Celebrating #NationalApprenticeshipWeek!
We’re proud to be one of Knowsley’s largest apprenticeship providers with 150 apprentices joining us over 8 years.
Meet Lauren and Joe, who joined us as apprentices a few years ago and continue to be a vital part of our team.
Lauren (aged 23)
What do you do?
I’m a Learning and Development Business Partner.
I look after all training across the business. This ranges from sourcing training to booking it and scheduling it into our system. I liaise with external training providers to deliver role specific training too and make sure we deliver all training within budget.
I also look after apprenticeships and have recently become involved with our kickstart programme.
When did you join Livv and how’s it going?
I started at Livv in 2015 as an apprentice within the Choice Based Lettings team. I didn’t really have any idea of what I wanted to do and decided university wasn’t for me so I thought this would be the best option for me.
I was quite reluctant to complete an apprenticeship at first as all my friends were going to university, but I didn’t have a particular subject I felt passionate enough about. I am so glad I completed my apprenticeship though as it gave me so much knowledge about the social housing sector and it really opened my eyes to so many different circumstances going on in the borough.
I spent a few years in the team after I secured a full-time position, I completed a few different roles from an assistant to an advisor but decided it wasn’t for me. So, I started to attend college in the evening to gain my CIPD qualification so that I could get some knowledge around HR/learning and development (L&D).
2 years on, after gaining my qualification and getting some experience within L&D I am now an L&D business partner and I couldn’t be happier. I absolutely love my job. It is so rewarding being part of so many amazing things.
What three traits define you?
Driven, friendly and organised.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned since joining Livv?
The most important lesson I have learnt is not to compare myself to anyone else. I was so worried having to ‘re-start’ my career path because I was looking at everyone else around me and seeing them progress whilst I was having to start all over again.
I know I am still young and I have lots of time to progress, but I was so focused on other people around me and how well they were doing that I put a lot of pressure on myself rather than just taking a step back to realise I had plenty of time to achieve what I wanted to.
What’s your biggest personal achievement to date?
Apart from securing this role, it would be when I was selected for the first 30under30 programme in the UK at the Learning Technologies conference in London back in Feb 2020 out of thousands of L&D professionals. Considering I had only been in this sector for a short amount of time it was a massive achievement for me that I was able to go to London and meet so many amazing people within the industry.
What do you enjoy the most about working at Livv?
I enjoy the environment at Livv and how friendly everyone is, I work with such an amazing team and I couldn’t ask for anything more. I have received so much support from everyone and everyone is really approachable. Livv do so many amazing things for the local community and help to support so many people and I am happy to be a part of it.
Where do you think you’d be if you hadn’t joined Livv as an apprentice?
Probably at university doing something I didn’t enjoy and being up to my eyes in debt! I always thought university was the answer to a good job, but I have now seen that apprenticeships can get you to this point too.
Where do you see yourself in the future?
Hopefully staying in this role and hopefully being a mentor for anyone else who finds themselves in the same position as I was and feels like it’s too late to start again or who is struggling to decide what they want to do or achieve.
Tell us something that might surprise us about you?
My twin brother started as an apprentice on the same day I did and is still working within the company too. He works in IT so if I ever have any IT problems I can just knock on his door and mither him!
Joe (aged 22)
What do you do?
I’m now an assistant property manager on the empty homes team.
When did you start your journey at Livv and how is it going?
My journey in Livv started in 2014 when I was 16 years old. I started as an apprentice joiner straight from leaving school. Things are good at Livv, I’m enjoying working here and I am looking forward to staying here for the foreseeable future.
What three traits define you?
Easy going, happy and helpful.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned since joining Livv?
Be organised, it makes your life easier further along the line.
What is your biggest personal achievement to date?
Getting the assistant property manager’s job.
What do you enjoy the most about working at Livv?
Working with everyone in the team.
Where do you think you’d be if you hadn’t joined Livv as an apprentice?
Possibly working on site or somewhere in the construction industry.
Where do you see yourself in the future?
Hopefully still working at Livv progressing further into a manager’s role.
Tell us something that might surprise us about you?
I can cook a nice roast dinner!