This National Apprenticeship Week (10 – 16 February 2025), T Level student Sofian Riaz and newly qualified social worker (and former apprentice) Katie Glover, share their stories.
Sofian Riaz, T Level student in the Markets team at Calderdale Council:
“Going into my first day at Calderdale Council, I wondered what my first day would be like. Would I settle in? Would it be interesting work? I was quickly welcomed into the Markets team, and despite being a younger person, was treated on the same level as any employee, being given a sense of responsibility, respect and the opportunity to contribute to the team. This has allowed me to not only enjoy my placement here, but to feel a valued member of the team.
“One thing about working at the Council is that no two days are the same. I could start my mornings the same way but by the end of the day, I could end up with various different experiences. An example of this is being asked to document my experience at the Council in this blog post – which I never would have expected! I’ve also been involved in creating content for social media, which is always fun being able to spend time in the market, promoting businesses. One of my favourite things is being in the markets, seeing all kinds of stalls and what the traders sell.
“The day-to-day tasks that I can end up doing vary from filing documents and admin work, to helping with events in The Albany Arcade and promoting seasonal events in Halifax Borough Market.
“The markets also provide a great learning experience. I am constantly being told new information about market procedures by my colleagues, building my knowledge and bringing a new perspective to something I didn’t know too much about. A lot of my work is admin based, which is great for building essential business skills for the working world.
“The working environment is a joy to work in, and the Market team are a brilliant group of people working in a welcoming and cheerful office. The fact that the environment and the team together is positive, makes Calderdale Markets a great place for me and my placement.
“Are you thinking of doing T-Levels and a placement at Calderdale Council? Do it! It is a great opportunity for work, and it can provide post-education routes like apprenticeships and permanent jobs.”
Katie Glover, newly qualified social worker:
“I applied for and was successful in securing an Apprentice Service Co-ordinator role, starting in May 2019. Whilst in this post, I successfully achieved a Level 2 qualification in health and social care. I felt this initial apprenticeship was a great stepping stone for the future, as I knew I wanted to be a social worker. This apprenticeship provided me with experience of working alongside social workers and gave me an opportunity to learn as much as I could about the world of Adult Social Care.
“During the time in post, I was based in Hebden Bridge working with both experienced service co-ordinators and qualified social workers. It was a busy role but the knowledge and experience I gained during this time enabled me to progress to a Level 3 qualification in the same area. I grew in confidence due to the effective team-working and shadowing opportunities, and could see a clear pathway to progression within the local authority. I felt supported by the management team and felt that they could see my potential in wanting to progress.
“Using this experience and knowledge, I successfully applied for a permanent Service Co-ordinator post which enabled me to expand on my knowledge and responsibility. I was hopeful that the Apprentice in Social Work degree apprentice posts would become available whilst working as a Service Co-ordinator.
“The opportunity to apply for an Apprentice in Social Work role became available in early 2021 and I started both the role and the degree in September of the same year. Working a full-time job combined with studying towards a degree was both challenging and rewarding and on passing the degree, I was able to apply for a Newly Qualified Social Worker role in Adults’ Services. Having had three years to develop my skills, working in different services, and across both adults’ and children’s services for placements, I felt that I was ready to begin my career as a social worker.
“I am now halfway through the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE), which is a requirement of becoming an NQSW with Calderdale, and hopefully will become a Level 2 Social Worker on completion in about six months’ time. I feel supported within my role and know that I can approach my team, management and mentors for support if I need it.”