Apprenticeship Success: An Interview with Dan Parsons, IT Support Technician
Congratulations to Dan Parsons, IT Support Technician, for recently completing a Level 3 ICT Apprenticeship while working as a valuable part of Sepura's IT team.
Dan joins a growing group of apprentices who have successfully achieved a qualification alongside their roles within the business, gaining invaluable experience and skills in both the workplace and academia.
Joining us for a short interview, Dan reflected on his apprenticeship experience and career development at Sepura so far:
What do you do at Sepura and how long have you worked here?
I am an IT Support Technician, having just completed my Level 3 ICT Apprenticeship. This involves assisting employees with technical issues, fulfilling new IT requirements, and working on projects to improve business processes, productivity, and security. I have been with Sepura for two and a half years.
Tell us a bit about your apprenticeship and your time with Sepura.
My role as an IT Apprentice has been incredibly rewarding. The practical knowledge gained at Sepura by taking on new responsibilities has aided me significantly with my exams. The apprenticeship also involved completing a series of projects, which varied from PowerShell scripting for new starters to setting up our new SharePoint sites. Each project was a new challenge that required different skills - which has helped keep me well-rounded!
Recruiting IT Apprentices has served the Department extremely well since 2016. While it requires a significant investment of time and effort to develop and guide them in building their technical competencies and understanding of business practice, the results are highly rewarding. Seeing someone become technically experienced and engaging confidently with business users, while also qualifying, is a positive outcome for everyone involved.
Karen Bellamy, IT Operations Manager at Sepura
What have you learnt so far? What challenges have you overcome?
Moving into the business world can be quite daunting, especially in a fast-paced environment. I've learned to work more quickly and efficiently, which was a challenge to start with. When mistakes are made (I've made a few!) I've seen this as a positive development opportunity. Skills I have developed include how to prioritise tasks, the importance of working as a team player and how to approach larger business projects.
What have you most enjoyed about your apprenticeship? How has it helped with your career at Sepura?
The most enjoyable and important part of my role is the people that I get to work with day-to-day. I have a fantastic team to work with and I'm very grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow within a supportive team environment. Employees across Sepura have always been friendly, appreciative, and patient during the early days of my career. Both of these factors have massively contributed to the progression of my career too.
What advice would you give to anyone who is looking to develop their career at Sepura with an apprenticeship?
Sepura has offered a fantastic opportunity for me to start my career in IT. The encouragement and support I have received from the team have been outstanding, and I am certain that anyone who is offered an apprenticeship by Sepura would feel just as fortunate as I do. Last but not least, I cannot forget to mention the 10/10 food that is served at The Hub, Sepura's on-site cafe!
Thanks to Dan for sharing his experience with us. Congratulations again, and we wish you all the best for your continued career here at Sepura.