Kelsie, Legal Admin Apprentice, talks to us about her apprenticeship experience with Royds Withy King and Damar Training.
What is your job title?
Throughout my apprenticeship my job title has been Legal Administration Assistant. However, upon completion of my apprenticeship it has now been changed to Legal Assistant.
Why did you decide to do an apprenticeship?
I did law at A-Level and absolutely loved it. However, I spent a lot of time umming and ahhing about whether I wanted to go to university. I suffered quite badly with my mental health and so the thought of moving away to do something that I didn’t even know was right for me (and paying over £9k a year for it) was far too daunting. My brother is an accountant and has achieved this through an apprenticeship and suggested that I look for a job in the field to dip my toe in the water before university, so I deferred my placement for 2 years and decided to start looking.
What sort of activities did you do in your role whilst you were on the apprenticeship?
I have gained so much brilliant experience with Royds Withy King, from attending a high court case at the Royal Courts of Justice, to client meetings, drafting statements and even the menial jobs like printing and scanning (the real fun stuff!).
What have you enjoyed most about your apprenticeship?
Mostly, I have just enjoyed being able to soak up every part of my environment. Going into an office at such a young age was so scary, but it has brought my confidence on leaps and bounds. Having a supportive and trusting team has really helped me developed skills within the working world that are transferrable to everyday life, such as problem solving skills, communication skills or even just the ability to swallow your pride and admit you’ve made a mistake! It is so refreshing to think about how far I have come in the last two years and how this would have never been possible if I had just gone to university as per the original plan.
How was your training with Damar?
Training with Damar is great. The coaches are so helpful and are there to assist you to pass, not to be harsh on you and trip you up! As long as you’re willing to put the work in Damar are willing to help. A massive thankyou to Charlotte Alleyne for helping me over the last two years and the rest of the staff at Damar that have assisted me along the way.
What do you think your biggest achievement has been as an apprentice?
My biggest achievement as an apprentice would be being able to confidently and successfully run a project within our office that has changed our whole way of working. I couldn’t be prouder of how our new systems work and would like to think I played a big part in this.
What do you think you have contributed to your organisation during your apprenticeship?
I believe that throughout my apprenticeship, I have become used to exercising better reasoning and using this to become a keen problem solver within our office. Being younger, I have also been able to share my IT abilities with my team and overall just help us become a more efficient team!
What are your career plans now you’ve finished your apprenticeship?
I have officially started my law degree as I mentioned, and have been promoted to Legal Assistant! I am hoping to stay at Royds Withy King all throughout my degree and work my way up to a Paralegal once I have finished my degree… It’s then onto the LPC and training contract with hopes of becoming a fully qualified Childcare Lawyer.