You’re hired! The first ever Ecotricity office apprentice!

We’ve run a very successful apprenticeship scheme for wind turbine engineers in Lincolnshire, but we’ve never had an apprentice working in our offices before. It was a long time coming. We took on our first office apprentice, Abi Holmes, earlier this year, and she’s already proving a great addition. We’ve partnered with South Gloucestershire and Stroud College who will support Abi through an HR specific qualification – so it’s great for us and great for her too!

We caught up with Abi to find out how she’s been getting on.

Give us an intro, Abi.

My name is Abigail Holmes, I generally tend to go by Abi, and I joined the People Team at Ecotricity in January as their first ever office apprentice. My official title is The People’s Apprentice!

What was the inspiration behind taking an apprenticeship here at Ecotricity?

I knew I wanted to get into an apprenticeship, as I have friends that have started great careers off the back of an apprenticeship. When I first came across the advert for the Ecotricity apprenticeship, I knew little about the company. I immediately went straight to the website and began reading. I read all about their work to save Britain’s bees, about the twenty thousand trees they planted to give back to nature, and their core ethos. I instantly knew this was a company I wanted to work for and would be proud to be a part of. I consider myself quite eco-conscious, so being able to be a part of a company that is literally saving the planet through their innovative ways of making energy does really make you feel like you’re helping make a difference. Also, as a growing local business, I knew I’d get off to a great start in my career through Ecotricity.

What were the challenges of taking an apprenticeship?

Well, I hadn’t been in education for about three years as I’d previously dropped out of college at seventeen. I’ve been in full-time work for the past two to three years, so my confidence was a bit shaky about going back to education. However, it became clear to me after my first interview that there was heaps of support from the People Team, and I would be supported by them not just in my role, but in all stages of the apprenticeship. My team were quick to offer me text books and words of wisdom to help me get started in my career.

How long will your apprenticeship last, and what do you get at the end of it?

The study part of my apprenticeship course doesn’t start at Stroud College until July, and as it’s a new course they’re starting this year, I don’t know too much yet! However, it’ll take me roughly a year to complete it, and I’ll receive a National Vocational Qualification. After this, I hope to go on to study a CIPD course in Human Resources.

What are you enjoying most about working at Ecotricity?

What I’m enjoying the most is probably being in charge of and having responsibility for my own workload. But also having the support of my team and the wealth of knowledge they share. I must also say, compared to other large companies I have worked in, at Ecotricity everything just feels friendly and open. Everyone is happy to help or stop for a quick chat, and it definitely creates a feeling of ‘family’ within the workplace.

What does a typical day look like for you?

No two days are the same in an HR office and a typical day for me starts with a coffee and checking my emails. At first I was just getting to grips with it all but now I’ve settled in, I’ve taken over duties such as helping with new starters or leavers and helping set up for training days. This involves a wide range of tasks, from sending or asking for references to calculating holiday pay and keeping team changes up to date. It’s always nice to welcome new people on our induction days, making sure everything’s ready to put them at ease.

What are your aspirations for the future?

For the future, I would very much like to continue in HR and stay at Ecotricity, and once I’ve completed my apprenticeship I think I’ll then have an idea of which of the many branches of HR I’d like to go into further. I’d also love to see more apprentices at Ecotricity in the years to come, and I would love to be involved in it all somehow!

We see Abi as being the first of many apprentices in Ecotricity. We’re looking to bring in more talented young apprentices across our business – and we’re very excited about the future!

For your chance to join the green revolution check out Ecotricity Jobs, where you’ll find all our current opportunities. And of course you can make a difference with your energy supply by switching to us too!