Microsoft Modern Apprentice Awards: Meet the panellists!

Hear from ex Modern Apprentices about their journey from apprenticeship to career.

Iona Murray, Microsoft Scotland    

I joined Microsoft Scotland in December 2014 on a Modern Apprenticeship in Business Administration.  Within a couple of weeks in role I was trusted to demonstrate and talk about Microsoft products in front of customers.  Since then I have progressed to studying an apprenticeship in digital marketing, creating and implementing our first social strategy.  During my time at Microsoft, I have become an apprentice ambassador for Modern Apprenticeships in Scotland - a part of my role I feel is really important and I'm looking forward to being part of the Awards panel.

 

Niall Robertson, Standard Life

I Joined Standard Life in December 2013 on a Modern Apprenticeship in IT and Telecoms. I chose the apprenticeship path over university as I had a passion for learning about IT and I knew that I learn a lot better by being hands on.  I joined the Network and Security department and I go to be involved in many projects as well as run my own. The apprenticeship gave me the great opportunity to learn, earn and gain valuable experience in my area of business. When the apprenticeship finished in December 2014 I was offered a full time Technician Role in the Cyber Security team and I have been working there ever since. I now get the opportunity to pass on my knowledge and experiences and help the apprentices that joined our area since.

 

Kyle Renwick, Standard Life

I started in 2013 as an apprentice in the Mobile team. Since then I have been supporting the mobile estate for the company: this has involved setting up and troubleshooting issues on a variety of Mobile Phones and Tablets. I am still in the same role but now as a Technician. I am currently training other staff on supporting the Mobile side of things.  I am also a Buddy for one of the apprentices, making sure he was ok and helping him if he needed it.

 

Sam Foster, University of St Andrews

Sam joined the University of St Andrews in September 2012 as an IT Apprentice in the IT Service Desk.  All our apprentices are offered a fixed term two year contract.  Sam won the title of Microsoft Apprentice of the Year in the summer of 2014.  A vacancy arose in the IT Service Desk in the summer of 2014, and Sam applied – and now has a full time job as an IT Service Desk Analyst.  Sam is currently undertaking a QA Cyber Apprenticeship, as he’s keen to develop his skills in this area.  He also mentors new IT apprentices and talks at local schools to pupils about a career in IT.  Sam is considering doing a part time university degree in cyber security, which the University is keen to support.  Sam is also involved in our SharePoint deployment project.

Erin Niven, University of St Andrews

Erin joined the University of St Andrews in July 2015 – as a Media Services Apprentice.  Erin is in Year 2 of her contract.   Erin is a great ambassador for our apprenticeship programme – and has been involved in the Digital World project for apprenticeships and also visited a local secondary school to talk to pupils about IT apprenticeships as a career option.

 

 

Microsoft Apprenticeships have been provided by nearly 5000 of our Partners since 2010. To discover just how far these young professionals have progressed and just how much they have contributed to their employers visit our apprenticeships page.