Apprenticeships are a great way of learning skills for career whilst getting on the job experience which is incredibly valuable. At Dental IT we have a proud history of having apprentices work with us and then staying with us after they are qualified. Currently we have two apprentices Harrison and Damien and asked them a few questions about how they have found the apprenticeship thus far and if they have any tips for anyone thinking about starting. They are both doing their IT Support Technician Apprenticeships through Baltic who have been supporting them every step of the way.
Left: Damien Kennedy, Right: Harrison Curphey
Damien Kennedy
What ignited your interest in working as an IT engineer?
I'd had previous experience working in an IT role, but it was only for a short period. About a year ago got an opportunity to rethink what type of job I wanted to do and had no reservations about wanting to spend my time learning more about computers and IT.
What made you decide to do an apprenticeship?
In terms of what my IT skill level was when I started learning I knew I'd have a learning curve. So when I compared and apprenticeship with IT courses that you paid for, the apprenticeship seemed like a good option. I haven't been disappointed with how much it’s taught me.
Are there any skills that helped you land on your feet when you started in your engineering role?
I'd worked in customer service and sales previously and think this experience in dealing with customers went in my favour.
What skills have you learned and developed since starting your apprenticeship?
I've learned so much about PC hardware, software, and how the network all fits and works together, that its too much to write down!
What's an average day like as an IT engineer at Dental IT & Tenacity?
I mainly work on the helpdesk in Sheffield, taking calls from customer who are having problems. I try and fix the problems at the first point of contact, but sometimes need extra support and so will either speak my manager then or raise a ticket to be escalated. There are some issues that are too advanced, but I will always try and learn something new about each type of problem so when I see it again I'm better equipped. It’s a good friendly team, and I'm happy to be part of it.
How have Baltic supported you in your role?
The courses are interesting and helpful to the day to day role. Sometimes it’s been that I've learnt something at work and can bring that knowledge to the course and sometimes vice versa where I learn something at the course that I can use at work. Aside from the apprenticeship each course is also a qualification itself which means completing each one feels like good progress.
Do you plan on going into any specialist IT engineering roles in the future?
As well as the networking side that I work in every day, I'm interested in both PowerShell and Cyber security, so I can't say for sure but I'm definitely interest in learning more in these areas.
Harrison Curphey
What ignited your interest in working as an IT engineer?
I’d always been quite technical from a young age. Very interested in computer systems and developing my problem-solving skills. I was the one my family would turn to in order to fix a computer or device related issue. Because of this, I figured that I could try and take what I already knew to a professional level.
What made you decide to do an apprenticeship?
I had some training in IT related subjects through College and University. Despite this, I decided to do an apprenticeship due to the method of learning working better for me. I’d always learned best by actually doing the work I’d been taught rather than have it all based on theory.
Are there any skills that helped you land on your feet when you started in your engineering role?
Although I struggled initially with software and procedure names, the problem-solving skills I already had helped me work through most problems that I was presented with.
What skills have you learned and developed since starting your apprenticeship?
The main skill I’ve developed over the course of my apprenticeship, which started early, was my communication skill. Through the constant use of phones, both making and receiving calls, I developed a more professional and culturally aware approach to communication.
What's an average day like as an IT engineer at Dental IT & Tenacity?
The average day is filled with all kinds of different issues and tickets to tackle. Some days the phones are busy and some they might not be, though there’s always a steady stream of work to do.
How have Baltic supported you in your role?
Baltic have provided me with many courses and opportunities to learn more about my field of work. All of the courses I’ve done have in some way linked to the work I do day to day, so I’ve seen immediate results when it comes to education.
Do you plan on going into any specialist IT engineering roles in the future?
I’d previously thought about furthering my education in the Cyber Security field. This would allow me to learn even more than I already do about IT in a much more specialised and focused environment. I’d also thought about possibly incorporating some of the software development knowledge I already have into an IT engineering role and taking that further.
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