Staying the course: completing an apprenticeship in the face of challenges

We spoke to Lauren Ball, who completed the Commercial Procurement and Supply Level 4 Apprenticeship with Apprenticeships+.

Not everyone sails through an apprenticeship in one swift movement. Many of our students take a break to deal with changes in their role, life events or personal commitments. We spoke to Lauren Ball, Assistant Commercial Manager at  London Borough of Tower Hamlets Council, who recently completed a Commercial Procurement and Supply – Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship with Apprenticeships+.

Lauren navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, a transition to online learning, maternity leave and exam failure in the course of her studies. She displayed both resilience and determination as she made her way through the course, emerging with a Distinction.

How long did your apprenticeship take?

Initially, I began my Commercial Procurement and Supply – Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship in 2019. Then COVID happened and in 2020 I found out that I was expecting a baby. I took a break from learning and went on maternity leave for a year. When I returned, I had to start from scratch because of the two-year gap in my learning, but I jumped back onto the course in January 2022 and passed in December 2024.

What had you done before your apprenticeship?

I joined the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Council in 2012 as an apprentice and completed both the Level 2 and Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeships. Following on from completing those, I was given a permanent role in HR and I’ve been at the council ever since.

I joined Facilities Management seven years ago as an event assistant and progressed into the commercial team within facilities management working on supplying soft service contracts such as cleaning and security for the council. I was given the opportunity to step into the role of Assistant Commercial Manager in 2019 just as I started the apprenticeship Commercial Procurement and Supply – Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.

Why did you choose Apprenticeships+?

I chose the course with our Apprenticeship Levy team, which uses Apprenticeships+ as one of our approved training providers. I’d actually completed my first two apprenticeships with our internal apprenticeship department, but that no longer exists. We now have the Apprenticeship Levy, which offers council staff the opportunity to sign up for different apprenticeships. The good thing about these courses is that you know they will aid you within your role.

What did you like about your course?

I’m more of a kinaesthetic learner so I like to learn while I’m doing something. Doing an apprenticeship meant that I could learn while doing my day-to-day work. Being able to apply what I was learning to my work kept me motivated because I knew that it was actually helping me with my career and my progression.

You started the course in person but finished it online. How did you find that?

When I started the course in 2019, it was delivered face-to-face. I was used to in-person engagement, sharing experiences and seeing everyone. Transitioning to online learning was definitely a shock and I did find virtual sessions a bit difficult at times. For example, when I was doing it through my work computer, I could get sidetracked but it was just a case of getting adjusted to it. However, being a full time working mother with a busy life, there was a bonus to having online sessions as it meant that I didn’t have to travel for 45 minutes to an hour to get to the college.

What did you find most challenging about the course? 

I’m not very academic and I get really nervous in exams and don’t perform well. I tend to do better working on case studies and written work. For my course, I had to take eight exams in total. Six of them were multiple choice and you really had to read the question well to work out which answer was the correct answer. The other two exams were closed book written exams so you really had to revise and try to retain the information. 

I had failed quite a few of my exams and, at the start of 2024, my assessors and tutors told me that I was at risk of losing my place on the course. That was quite a shock and I realised I needed to take the exams more seriously if I wanted to finish the apprenticeship. I listened to my assessor’s comments and met with my tutor more regularly. We went over certain areas where my knowledge was lacking, and he provided me with some written materials and past examination questions that I worked on. I knuckled down, revised and did what I needed to do in order to pass. In the end I passed three exams in March and a further four in July, which was a good accomplishment.

How did you prepare for your end point assessment (EPA)?

I worked on my EPA project from July to December 2024. I met with my tutor every week, sometimes twice a week, and made sure that I stuck to all of the time scales that he gave me. I submitted my project in early December and undertook the end point presentation as well as the question and answer session later that month. I passed them both with Distinction and got a Distinction overall for my apprenticeship.

What was the highlight of your apprenticeship experience?

Getting a Distinction after cramming it all into the final year! Although the apprenticeship is a two-year course, if you get into the right mindset and work really hard, you can get it done within a year. I proved to myself that I was able to complete everything within that final year and came out with a Distinction – and I’m really proud of that.

How did your workplace support you during your apprenticeship?

My manager was great. She really wanted me to succeed and gain this qualification so that I could progress within my current role and access opportunities within the procurement field. She gave me the time I needed to focus on my apprenticeship and examinations and was very supportive.

How did the college support you during the apprenticeship?

They were good and very supportive. It was mainly my tutor that I was in constant contact with but then I did speak to other people from the wider college further down the line. When the tutors and my assessor told me that if I didn’t pass my exams, I wouldn’t be able to complete my apprenticeship, it was the harsh reality that I needed to make me realise that I needed to get on with it.

I also had to do my functional skills in English at the Tottenham centre and they were accommodating. They could see me progressing and I definitely did have the support that I needed.

How was your course applicable to your role?

I would say at least 90% of it is applicable because my team procures soft service contracts for our commercial portfolio of sites – it’s definitely very relevant to the work that I do. There are some parts of the course that I can’t directly use within my work, such as procuring goods and services overseas, because that’s not something we do. However, it’s definitely good to have the knowledge and experience of learning it because if I was to move into a different role in the private sector, that would definitely be applicable.

What’s next for you?

Although part of my role is procurement, I do enjoy the facilities management side of things so I’m looking at potentially doing a course in that area, or maybe even a Facilities Management apprenticeship. In the future, I might do the Procurement and Supply Level 5 course, which would be the next level up from the course that I’ve just completed.

What’s your advice for anyone starting or thinking of starting an apprenticeship?

I would say definitely do it! Make sure you listen to your tutor, stick to your time frames and don’t over exhaust yourself. One of the benefits of an apprenticeship is that you get to learn while you earn, and because you’re learning on the job you can apply new knowledge to your work and that makes it easier to retain. You’ll reap the benefits more by doing an apprenticeship, especially if it’s applicable to your role.

Apprenticeships+

Apprenticeships+ supports employers, employees, and jobseekers in pursuing apprenticeships. We provide clear guidance on funding options and processes to make apprenticeships accessible for everyone.

If you’re an employer looking to fill a vacancy or upskill your team and need support with the apprenticeship process, we’d love to hear from you!

If you’re employed and want to do an apprenticeship, view our range of apprenticeship courses. If you’re unemployed and would like to apply for an apprenticeship, check out our apprenticeship vacancies.

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