My case study - Yasmin

We hear from Yasmin today who started her Ongo journey as an apprentice and has worked her way up to being an Income Team Leader.

Q1. What was your apprenticeship in and why did you choose this one?

I did a Housing and Support apprenticeship. I picked this one because it wasn’t really something that you could find in the usual form of education options, and I felt like it could open up a number of opportunities for me. Including being involved within the community I grew up in and if I’m completely honest, I wasn’t sure which path I wanted to go down career wise.

Q2. What experience did you gain from your apprenticeship and how has your apprenticeship benefited you?

I gained a lot of knowledge and understanding about housing and remember one statement that was said to me when I applied “Housing isn’t something you think you will get into but once you do you want out”.

This statement for me was true, it’s not something I would have ever considered at school and not a job people spoke about, but once I joined, I loved the experience I gained.

I was 18 when I started my apprenticeship and felt like I hadn’t had much work experience with the part time/weekend jobs that I had previously (bar work and working in a butchers). The apprenticeship built my confidence when it came to speaking to new people as well.

I learnt so much about how customers could be supported, it taught me empathy, compassion and understanding for people’s circumstances.

I had grown up in social housing and it has been such a brilliant experience to be involved with the changes being made to the local community and to see how Ongo are moving the stereotype away from those living within social housing and the opportunities available to its customers is something I’ve been passionate about.

Q3. What was the outcome at the end of your apprenticeship?

It opened the door to successfully becoming a permanent part of the Income Collection team as an Income Assistant. 10 years later I am still here as an Income Team Leader, supporting an incredible group of people that regularly support customers to improve their lives and financial positions.

Q4. What advice would you give someone considering an apprenticeship?

It provides a different approach on entering into the working world and if you are passionate about something, an apprenticeship provides you the opportunity to learn and develop, as well as gain the experience needed when entering into future employment.

Grab it with both hands and complete it to the best of your ability because it could open a number of opportunities you wouldn’t have received through other platforms.

Q4. If you had one sentence to describe your apprenticeship, what would it be?

It has created the opportunity for me to have a career that I love, through a way of learning that suited me.