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Hating apprenticeship, should I leave?

I'm 22 and I've been doing a Level 2 NVQ Business and Admin apprenticeship at my local council for 4 months. I really hate it and have done ever since I started. I did it because I was desperate for a job and thought it would be a good idea to get another qualification but I'm really not enjoying it. When I started I was told I was going to a different office from my team and taking over a role a girl was doing who was leaving in a week. After only a week of being there I was basically left to do the job and since then haven't had that much training, and still separate from my actual team and line-manager. There is another apprentice doing exactly the same as me who is 17, who seems to be getting the actual apprentice experience, in the other office with the team. It just seems to me that they've thought they'd kill two birds with one stone by replacing the last colleague with an apprentice and it's a bonus that I obviously get paid apprenticeship wage. I also don't have time to do my college work, I have to basically ask for time to do it which I'm putting off as I know I'll have a backlog of work to go back to in the job role. Regardless of that, I really don't enjoy the actual work, I find it boring and I actually dread going in there everyday, and generally just don't think admin/office work is for me.
I really want to leave but the only thing holding me back is the fact it'll probably look bad if I don't complete it, however I probably won't have to use the qualification to get an admin role anyway. My boyfriend and I are hoping to go travelling early next year so I feel getting a job and trying to build up more money might be the way to go. So basically, should I leave my apprenticeship?
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Gma0395
I'm 22 and I've been doing a Level 2 NVQ Business and Admin apprenticeship at my local council for 4 months. I really hate it and have done ever since I started. I did it because I was desperate for a job and thought it would be a good idea to get another qualification but I'm really not enjoying it. When I started I was told I was going to a different office from my team and taking over a role a girl was doing who was leaving in a week. After only a week of being there I was basically left to do the job and since then haven't had that much training, and still separate from my actual team and line-manager. There is another apprentice doing exactly the same as me who is 17, who seems to be getting the actual apprentice experience, in the other office with the team. It just seems to me that they've thought they'd kill two birds with one stone by replacing the last colleague with an apprentice and it's a bonus that I obviously get paid apprenticeship wage. I also don't have time to do my college work, I have to basically ask for time to do it which I'm putting off as I know I'll have a backlog of work to go back to in the job role. Regardless of that, I really don't enjoy the actual work, I find it boring and I actually dread going in there everyday, and generally just don't think admin/office work is for me.
I really want to leave but the only thing holding me back is the fact it'll probably look bad if I don't complete it, however I probably won't have to use the qualification to get an admin role anyway. My boyfriend and I are hoping to go travelling early next year so I feel getting a job and trying to build up more money might be the way to go. So basically, should I leave my apprenticeship?


If you aren't going to use the qualification anyway then i would say apply for something better paid then quit once you get something better, but make sure your contract doesn't have a clause where you have to pay back training costs if you leave early.
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Avatar for OnlyJim
OnlyJim
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Do you not have 1-2-1's with your line manager where you can raise your concerns? Not every job is going to be great all of the time, but it does seem unfair that you appear to be isolated from the rest of your team. Perhaps because the other apprentice is younger they think you don't need your hand holding as much, which is a compliment in a way, but doesn't really help you and your development.

In respect of your college work, how much time are you putting in during your own time?

If the answer is very little then I'd suggest trying to pick a bit more up at home and saying to your manager that you'd like the opportunity to spend some time shadowing some of your colleagues and undertaking some different work. I'd make the point of saying to your manager that you're doing alot of work in your own time too, just so that they can see you are committed.

If you're already doing alot of college work at home, then stress this to your manager and see if they can offer a bit more structure to your work which will help you, and also them because they'll know when they can give you work and when they can't.

I'd suggest that you try and have an open and honest conversation with your line manager as soon as possible so that you can make a better decision about what you're going to do. It's possible that if you hate your apprenticeship, that you're coming across as someone who hates their apprenticeship, and that may hold you back from being given better work to do. Hopefully by raising some of your concerns it will show a bit of passion of your part, and may help your manager to turn the situation around for you.

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