“Being an apprentice opened my eyes to youth development and volunteering”
I was initially worried about finishing school and moving straight into the world of work. During the last 2 years of my education I didn’t think I was an academic, and I was not at the point in my life where I had any idea as to the direction that I wanted to move in.
I knew for a fact that I wanted to be more independent and earn a living, and I knew I wanted to be involved in the technology industry.
When you join a company that is 70,000+ people strong, being a new employee can make you seem a bit lost, so organisation and the confidence to reach out and speak to people is critical to success. Technology is constantly changing so time management is key; I adapted to make sure that I was able to keep up with the pace.
To ensure that I knew my stuff, I achieved and have re-certified my Cisco Certified Networking Professional qualifications; enabling me to work on more complex technologies at a professional standard.
Employees at Cisco are always receptive to meeting and introducing not only themselves, but other people within the company. The human network that I developed whilst an apprentice and since I graduated is phenomenal and provides mentorship and guidance at such a critical time in my career.
When I first joined the company, it was extremely difficult for me to engage in conversations with new people due to nerves. Thanks to the challenge and the experiences of the apprenticeship I can now comfortably present in front of audiences of over 100 people!
One of my fondest memories on the scheme was being invited to Germany to join an executive discussion about Terastream, Deutch Telekom’s Cloud based IP Network Architecture. Being given the opportunity to travel abroad and meet with people from another organisation that are distinguished in their career was a huge opportunity for me; not only was I able to get a deeper understanding of our technology partnership, but it was also the first time I’d met face to face with a customer.
The apprenticeship programme opened my eyes to youth development and volunteering. During my time on the programme, I was a passionate ambassador – regularly visiting schools, organisations, councils and careers fairs. I’ve now taken on a duty to become an ambassador for others developing professionally and technically. I engage with the engineering community on a regular basis to try to impact and influence the industry from the perspective of someone in a younger generation of engineers.
The proudest moment of my apprenticeship happened in the first 6 months post-graduation. During my time as an apprentice, I was strongly encouraged to engage with the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and was nominated for the Apprentice of the Year Awards. I was honoured to receive the top prize and title. I am still, to this day, so humble to be recognised for the effort that I put in during the three years of my apprenticeship by such a prestigious institution. This year, I was nominated by the Board of Trustees to be put forward to election of the IET council.
Cisco has a lot to offer, so much so that you see and meet people regularly who have been in the company for 10+ years. At 24 years of age I will complete my 6th year of service at the leading networking company in the industry. I endeavour to experience Cisco, not only for the job that I am currently working in, but as a platform to enable change and development of new skills in new areas of interest.
You can find out more about Cisco’s Apprenticeship programme here.
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I am so proud of this young man – it was an emotional read which touched a part of me deeply. When in this current climate there are many who don't even try to better themselves. I wish I had known of a Cisco when I left school. Well done James Garnham you are a credit to your generation. Kind Regards Mrs Donna Broomham