I am on the Solace Emerging Leaders apprenticeship which aims to offer skills to help people progress into a leadership role within the public sector.
I haven't had any opportunities in my previous roles for personal development in my previous roles, so when this came up I jumped at the chance to enrol. I also saw this as an opportunity to really understand what WYCA is all about and how exactly we can work in the interest of the people of West Yorkshire.
Speak to the course providers and the tutors. Solace were fantastic with me before I enrolled and I got the opportunity to ask a lot of questions. Also speak to your line manager and see how they can support you. On paper it sounds like quite a big and scary commitment but in reality it's just an extension of the work you're already doing.
Having the support network around me to guide me and identify opportunities has been a massive help and having that commitment from people at the start offered me the confidence to apply.
Getting to meet colleagues from across the Combined Authority and to learn from their experiences and skillsets. We're quite a diverse group and it's really interesting to hear how the teachings apply to their role. It really opens your eyes to the scale of work happening at the Combined Authority.
Diary management is key! I block out study time in my diary every week and I make sure to stick to it. My manager and team know not to book any meetings with me during this time. Each module takes around 3 months to compete which is ample providing you stay on top of it. Also finding time where there's no distractions like a commute really helps me to complete tasks.
