Calum Gaskell
Chartered Manager (Fast-Track) Degree Apprentice, Bolton Council
From Entry Level to Leader: Calum Gaskell’s Degree Apprenticeship Story
Meet Calum Gaskell, Calum joined Bolton Council as an apprentice and nine years later he’s continuing to learn on the job, having further developed his skills through our Chartered Manager (Fast-Track) Degree Apprenticeship programme – an opportunity that he calls a ‘no-brainer’. Read more about his apprenticeship journey and how upskilling has benefited his employee.
Choosing a Degree Apprenticeship
I joined Bolton Council nine years ago as an apprentice, so I’m a big advocate of this educational route. When my manager suggested I enrol on the Chartered Manager (Fast-Track) Degree Apprenticeship, it was a no-brainer.
Developing new knowledge and skills that I could apply to my job made perfect sense and was an opportunity I didn’t want to pass up.
I was also attracted by the possibility of connecting with fellow apprentices working in different roles and sectors. Upskilling through the apprenticeship has enabled me to put theory into practice on the ground. This means I improve my practice and have a better understanding of what does and doesn’t work in my work context.
Personal career benefits
My employer has been extremely accommodating, making sure to align work tasks to university learning, as well as plug any gaps between my workplan and the curriculum. I’ve been able to engage with different parts of the organisation I might not otherwise have had contact with had it not been through this apprenticeship.
The skills learned on the apprenticeship gave me the confidence to apply for a management position.
Prior to the apprenticeship I had little experience in leadership and management techniques, however the apprenticeship provided me with an array of approaches to becoming a successful leader; knowledge which I used successfully in my promotion interview.
Managing work alongside this apprenticeship and my personal life has taught me the importance of prioritising and organising my time. I’ve been able to learn little tips and tricks for making sure I focus on what matters, as well as coping mechanisms for high pressure environments.
My reading and writing skills have massively improved through the assignments and feedback on the course. Prior to the apprenticeship I felt I was proficient in writing reports, but now feel I am much more adept and able to tailor my writing to each audience.
Implementing Change
I work in Corporate Services and my team has responsibility for delivering several contracts on behalf of the organisation, including Translation and Interpretation (T&I) services. Access to T&I support allows various council services to give a higher level of customer care to residents who may have language barriers.
As the T&I contract was due to end, I identified the importance of a procurement exercise to continue to deliver these services. By securing a contracted price, the Council would be achieving best value and reduce cost compared to ad-hoc use. As part of my approvals I also highlighted the importance of being able to collaborate with colleagues from across the organisation, benefitting from their knowledge and expertise to design a service which would deliver maximum impact, meeting current and future demand. Within the first three months this has resulted in an estimated £25k cost saving, by using a contracted costing for services compared to non-contracted costs.* Additionally, service user satisfaction is likely to improve as residents with language barriers are able to successfully engage with council services.
*Based on a current GM T&I supplier prices.