Diary of a Modern Apprentice – Lockdown and Coronavirus

Diary of A Modern Apprentice – Part 3

The latest update from CDN’s Modern Apprentice Jade Urquhart…

It has been several months since I have written a blog about my experiences as a Business Administration Apprentice and I feel it’s safe to say that a lot has changed since then.

So, in this new world that feels a little bit too much like a real life episode of The Twilight Zone or Black Mirror for my liking, I was left trying to figure out the new normal of working from home and social distancing, and – like many people I’m sure – I found the sudden change in working situation quite jarring and hard to adjust to at first.

Not only was how I went about my daily work tasks now unrecognizable to what it had been before, I also had to think about my apprenticeship and wondered at first how I would be able to complete it, given that office observations were now impossible and some assessors had been furloughed. Thankfully, my college assessors have been incredibly helpful during this time, providing advice and feedback that has helped me to keep up to date with my assessments.

In an uncertain world, during ‘unprecedented times’, one of the most comforting things to see and experience is consistency. So, for me one of the most inspiring and hopeful parts of this whole mess has been the continued dedication of educators, college staff and my CDN colleagues with their sheer determination to provide the best experience for staff and students, no matter what. As someone who is in the position of working within the college sector while also being a college student, being able to witness the level of care and planning that has gone on during this time has been incredibly eye-opening to say the least.

At first I’ll admit that it was very strange for me to see so many teachers in a different setting, a bit like being a child and seeing your primary school teacher at the shops, struck with the realisation that they actually exist outside of school. But I digress, the point I’m trying to make is that the more I saw of how the college sector worked during this pandemic and the care taken to address the issues that arose because of it, the more grateful I felt and the more hopeful I was for the future.

The dedication and drive of those that work in the college sector, to do the best for Scotland’s colleges, never faltered even in the face of an unprecedented situation like COVID-19. It has really gone to show that teaching is not just a profession but a true pillar of our society that we desperately need, which has shown me why companies like CDN are needed and has made me even more proud to be a part of it.

Read Jade’s second blog here

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