notes that need to be tied up with files. At about mid-morning I will go through the post; this involves opening, date stamping and distributing to the correct people. In the post we often get pre-employment questionnaires which I then have to log on to the database and pass to the nurses for resulting. As I am also on reception I am the first point of contact with all of the employees who are referred to us. In this role I have to sign people in, let the doctors and nurses know that people have arrived and book follow up appointments. Towards the end of the day I check that the doctors and nurses have the correct files for the next day’s clinic and I also bundle any correspondence and ensure that it is out for the doctors the next morning. I also have to help with locking up which involves ensuring windows and blinds are shut, locking filing cabinets and switching the phones over to answer phone. Along with these duties I also do general admin such as dealing with telephone queries, filing and photo copying. Sasha Cobby A typical morning for me, in the CRM team at West Dorset District Council, could involve me manning the planning reception. My main duties would include filing planning files, which involves either a trip to West Dorset’s basement or up to the Council’s industrial storage unit, where files that are over six years old are kept. Collecting and answering post is also a priority during the morning; this would normally involve finding specific documents that a customer has requested e.g. plans for a past planning application. However, my main priority is to assist customers that call into reception; usually they wish to see a specific planning application, however with some questions - for example, if the customer wished to know if a building is listed or in a conservation area, it would be necessary to use a couple of computer programs in order to find the required information. In the afternoon I normally cover the main reception; this also involves dealing with the general public in a face-to-face situation, helping to solve their problems, answering their queries and contacting the appropriate department on their behalf. I also answer the phone and emails that are sent to customer services, which could mean taking messages, answering problems or simply passing them to the correct department. One of my other duties is to issue parking permits; as well as issuing new permits I also update existing ones if the customer has moved or changed car etc. As my job is customer focused, no two days are the same, making my job interesting, varied and sometimes challenging, as you never know what the next question is going to be. Stephan Bailey A day within Network Traffic Control requires me to carry out a range of job roles. My first duty is to monitor two systems which I am currently managing. One being Icelert, a system used by the county council to determine if roads around the county need salting. The ice severity is determined by a variety of factors and its maintenance is crucial. If there is a problem with any of the weather stations around the county it is my job to have them fixed. If this is not done it could potentially lead to accidents. The second system I must look at is Dorset Voyager. This is a travel information website that will be launched to the public imminently. Working closely with an IT company, Cloud Amber, we are constantly making improvements to the website in order to launch it to the public. This exciting opportunity will pull together different systems such as ANPR cameras to parking guidance systems to be able to broadcast current real-time information to Dorset’s growing population. Once I have completed this task I then have to use our ordering system to pay any invoices from the various companies we deal with. This can be from £100 to £20,000. It is important that I am as efficient as possible when doing these thus ensuring orders are paid on time. Through liaising with the procurement team this is done to the best of my ability. Other duties I perform on a daily basis are responsibilities such as using our specialist Faults Management system to report any defects with traffic signals for our maintenance engineers to repair. This involves me finding out the exact location of the signals, each with an individual reference. I then input this onto the system which is automatically sent to engineers out on site. Once I have sent this report it is the responsibility of an engineer to sort within a specific time frame. I also deal with customer queries and complaints through the means of the telephone and our specialist PEM system. I delegate these to colleagues and make sure they are sorted promptly. In conclusion I feel I am appreciated at work, which motivates me to do the best I can on a day to day basis and give 100% effort in being as efficient as possible. I feel I am a valued member of staff and look forward to the challenges ahead in the future.

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