Tell us a little about your apprenticeship.
“My apprenticeship was a Level 5 Professional Coaching program. Coaching was always something I was interested in, but I couldn’t find the right providers at the time. I also looked into doing it privately, but it was going to cost about £6,000.
I found out about Stonegate’s apprenticeship scheme when the Learning and Development team held a showcase at one of our sites in London. I approached the team about my coaching aspirations, and they advised me on next steps. I work part-time, three days a week, so I was unsure if I would be allowed to complete an apprenticeship with Stonegate.
However, I was accepted straight away. There were three-hour workshops held twice a month, sometimes in person and sometimes on Teams. I was grateful that my managers were so supportive in freeing me up to attend. It took almost 18 months to complete.”
Why did you want to take up your apprenticeship?
“I turned 40 last year and knew I wanted to achieve something big before my birthday. I think life is too short to hesitate when opportunities arise. If it works out—great. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.
I’m always looking to develop my skills and learn something new, so this apprenticeship came at the perfect time.”
How did you find working on your apprenticeship alongside your day-to-day work?
“When I started the course, there was a lot of change in my life. There was a restructure at work, followed by a promotion with new responsibilities. I also have two young children, and on top of that, we were planning on relocating. So, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to continue the course.
The workload was intense—I had to collect a portfolio of people I had coached, as well as complete tests, interviews, and observations. However, I received a distinction among my results, and I was so proud of myself, especially considering English isn’t my first language.
My husband was incredibly supportive of my apprenticeship, as was my manager, Chloe, who is a big believer in personal growth. She knows that I’m someone who always wants to learn something new.”
What are the main things you've taken from your apprenticeship?
"Of course, I have gained many new skills, but I’ve also noticed a change in myself. The apprenticeship was incredibly self-reflective and has boosted my confidence and my ability to handle stressful situations.
I thoroughly enjoyed coaching my colleagues, friends, and even strangers. Coaching colleagues was particularly interesting because I had to take myself out of the "colleague" mindset and think about my responsibility as a coach, including confidentiality and process management.”
What are your apprenticeship highlights?
“I loved meeting people from across Stonegate and building relationships with colleagues I never would have met otherwise—across different departments such as HR, Marketing, and more.
Everyone was incredibly supportive, especially when we worked together through the exams. I also can’t speak highly enough of Remit and Paula, the apprenticeship provider.”
What are your next steps now that you’ve completed your apprenticeship?
“I haven’t decided exactly what I’ll do next. I want to continue coaching. In the recent Employee Engagement Survey, I expressed my interest in supporting coaching within the business and reinvesting my skills. My Head of Sales was very keen to hear all about it.”
Do you have any advice for someone thinking of applying for an apprenticeship with Stonegate?
“Opportunities like this don’t come around often. I never want to feel like I’ve missed out or regret not taking action earlier.
The only thing it will cost you is your time and commitment—and if you’re willing to invest both, there’s no limit to what you can achieve.”
