Meet Savanah, business administration apprentice

At ACE Winches, a part of the Ashtead Technology group, we are proud to offer an apprenticeship programme committed to supporting young people and their professional development. 

We caught up with Savanah to hear how she is progressing with her business adminstration apprentice.

Tell me about your apprenticeship?

I am currently in my first year of a business modern apprenticeship with ACE Winches.  This apprenticeship will allow me to experience and work in different departments throughout the business, including projects, HSE, sales and workshop.

At the moment I am working in the sales department which I really enjoy.  It’s been great learning the sales process and understanding how a customer enquiry becomes a live project – there is more to it than you think!  Working with the team and learning the different computer systems has made it an exciting role so far.

What inspired you to do an apprenticeship?

After completing my higher exams in fifth year, I knew I didn’t want to return to school. The school were very informative and told me about apprenticeship options and that ACE Winches were having an open day.  I went along to the open day where I had a tour of the site, was able to chat with the HR team about the apprenticeship scheme and meet other people who worked there.  It was an easy decision to apply for the business modern apprenticeship after that and I’m very lucky to have been selected.

What have you learned so far from your apprenticeship?

From my experience working with sales, I would say my communication skills have improved, through ICT as well as face-to-face, making me more confident in myself and my work.  As part of my role, I have also helped on reception, greeting visitors, answering the phone, and dealing with any queries, which has challenged me and stepped me out of my comfort zone.   I have also learned about how a business runs and the energy industry as a whole, which is something I knew very little about.  I look forward to expanding my knowledge even further at ACE Winches.

What’s been the best part about your apprenticeship so far?

The best part about my apprenticeship so far has just been meeting and working with new people and how they have helped me to become more confident in my work and my understanding of the business. Another thing I am really enjoying is my college course through North East Scotland College and how this supports what I am learning at ACE Winches.

What do you hope to achieve in your time here?

I am looking forward to completing my apprenticeship as I will have gained 4 years’ worth of business experience and a qualification at the end of it.  I am also interested in marketing and hope to have an opportunity to learn this side of the business and see how it supports the different departments. 

What advice would you give to anyone considering an apprenticeship?

If I had to give advice to someone who was considering taking part in an apprenticeship, I would say go for it.  Apprenticeships allow you to gain work experience that employers look for, as well as open you up to a world full of knowledge - you won’t go a day without learning something new! They help you build confidence, improve on your skills and its motivated me to work hard and challenge myself.

For further information on the apprenticeship programme at ACE Winches, visit the careers section of our website or contact careers@ace-winches.com