A Business apprentice at Solihull College & University Centre is celebrating after successfully completing her qualification despite the coronavirus crisis.
Chloe Osborne, 25 from Smethwick, carried out her apprenticeship at Xoserve in Solihull and has been awarded a distinction after being assessed using new remote invigilating techniques brought in during lockdown. Chloe follows fellow Xoserve apprentice Hannah Brown as the second staff member to finish her apprenticeship during this challenging time.
A stay-at-home mum for 2 years after her previous studies, Chloe was looking for something that would enable her to get back into the workplace and help set up a future career.
“I have loved the apprenticeship” Chloe states. “It has provided me with a fantastic opportunity to work within an amazing company and gain professional qualities that I will be able to use in any job role and workplace. I would highly recommend doing an apprenticeship to anybody looking for a stepping stone into Business Administration, wanting a change in career or looking at an alternative to A-Levels. I have received so much support and guidance over the last 18 months. Everybody has been highly supportive throughout my apprenticeship journey.”
Dawn Gallacher, People Development Partner at Xoserve adds: “Throughout both Chloe and Hannah’s apprenticeship, I received nothing but praise from their colleagues, managers and college tutor. I was beaming with pride to learn of their distinctions. They have both faced different challenges over their time with us which they have tackled with bravery and positivity. They have become such an important part of Xoserve and are truly valued by the lucky teams that have them right now.”
Completing her end point assessment virtually during the pandemic wasn’t something Chloe had envisioned. She comments: “This was obviously very different to what I had expected, especially with a small child at home. However, it was not as difficult as I had imagined. The College, my workplace and all of the external examiners were extremely supportive and flexible in this approach and offered valuable guidance and assistance in order to complete this online.”
In the future Chloe hopes to look into the different opportunities available for completing a Business degree. She will also be progressing from her role as Assistant Support Administrator at Xoserve after being offered a contract with the Customer Lifecycle team.
