We caught up with Kivneet Madhang, a financial services customer advisor apprentice at HSBC who is studying her Level 3 apprenticeship programme with us at Kaplan.
Here’s what was discussed…
Why did you choose an apprenticeship over other methods?
I weighed the pros and cons of apprenticeships against university, for example, and I thought ‘you know what? With an apprenticeship, you get to do the job itself as well as the learning.’ I thought that would be a good balance.
It can be difficult to find that right balance, but I think that once you settle in, you start to know what’s best for you, and I thought it’s worth getting that experience over university. At university, it’s more about just the education.
Did you have any misconceptions about apprenticeships?
Well, there’s that stereotype and a lot of people say that you’re likely going to do an apprenticeship because you can’t get into university. When, in fact, that’s not true.
I actually got into university and went for a month. However, once I had the offer of an apprenticeship with HSBC, I left as I knew I needed to make the most of that opportunity.
How does an apprenticeship benefit the employer?
I’d say that the knowledge we learn from the qualification itself fits in very heavily with the work that we do in our roles. So, with some of the learning that we have, I feel like we can be more skilled than even other agents in the business as we’re benefitting from the qualifications that Kaplan provides.
I think it’s quite useful having that learning, as it helps us to be more knowledgeable and skilled in the services we provide, which provides better outcomes for the customer.
How have you developed throughout your apprenticeship?
I think, if I’m honest, I’ve come a long way. I’m learning a lot of topics, but also even on the actual apprenticeship - it’s not just all knowledge, it’s also focusing on our behaviours.
So, as well as the knowledge we’re gaining, we’re learning better skills and researching how to hone in on those skills. I think it’s definitely an area that I’ve improved on regarding skills and what we’ve developed.
Has doing an apprenticeship opened up any opportunities to you that you may not have had without it?
Definitely, I think that experience is very valuable, as opposed to getting a degree at university. I mean, it is good to get the knowledge at university, but the actual apprenticeship in itself can make you stand out because of that experience as well as the knowledge.
Can you talk about any soft skills you’ve developed?
Communication, problem solving, even my organisation skills have developed. Having the apprenticeship in place is about spreading our learning out, and working out what works best to stay on top of all the topics. So it’s helped in those areas as well as specific, more technical skills.
How has Kaplan supported you throughout your apprenticeship?
I think Kaplan’s been great. In terms of the Talent Coaches, we have these regular progress reviews and one-to-ones so we’re reminded that they’re always going to be there. They’re there for us and we know where to go and where to contact them.
In the past, when I’ve spoken to my Talent Coach, they’ve been really supportive. And if I need to miss a session, they’ll also speak to our managers and look at my study plan to make sure I’m still on top of everything.
Kickstart your career journey
Whether, like Kivneet, you’re interested in working within the banking and financial services industry, or you’re looking for opportunities in accountancy and tax or data and technology, we can support you.
If you’re interested in an apprenticeship, browse our current vacancies or read more about how you can talk to your current employer about starting an apprenticeship. Alternatively, you can find other methods of upskilling via professional qualifications through our variety of courses.
If you’re an employer looking to progress or upskill your workforce, get in touch with the team.