The apprentices cover a range of roles within our company – from Jack the dispatcher, through first line IT support, to 2nd line in training. They spend most of their time with us, part-working and part-studying their coursework. Then, some days each month, they go off to study with their apprenticeship provider (currently online).
We love having our award-winning trainee Geeks around. They answer the phones and keep the company going (they also keep us on our toes by asking about tech – and we always need to know the answers!). They help us cultivating the ethos of personal development in our company – even if sometimes they make the rest of us feel old.
This year’s National Apprenticeship Week’s theme is ‘build the future’. We wanted to celebrate our young Geek-force by asking them about their work with Dial A Geek, what they enjoy doing in their spare time and how they see their future. We decided to share their answers across our social media platforms each day of the week – but as we’ve only got 4 apprentices, we decided to also write this blog post combining all their answers (although we did consider taking a Friday off 😉 ). Meet our apprentices…
Joe Geuley – 1st line IT technician
Joe joined us in 2016 as our first (ever!) apprentice. You could say that he helped us learn as much as we helped him. After finishing his level 3 IT infrastructure apprenticeship with us, Joe continues to develop within the company and in his spare time. His most recent accomplishment is completing the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals certification.
DAG: How did you first get into IT? What was your inspiration?
Joe: My interest in IT begun at about 13 when I bought my first gaming PC. I was also inspired to get into IT by my father and the fact that we shared interest in computers.
DAG: Where would you like your career to go?
Joe: I would like to keep learning and improve my technical skills to eventually reach a 3rd line support role.
DAG: What’s your favourite thing about Dial A Geek?
Joe: One of my favourite things about Dial A Geek is the calm and helpful work environment. I especially enjoy resolving tickets and getting positive feedback from satisfied customers.
DAG: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Joe: In my spare time (pre-pandemic) I like clubbing, hanging out with friends, playing video games, and going to the gym. During lockdown, I have been enjoying cycling, exercising at home, and watching waaaaaay to much Netflix.
DAG: Wat would you tell someone who’s considering starting an apprenticeship?
Joe: I’d say go for it! You will get invaluable experience as well as a qualification It will help preparing you for the working world and shaping your career. If you start an apprenticeship as early as I did (in my teens), you’ll get a head start, as you will likely have more work experience than people your age.
Yusra Shaeik – 1st/2nd line IT technician
Yusra started her level 3 apprenticeship with us in 2018. Soon she became more than just an IT infrastructure apprentice. From solving IT issues and helping with project work, through helping us develop processes and shaping the future of the company, to representing us at business events – Yusra does it all!
DAG: How did you first get into IT? What was your inspiration?
Yusra: IT was the subject that I enjoyed the most at school. After A-levels, I considered studying computing/computer science but then I thought that if I started with an apprenticeship, I would make a more informed decision. I really wanted to see what it’d be like working with IT everyday! I also liked this more than an entry level job without a structured progression route.
DAG: Where would you like your career to go?
Yusra: I would like to continue to develop my skills and choose a specialism. My current degree apprenticeship covers the role of an IT consultant – I think this will help me develop the skills that may be not the focus in my current role. Upon completion of the apprenticeship, I’d like to move into a senior role – I’d like to consult the clients and build solutions to their technical issues. I would also like to get certified in vendor specific qualifications such as Microsoft 365 and achieve the Enterprise Administrator Expert certification for formalise my skills.
DAG: What’s your favourite thing about Dial A Geek?
Yusra: My favourite thing about Dial A Geek is the opportunity to develop in my career. I started with no technical knowledge and learned the most through open discussions with my colleagues. I also value the transparency within the business and the senior team discussing with the technicians the direction that the company is going – it gives us an opportunity to have a stake in what kind of workplace we’d like to build for ourselves.
DAG: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Yusra: In my spare time I’ve been creating tech-focused videos for my Youtube channel ‘The Tech Fix’. I have also created a website with the same name to write tech-focused articles and update my reader on the events within the tech community. Technical development is very important to me, so I have a subscription to ‘Pluralsight’ to stay up to date on all tech knowledge that is not covered by my standard degree course. Apart from that, you can find me watching online videos to unwind or chatting with my friends to catch up on life.
Jack Scott – 1st line technician
Jack started his level 3 IT Infrastructure apprenticeship with Dial A Geek in 2019. When he first joined, we knew him as the ‘theatre guy’, as he used to help local theatre groups with their light and sound. We soon realized he was more of a ‘server guy’ and recently even a ‘web guy’…
DAG: How did you first get into IT? What was your inspiration?
Jack: I’ve always had a passion for computers and technology, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to take a career in It. After starting work at Dial A Geek, I could see how much fun it was, and I became certain that this was what I wanted to do.
DAG: Where would you like your career to go?
Jack: I would like to progress in the future and possibly move on to work with much larger systems.
DAG: What’s your favourite thing about Dial A Geek?
Jack: The people, of course! It’s great working alongside my 1st line colleagues. I also really like speaking with our clients whilst resolving issues with their computers.
DAG: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Jack: Outside of work, I mostly game with friends. I also watch a lot of Netflix, which has actually become a constant for me during the multiple lockdowns of 2020 and 2021!
DAG: Wat would you tell someone who’s considering starting an apprenticeship?
Jack: If you are considering starting an apprenticeship, you should do it. It’s incredible how much you can learn on the job! I found that applying newly learnt skills to the job really helps you understand how you would use them in a real-life (non-learning) scenario.
Jack Cross – Dispatcher
Jack (v.2) is the newest addition to our fleet of apprentices. He started his level 3 IT Infrastructure apprenticeship with us in September 2019. After finishing his course, he moved to a dispatcher role. He answers the phone, opens the tickets and manages 1st and 2nd line’s workload by assigning the tickets to the right Geek. Jack also renews software licensing and keeps an eye on ticket progress to ensure we solve all the reported issues on time.
DAG: How did you first get into IT? What was your inspiration?
Jack: I have always enjoyed all things techy, from gaming computers to cool new tech – IT was just a natural route for me!
DAG: Where would you like your career to go?
Jack: After completing my level 3 apprenticeship, I moved on from being a technician to the role of a helpdesk dispatcher. I enjoy managing the tickets and ensuring that the helpdesk runs smoothly. I am now considering pursuing a career in management within the IT sector.
DAG: What’s your favourite thing about Dial A Geek?
Jack: I love the opportunities Dial A Geek provides for progression and learning!
DAG: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Jack: In my spare time during the lockdown, I watch TV shows, movies, and YouTube or play games with friends. Outside of Lockdown, you’ll likely find me at the cinema or at the pub with friends.
DAG: What do you think are the advantages of apprenticeship programmes?
Jack: Apprenticeships give you an opportunity to work towards a qualification while learning on the job. The hands-on experience means you will be ready for a full-time job once you complete your apprenticeship.