Molly Cockcroft, Paralegal Apprentice at Irwin Mitchell, has some great advice for new apprentices working from home or hybrid working.
Take ownership of your studies
Make sure that you add structure to both your working and study days. This is the best way to keep on track and make the most out of your role. Lists are a great way to keep structure to your day. If you set out your priorities on paper where you can see them, you are more likely to remain on track in getting them completed.
Remember your limits
Don’t push yourself too far. Remember that coming from education, straight into a professional workplace is tough at times as it is something you will not be used to, so it is important to refrain from overworking. Some things that help are ensuring that you take your full lunch break and trying to finish on time. You should also make sure you turn your work notifications off when studying to minimise distractions as that is your protected time to learn.
Embrace remote working
Don’t let the remote working life hold you back. You may be at home but that does not mean that your role is any less important or valuable to the company and does not put a limit on how much you can achieve. It may seem harder but it is not impossible to strive for success and go above and beyond when you are working from home. One of the best ways to ensure that you do not become complacent in your studies is to take new opportunities, for example, putting yourself forward for something you wouldn’t normally do, getting involved in the company’s charity schemes or helping out with a project that you wouldn’t normally do on a day-to-day basis. These are all ways you can expand your knowledge and stand out as a great candidate for the opportunities after your apprenticeship is finished.
Build your network from the beginning
Take full advantage of the connections that you can find when working in a professional environment. Using platforms such as LinkedIn is a great way to get noticed and build your network so that when you finish your apprenticeship, you are aware of the opportunities out there for you and have already established a good foundation in your profession.
Seek guidance at every opportunity
It is important to remember that you are in your role to learn and develop as an individual, in both your work and personal life. Therefore, you must use the opportunity to ask questions and soak up as much knowledge as you can, or else, why have you chosen to be there? You should never use working from home as an excuse to not ask questions. Your managers, coaches and colleagues are all there to answer any question you have.