My name is Colleen and I’m 20 years old. I left school when I was 16 and have had a few full-time jobs before I worked here at the Parliament. During my apprenticeship I worked in the Chamber Office and the Economy, jobs and Fair Work Committee.
Why did you choose to do an apprenticeship at the Scottish Parliament?
I found myself stuck in a job which I knew was not the career path I wanted to go down. I always loved the idea of gaining a recognised qualification to put on my CV whilst working and earning money. The one thing about the Business and Administration apprenticeship at the Parliament which stood out to me was that there were no restrictions on who could apply for this. I did not need to have certain qualifications which is the case with a lot of business and admin apprenticeships in other organisations.
What's a typical day like?
When I worked in the Chamber Office, a typical day for me included attending meetings in the Chamber, finalising minutes of the Chamber and publishing these on our Parliament website. When I worked in the Economy committee, a typical day in the office for me included inviting witnesses to come to the Parliament and speak to our members and greeting the witnesses when they arrived for the Committee meeting. I also helped arrange events which took place outside of the Parliament.
What's been your highlight?
The highlight for me so far has been learning the ins and outs of how the Parliament works. Being able to complete my apprenticeship alongside the other apprentices made me feel a lot more relaxed about working in the Parliament and the staff are so welcoming and helpful.