The best decision I could have made
Hibba highlights how a Foundation Apprenticeship was the best decision for her education, allowing her to work in a professional environment and connect with people from different walks of life.
My name is Hibba Bashir, and when doing my Foundation Apprenticeship in 2023 I was working within the Career Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG) team at Skills Development Scotland.
Since I completed the Foundation Apprenticeship in Business Administration, I’ve gone on to study international business at Heriot-Watt University.
I learned so much in such a short amount of time when working at SDS as it was a new experience to me, however I would definitely recommend it over any other option. It has added valuable experience to my CV that I always get asked about in job interviews, and it has also improved my social skills a lot.
When doing my placement, I got to carry out research projects and connect with different people across the whole organisation especially in those areas I was interested in like the Marketing and Human Resources department. By doing this it gave me an insight of what I could be doing in the future if I decide to go into that field.
It was definitely nerve-wracking at the beginning. However, I soon realised that it was the best decision I could have made in the moment in terms of my education as it not only allowed me to work in a professional environment but also allowed me to connect with people who were more experienced and came from different walks of life.
I don’t think I could have been put with a better team, I enjoyed every part of working with the CIAG team and I’ll appreciate them for always supporting whatever I did and allowing me to have an insight to their careers and making my placement an enjoyable time.
I would 100% advise people to look into doing a Foundation Apprenticeship, especially if you don’t know what you want to do post-school, as it will give you an insight on different career paths you can take. It will also connect you with amazing people that are all there to help you get the most out of the experience.
Scottish Apprenticeship Week
Scottish Apprenticeship Week celebrates the benefits apprenticeships bring to individuals, businesses and the economy.
The theme for this year’s campaign is Skills Generation, recognising that apprenticeships create the skills every generation needs and every employer wants.
This year’s campaign shows that apprenticeships give people high-quality opportunities that supports them to achieve their full potential.
Find out more by visiting apprenticeships.scot/scotappweek