Lauren Macdonald- Edwards Ltd
Lauren was chosen by her Progress Mentor and SRSCC Apprenticeship Manager as Apprentice of the Month for May 2023 due to her consistent hard work and commitment to the L4 Commercial Procurement and Supply Chain Apprenticeship.
Find out more about Lauren’s time studying with SRSCC below…
Before starting your apprenticeship, did you know what to expect or have any concerns about studying an apprenticeship?
“I didn’t have any concerns; it was all well explained clearly of what was involved and what was expected. Any further questions I had were answered quickly.”
How does the support you receive at SRSCC help you in working towards your Apprenticeship?
“The support has been fantastic, I have regular reviews as well as online classes. Any questions I have were replied to really promptly. The online classes allow you to raise questions as you’re going through it, which was brilliant, as you could hear other peoples input to your questions.”
Have you experienced any struggles or tough moments along the way? If so, how have you overcome them?
“As I haven’t done any form of studying for quite a while, it took me a couple of months to get into the routine of completing assignments and note taking etc. I took tips from other people on the course as well as tips and suggestions from my mentor. I used a bit of everyone’s advice and found a way that best suited me and my style of learning.”
How has the Apprenticeship help you grow as a person and develop your professional skills?
“By doing the online classes with people from different sectors it has helped given me a better understanding of their processes. You get real life experiences while having discussions which has highlighted certain areas that I can focus on within my role.”
Have you had the opportunity to apply what you’ve learnt in real-world scenarios?
“Yes, there has been a lot I have applied, mostly with supplier (and other stakeholder) relationships, as well as bringing in added value.”
What are you enjoying most about your apprenticeship experience?
“The whole experience has been fantastic, it was quite scary getting back into studying after so many years of working, but the support is fantastic, and each class is very enjoyable.”
What advice would you give to someone contemplating whether to enroll onto an Apprenticeship?
“The apprenticeship route for me has been brilliant as you have the support from tutors and mentors all the way through. You also have classes where you can interact and learn from other industries & sectors, which all helps put the course material into real life situations so gives you a better understanding. The assignments that are attached to each learning outcome help underpin your understanding of the coursework and also help prepare you for the exams.”
Have you considered continuing with the next level of study? Would you remain on Apprenticeship route or choose the commercial pathway?
“I will be continuing through the apprenticeship route, as soon as L4 is complete I will be starting L5.”
Lauren went on to add,
“For me, the apprenticeship route was the only way to go. To have the support from online classes, regular reviews with my mentor as well as someone available on email or phone has been a fantastic way to complete Level 4. I would highly recommend this route for anyone. The course material is brilliant and well documented, both PDF documents, videos and assignments, giving a range of materials to use for everyone, depending on your style of studying. I always did the videos first, then went back to the study materials and PDF docs.”
We look forward to continuingly supporting Lauren through her learning journey with SRSCC as she looks to complete her Apprenticeship.
SRSCC and the Apprenticeships they provide have, without a doubt, helped develop our Procurement Team who in turn have transformed the Commercial Department. SRSCC provided expert tuition and, important to ensuring personal growth, mentoring support.
The Team have increased their abilities and confidence and are now all successfully operating as professional Business Partners and members of Senior Leadership Teams in Commercial and DDaT Departments.
Barry LeightonHead of Commercial Services The Team have increased their abilities and confidence and are now all successfully operating as professional Business Partners and members of Senior Leadership Teams in Commercial and DDaT Departments.
SRSCC and the Apprenticeships they provide have, without a doubt, helped develop our Procurement Team who in turn have transformed the Commercial Department. SRSCC provided expert tuition and, important to ensuring personal growth, mentoring support.
The Team have increased their abilities and confidence and are now all successfully operating as professional Business Partners and members of Senior Leadership Teams in Commercial and DDaT Departments.
Barry LeightonHead of Commercial Services The Team have increased their abilities and confidence and are now all successfully operating as professional Business Partners and members of Senior Leadership Teams in Commercial and DDaT Departments.
Prior to the Apprenticeship, the Team undertook various training courses while operating at different levels. Since the Apprenticeship program commenced the Team has become more aligned saving the Constabulary £3.6m while reducing risks and awarding many compliant contracts.
The Team also managed supplies during the Pandemic ensuring 100% delivery of PPE and requirements for agile working while installing the Oracle system, with the Apprenticeship being a key factor in enabling the Team to deliver this
Barry LeightonHead of Commercial Services The Team also managed supplies during the Pandemic ensuring 100% delivery of PPE and requirements for agile working while installing the Oracle system, with the Apprenticeship being a key factor in enabling the Team to deliver this
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With such high industry standards and plenty of locations throughout the country, SRSCC is perfectly positioned to provide exceptional training to new or existing staff including one day courses, CIPS accredited qualifications and Procurement Apprenticeships.