National Apprenticeship Week 2023: MCA celebrates 23 apprentices in the ranks

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has an ‘incredible’ 23 apprentices in the ranks for this year’s National Apprenticeship Week (NAW).

Learning and Development coordinator Margaret Smith said the MCA has been backing apprenticeships like never before, with a dedicated financial fund able to support applicants throughout.

The apprentices are completing courses from Level Two (equivalent to five GCSE passes) to Level Seven (equivalent to a Master’s Degree), with opportunities at all career stages.

Three apprentices have praised the ‘huge’ benefits of taking on the challenge of learning new skills, as they urge others to consider if an apprenticeship would be right for them.

Margaret said: “We are very much behind apprentices and, in a lot of ways, it is free learning for the staff member taking it on. It requires commitment and dedication from the individual of course, but there’s no fee – we have access to some funding and that allows us to offer these incredible opportunities.”

She added that there are further apprenticeships to come in 2023 as the agency really engages with the concept of upskilling.

“It represents a change for the MCA,” she said. “I expect the number to grow further and further in the years to come. All you need is for your line manager to agree to you focusing for a minimum of six hours a week on your apprenticeship, more and more people see the benefit of their staff developing and are supporting it.”

Larisa is undertaking a Team Leader apprenticeship

Larisa McGill, who is completing a Level Three apprenticeship as a Team Leader (Aeronautical) based at the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC), said she is ‘loving’ her role and the chance to progress.

“It’s hard work, don’t get me wrong,” she said. “But I think it will be really worthwhile in the end. I expressed an interest in the Team Leader role, but I also didn’t feel prepared enough to take on a management role without some training.

“I’m so glad there was this opportunity and it isn’t even just about this role. This apprenticeship will give me a fantastic foundation for further career aspirations.

“I didn’t realise before this that you could do an apprenticeship in the workplace but as someone who loves to learn and continue to develop, it’s perfect.”

Larisa is a third of the way through her 12-month apprenticeship. and has access to a dedicated skills coach to help with her learning.

“It is hard to balance at times, but I am learning so much and I’m loving it. I have a dedicated skills coach and feel as though I always have the help and guidance I need – I feel like I am building for the future.”

Meanwhile Will Fuller is a Level Four apprentice and is completing the equivalent of a HND to progress as a Technical Advisor (previously called a Seafarer Standards Advisor), a technical services role. He is nearing completion of his policy officer apprenticeship, which he said has given him options for progression.

He has spent the week representing the UK – and, specifically, the UK Flag – at the Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping sub-committee of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

He shared a brief insight into this activity to show the level of responsibility given to him as he undertakes his apprenticeship:

Mark Munts is in the final stages of a Level Four apprenticeship in Associate Project Management alongside his role as an MLC Policy Advisor. He explained that, while he has worked for the MCA for the better part of 25 years, it is only in more recent years that he has actively pursued progression.

He undertook the apprenticeship in November 2021 following a secondment to HR in 2019. It was an opportunity that kickstarted his interest in project management and an ambition to develop further.

“I didn’t get the best results at school and so I always felt that my progression was limited,” he said. “But, after a secondment in HR and the chance to try a change of role, I started to realise I had options to develop myself further and discovered an apprenticeship.

“It has been hard, and not without a few problems, but I think it will be worth it. I definitely feel a high sense of achievement.

“The hope is that this apprenticeship will open the door into project management roles, and the next stage of my career.”

If you are interested in pursuing an apprenticeship, or want to find out more, visit: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/