We can’t believe it’s been a year since Gemma graduated from Athona’s apprenticeship scheme. We briefly caught up with Gemma to see how she’s been getting on in her role as a resourcer for our Permanent Psychiatry team and how she found the assessment process.

Since you graduated from Athona’s apprenticeship scheme last August, what have you learnt about your job in recruitment?

Since progressing into a permanent position at Athona, I have definitely learnt even more about the fundamentals of recruitment. Part of the qualification was to understand the different selling styles, the process that goes into resourcing a candidate and the terminology surrounding both recruitment and psychiatry. It’s been great to put these skills into practice on a daily basis.

I feel I’ve been more successful in my role this past year because my apprenticeship set me up with the correct skills.

Congratulations on achieving a distinction in your assessment! How did you find that part of your apprenticeship?

Thank you! The assessment process was challenging, however the support I received from my external assessor at TheLightBulb and my team at Athona made the whole process much easier. I had to attend a written exam and have a recorded professional discussion with a member of the REC. During the discussion I was assessed on my competency skills and everything I had learnt throughout my apprenticeship.

Although I was nervous to complete these assessments, I knew that I was well prepared with all the training that I had beforehand.

Joanne, Athona’s Talent & Development Manager, added: “Gemma has been a tremendous asset to our business, as an apprentice she was eager to learn and took responsibility for her role and personal contribution to her team, she has achieved so much in her apprenticeship year and I wish her every success as she works her way up the career ladder at Athona.

If you’ve the desire to pursue a career in recruitment and have already gained some sales experience, we would love to hear from you on 01277 245905.”

Want to find out more about Athona’s successful apprenticeship scheme? Visit here to learn more.