Your Career. Our Priority.
We wouldn’t be a leading East Midlands training provider if we didn’t truly believe in the power of apprenticeships. In fact, the majority of our own team began their careers as apprentices or have completed an apprenticeship to upskill themselves, which is one of the reasons we are so passionate about developing the next generation of leaders.
In this article, we’re shining a spotlight on our Quality & Compliance Manager, Abbygail Underwood, who began her journey over a decade ago as a Business Administration apprentice. Her story is a brilliant example of how apprenticeships can spark long-term career growth, unlock new opportunities and develop confident, capable professionals.
Abby started her EMA journey within our recruitment team in January 2020 and progressed to Recruitment Manager before moving into our Quality and Compliance department. She now leads a team of three, ensuring our apprentices and employers receive the highest-quality experience throughout their apprenticeship journey.
We caught up with Abby just after she completed her first-ever R14 – the crucial document used to calculate our Qualification Achievement Rate (QAR). A QAR is one of the key indicators of a training provider’s reliability and performance.
“I’ve just completed my first R14 and I’m so proud of the full circle in my career! I started my career 10 years ago as a Business Admin Apprentice working in an MIS (Management Information Systems) department for a large Apprenticeship Training Provider. In that role, I would conduct compliance checks, process new learners onto our ILR (Individualised Learner Record) system, and support with any errors in the system towards the month-end. 10 years later, I now manage an MIS department and am responsible for completing monthly ILR returns, checking PDSATs (Provider Data Self-Assessment Toolkit) and ensuring all our data is accurate.”
“I definitely put a lot of pressure on myself – but it went well and I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved, and also how the team supported me. I can’t wait to be able to announce our QAR when it’s finalised.”
Abby credits her Business Admin apprenticeship as the foundation of everything she does today.
“Starting as a Business apprentice, I was able to learn all about the inner workings of a business. I spent time with other departments to understand their roles, and it definitely helped me gauge a wider understanding of business operations. Learning how to work with and within teams helped me to learn those softer skills around communication and relationship building. I now manage three members of staff, and I still find myself using learnings from my apprenticeship to manage them.”
“Absolutely not. When I was younger, I didn’t know what career I wanted, but I did know that I wanted to work in a business environment and be a part of something that helped and impacted people positively.”
“It’s been fun. My career has involved business, data analysis, apprenticeship recruitment and compliance. I’ve been able to see all stages of the apprenticeship journey, right from the initial steps of a person expressing an interest in an apprenticeship, all the way through to them completing their apprenticeship and progressing onto the next level. Seeing the learners’ personal and professional development throughout their apprenticeship is always amazing!”
“There are so many. Completing my level 3 and level 4 Business Apprenticeship, studying with Derby University and achieving a 1:1 in a Smart and Inclusive Leadership undergraduate course, implementing CRM systems and new processes to improve business efficiency, supporting hundreds of learners to begin their careers with an apprenticeship, leading a department and team – I’m just proud of everything I’ve achieved so far!”
“A large glass of wine!”
We think she’s earned it!
We’re incredibly proud of Abby and everything she has achieved over the last decade. Her story is a reminder that apprenticeships don’t just build skills – they build confidence, leadership and long-lasting careers.
If you’re looking to bring future leaders into your business, a Business Administration apprenticeship could be the perfect solution. It provides a variety of skills and behaviours that every business needs more than ever. Get in touch below, and let’s see how apprenticeships can support the growth of your business.
