Alice Ryan, The White Rose Academies Trust Business Officer Apprentice, continues to write about experiences from working within the Trust; read Alice's third blog below:
As I write this blog, it is nearly the end of January, which means I have been working at The White Rose Academies Trust for just under four months. I am please to say that I feel completely settled in to my role and have loved overcoming all of the challenges that I have faced each day. Over the past few weeks I have taken on many more roles and responsibilities, making the work I complete day to day more enthralling.
Before the Christmas break I was given the opportunity to take on a Personal Assistant role to Toby Cale, Vice Principal within the Trust. This new role now sees me responsible for organising Toby’s meetings and supporting him with lots of important projects that aim to create a better future for the White Rose Academies Trust.
"Over the past few weeks I have taken on many more roles and responsibilities, making the work I complete day to day more enthralling."
Recently we have been working on destinations which has included looking at the way that we as a Trust track and monitor students educational progression after they leave Year 11. In order to improve the way in which we do this, myself and Toby have organised meetings with members of the College, Academy Careers Advisors and Academy Data Managers. This has allowed us to discuss and share best practice and also design a system that will improve our destinations in the future.
Before my involvement with this project, I did not recognise how involved schools try to be in students’ lives after they leave Year 11. It has been insightful to learn that the Trust are so keen to keep students in further education provisions and ensure they are staying on track and have kept that strong connection with past students. I look forward to continuing working on this with Toby.
I have also been asked by the Head of Communications and Projects, Mrs Hare, to be the main administrator and advertiser for Perkbox. Perkbox is a staff benefit for all members of the Trust, allowing everyone to get amazing discounts for shopping, phone insurance and days out. To discuss this benefit further and to better understand how to utilise this, I set up a meeting with an employee from Perkbox with; Mrs Hare (Head of Communications and Projects) Miss Hare (Trust Project Officer) and Holly Whitaker (Digital Communications and Content Officer).
At the beginning of this year, the newly appointed Chief Financial Officer, Stuart Jolley, began working at the Trust. To help with his induction, I have asked to assist in organising his meetings with internal and external relations. Over the past few weeks I have organised forty meetings to fit in before the end of the month! I have enjoyed this as it has given me the opportunity to communicate with even more colleagues, who before this role I had not met.
Like I have mentioned in my previous blogs, I am involved with planning trips and meetings for the Trust Student Leadership Group. I am now in the process of planning two very exciting school trips for the students.
One of these trips will see the Trust Student Leadership Group travel to Loughborough for a tour around the Saint-Gobain manufacturing company and a tour around Loughborough University. I have really enjoyed organising a trip that I know will benefit these students greatly.
The second trip I have been planning is a trip to London at the beginning of March. This trip will see our Trust Student Leaders visit the House of Commons and also attend the WE Day concert at Wembley Arena. Over the next few weeks I am contacting other individuals in London to try and make this trip unforgettable.
