The 22-year-old student from Stockton-on-Tees is making strides in the IT industry as a Business Administration Apprentice here at Stockton Riverside College.
Ikrah hopes her academic journey is a testament to the value of apprenticeships, and the opportunities they provide to people of any age that are wanting to gain experience and make their mark in their industry of choice.
The former Conyers School student first came to the college in 2020 but initially enrolled to study Health and Social Care. However, her interest soon shifted toward business, and she went on to complete a BTEC in Business, before starting her one-year business admin apprenticeship in August 2022.
Ikrah’s apprenticeship experience so far has been great, and she said, “I would definitely recommend an apprenticeship to others.” Her fondness of being able to meet other apprentices working in similar fields through her course was evident as she commented on attending classes together. She said, “We all offer each other advice where we can, this, along with support from my tutors has been really helpful.”
Ikrah is happy to be doing her apprenticeship in a role/industry that is typically considered male-dominant and hopes her time in this role will help break the stereotype and encourage more females to work in IT. On a day-to-day basis, Ikrah is now a powerhouse of activity, responsible for face-to-face customer service with staff members, equipment auditing, email and phone enquiries, and task request ticket management for various departments. Being awarded a merit grade in her business course, and now gaining her apprenticeship, are achievements Ikrah is most proud of, she said “I really enjoy learning about the practical customer service elements as well as the marketing of products and services.”
“I have found customer service in IT different to other places I have worked, so I am learning to adapt to this new environment with David’s help,” Ikrah commented, referring to David Swainston, Service Desk Coordinator at Stockton Riverside College, who has been a great help to her.
After completing her apprenticeship, Ikrah would love to secure permanent employment at Stockton Riverside College, she hopes to stay within the Service Desk team if an opportunity becomes available but would also consider business admin roles in other departments or even continue her education and obtain a Level 4 qualification in a similar business area.
When asked what her advice to other students would be, who are wanting to do a similar apprenticeship to herself, she said “I would say to do the interview prep and draw on experiences of customer service capabilities from any part-time work they may have had.” She also recommends undertaking a vocational Business Course, such as the Business BTEC, as she said, “It was a big help when it came to securing my apprenticeship.”
We love hearing about students enjoying their studies with us, especially when they find added value in their position and roles like Ikrah has.
Ikrah you are a credit to your peers, and we wish you all the best with the remainder of your apprenticeship.
