Bringing the #MyStorySoFar episodes to a close is Rachael, yet another one of our fabulous grads! She almost has her Diploma under her belt, below, she explains why you too, should want to strive to succeed…
How has The Grad Scheme improved your skills?
Since joining The Grad Scheme in 2016, I feel as though my organisation skills have improved massively! As there’s always a lot going on here, you have to find a way of` keeping yourself organised and there’s so many ways you can do this. The team are very supportive when it comes to helping you sort out your workload so that it doesn’t feel over-bearing. It has also improved my training abilities, even though I joined as a grad myself, I’m always helping the newest graduates out – there is a big sense of team playing here and everyone helps each other whenever and however they can.
What do you enjoy the most about working here?
It has to be the overall attitude of the team towards both helping each other and the dedication to their work – everyone really wants the company to do well! It’s amazing to see the whole office come together and spur each other on to aim higher and be successful. Another thing I love, is that there are no certain groups in the office, everyone is a team. This is really important when it comes to a business as it makes it much more enjoyable coming to work knowing that everyone gets a long as a whole.
What qualities would you say are the most important to have when applying for The Grad Scheme?
You need to be a team player! We all have each other’s back across the company and I believe that if you don’t have the ability to ‘get stuck in’ then it wouldn’t work.
Secondly, I would say you need have a drive to progress because there are exams to complete. This is a career, not just a job, so there is always that need to succeed which personally, I love but you have to consider this when applying. There is no pressure on getting to where you need to be in your career, at a certain pace, but you do have to want to achieve.
How far do you think you have come, career wise, since starting The Grad Scheme?
I’m surprised how quickly I’ve moved through the ranks! Amazingly, since starting in August 2016, I have nearly completed my Diploma with my final exam booked in for next month. That means, once I have passed the final exam I will be a fully qualified paraplanner. The speed that you complete your exams is completely different for each person, there is no ‘average’ speed, nor is there any pressure from anyone for you to put in for exams when you don’t feel ready. There is only support from the team, to help you towards passing exams.
In your opinion, why should people apply for The Grad Scheme?
Before joining The Grad Scheme, I didn’t really feel like I had an idea of what I wanted to do as a ‘career’ but I know I have found something that I can continue with, as it’s constantly challenging and interesting. If you love pushing yourself to achieve targets and to better your professional-self, this is definitely the path for you.
