The apprenticeship experience at CADS
Starting in January 2024, Callum’s apprenticeship at CADS as a retail planner has been a journey of growth, training, skill development, and hands-on work with major retail clients. Here's Callum's account of his apprenticeship journey so far!
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The apprenticeship experience At CADS
The role and work
At time of writing (September 2024), I have been an apprentice at CADS for nine months, in the retail planning team at the company’s Great Yarmouth office.
The past nine months have been an enjoyable, interesting and challenging experience. I have undertaken several stages and types of training and practice (which continues, even now!), eventually progressing into live work for some of the company’s largest retail clients.
The first steps – training & learning
The beginning months of my apprenticeship were heavily focused on training and skill development in several sectors. Office skills and awareness, such as health and safety, privacy and mental health awareness were tackled first. This progressed into the introduction and familiarisation of AutoCAD; a 2D design program I had no previous experience with. Only weeks later, I had a strong understanding of the program’s uses and functions thanks to impactful and instructive tutorials and learning.
Progression and improvement in the role
The beginning of my apprenticeship focused heavily on training, and nine months later, I am still progressing and developing new skills to adapt to my role within the company.
Recently, I have undertaken training and skill development with a secondary client to increase my overall skillset. This has allowed me, in return, to tackle a wider variety of tasks and work for the retail team.
It’s evident through my own experiences that the ability to consistently adapt and improve is ever present within CADS and has been an enjoyable experience to boot.
Image: Callum Irving and fellow apprentice Axel Davenport in training at CADS
A personalised approach to training
Everybody learns and develops differently, at their own speed and in their own ways – something CADS understand and respects. Each team member’s training is approached with consideration for their own abilities and methods. Training can be adapted to suit an individual’s needs, progressing only when the colleague and mentor both feel comfortable with the outcome.
My personal approach to training sees me focus on improving each area of my skills individually before working them together into a complete product – an approach the team at CADS understood. My team leader adapted my training to suit this approach, focusing on key areas of improvement and challenge.
The environment at CADS is one where you never truly stop learning or improving. This can be because of changes in your current work, new projects and clients or the desire to learn new skillsets or improve your personal abilities. The colleagues and team at CADS are always striving to improve, adapt and enhance both themselves and the team.
Image: Retail planning at CADS
My experience with the company over the past nine months has been full of positivity and enjoyment, working alongside people who have been sociable and willing to assist whenever possible.
The company
A hospitable and friendly working environment
It is widely documented that a positive and welcoming workplace can drive motivation in its colleagues, resulting in stronger outcomes. CADS takes this on board, creating a hospitable and friendly environment for its colleagues with flexibility and adaptability at its core.
A welcoming workplace & team
My experience with the company over the past nine months has been full of positivity and enjoyment, working alongside people who have been sociable and willing to assist whenever possible.
Whilst my role places me within the company’s retail planning team, I continuously find myself interacting with members from across the many teams in CADS. Whether it be communicating about a project or a social chat over a cup of tea, staff are always willing to interact and socialise.
CADS truly values interaction within its workplace. The company aims to create opportunities for social interaction, evidenced strongly by its push for colleagues to come into the office once a week. I am a stout believer that the attitudes of those around you can have a direct impact on your own. Working alongside colleagues at CADS that are always energetic and sociable has increased my own motivation and communication within the workplace.
Image: Retail planning at CADS
Offering Flexibility For All
CADS also values flexibility in the day to day working of its staff. The company advocates a flexible approach to working hours, using the company’s flexitime policy, so that each colleagues can create a good work-life balance.
Staff are offered the opportunity to choose their own start and end times for each working day. They are even able to work differing lengths each day, provided they are available during core hours and meet their bi-weekly contracted hours. CADS also understands that sometimes, responsibilities and emergencies can occur. Allowing its staff up to an hour of paid time for any urgent needs (such as doctors’ appointments or health related causes), the company tries to alleviate the stress of planning appointments around working hours.
Image: Callum paddle-boarding CADS’ 40 anniversary celebrations.
Positivity That Reaches Further
With a flexible workplace populated with sociable and energetic individuals, my placement at CADS has been one filled with positivity and enjoyment. Working for the company has provided me with personal improvements that have had an impact, even outside of the workplace. I am now cycling to work, which has offered me personal benefits whilst not feeling like a burden.
My physical and mental well-being has seen a rise since starting with the company; aided by working in a harmonious environment alongside a supportive team. Being provided with work that utilises my own strengths, whilst simultaneously adding to my skillset, has allowed me to become comfortable within the role and push my own boundaries. All these factors have resulted in me feeling more comfortable and being less stressed both within my role and in my personal life.
Image: Retail planning at CADS
