Business & Management

Business is a very broad term that can cover any sort of activity that helps an organisation, big or small, to function and make money. 

Most jobs involve some aspect of business management whether you work as a lawyer, an engineer, a scientist or an accountant. But you don't necessarily need to be one of these things to be a business manager, as good managers need more than just technical skills.

Getting Started

There are also many support roles within business functions which can be a stepping stone to a well-paid career. You also don't need to restrict yourself solely to a specific business sector such as Retail, as the majority of skills are transferrable to other organisations. Because of this, graduates have plenty of job opportunities to choose from.

Business managers usually work general management jobs or hold specific responsibilities for a particular area of an organisation, such as marketing, strategy planning, human resources (HR) or information technology (IT). Some roles lean towards people management, while others focus on project management - but most managers need skills in both areas.

Meanwhile, consultants offer advice to organisations to help them solve problems and enhance performance. They either work in large companies or consultancy firms. Organisations can be general, specialise in strategy or offer advice to a specific industry, such as:
  • Finance
  • HR
  • IT
  • Operations
  • Marketing and public relations (PR)
  • Sales
While these are the broad categories, there are many other functional areas within which you can work in, depending on the size and type of organisation. These include things such as:
  • Research & Development (R&D)
  • Procurement & Sourcing
  • Design
  • Customer Service
  • Production
  • Quality
  • Legal & Commercial
  • Distribution & Logistics
  • Communications & Engagement
Work in this area is highly competitive, with firms looking for bright, high achievers. They usually require education to degree level or equivalent. However, there are many opportunities to gain entry-level jobs where you can build knowledge and progress through the ranks, as experience is often the most sought after qualification.

Check out this video, where Reece talks about what it is like to be a Business Administration Apprentice and what his time was like at college.

Jobs

There are a countless number of potential jobs, even for school/college leavers. It is important to think about which area of management appeals to you the most, or best suits your skills. Focus on the core functions, as businesses of any size and type may offer entry level roles:

Finance - Are you good with numbers?
HR - Are you good with people?
IT - Do you like technology and problem solving?
Operations - Would you make a good leader?
Marketing and public relations (PR) -  Are you creative? 
Sales - Are you competitive?

While in some roles you may work for one specific organisation, with others you may work for an organisation providing services to others such as Accountancy and IT.

Business apprenticeships are a great way to start, as you will often get to spend time working in different departments to find out what suits you the most. 

Qualifications

There are many qualifications that can help kick start your career, but are not always essential. Some of these can be studied at college and some as part of professional development when you take an entry level role at the right company. They are also required if you wish to go on to university to study at degree level. Useful courses include:
  • GCSE's in Business Studies, Maths, English
  • A-Levels in Business Studies, Maths, English, Economics
  • Business BTEC Level 2 & 3
Once working, there are opportunities to complete professional development courses for your specific area, which are offered by professional bodies/associations and are often funded by employers. Examples include:
  • Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
  • Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS)
  • Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)
  • Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)
  • Chartered Management Institute (CMI)

Practice applying for an entry level job

So you know what you are up against, practice applying for an entry level job as a Business Apprentice and see if you get an interview

The opportunity

We operate under 3 successful brands and have a strong history of apprenticeships, which aim to offer valuable training and experience which benefit both our businesses and the individuals gaining them.


If you are enthusiastic, ambitious and driven, we challenge you to join us as a Business Apprentice, become a part of our ever-growing apprenticeship scheme, and take advantage of the opportunities we provide to develop your skills.


You will learn and obtain experience in the fundamentals of four key departments:


• Marketing

• Customer Services

• Supply Chain

• Commercial 


Your apprenticeship will last for 24 months, during which time you will rotate around each of the above departments. You will be taught and will put into practice, business skills which will be key for a junior role within our company.


Could this be the role you are looking for? For more information please continue to read!

Includes, but not limited to:

In order to develop relevant and transferable skills, you will be enrolled onto a Level 4 Project Management apprenticeship, which will support you as you grow in your role. This part-time study will provide you with the opportunity to apply your learning to real-life business projects.


The placements you complete will give you a broad view of the business and help identify your strengths for a role in one of the following areas:


• Supply Chain – encompassing everything related to getting the right products, from the right places at the right time and in the right quantities, and at the right cost


• Marketing - comprising all aspects of the marketing mix including product marketing, routes to market and communications


• Customer Services – at the frontline of the business, your success will rest upon the delivery of the highest standards of service and customer satisfaction for the entire product range


• Commercial – gaining experience of our brand to work on product development, identifying new market opportunities, determining the optimal pricing to balance profit with customer/client satisfaction


Where applicable, you will also experience business functions outside of these areas to gain a full understanding of our business. 


Regular time for self-reflection and review, and one to ones with your manager will be in place. You will also be able to access, and utilise, our comprehensive Associate training courses and materials. This will support you to regularly review your strengths and areas for development, and for two-way feedback.


As an apprentice you will also: 


• Support and be a part of our Apprenticeship Community

• Support STEM

• Participate in Charity events 

Desired Quality, Skills & Knowledge

CORE COMPETENCIES


Build trust:

• Can do attitude and approach

• Confident in getting involved

• Be a team player


Drive Continuous Improvement:

• Open to new things/adaptable

• Proactive and able to use your initiative

• Able to prioritise your time to achieve results


Focus on the End Customer:

• Inquisitive to learn and understand

• Can deal with ambiguity – able to make insights from different information and work

on different projects

• Understand the impact on the end customer in the role you’re doing


Set High Standards of Performance:

• Organised and structured in your approach

• Hard working/conscientious

• Takes ownership of your work


PERSON SPECIFICATION


• A minimum of 5 GSCEs (A*- C or 9 - 4) to include English, Maths


• Successful completion of Level 3 qualification (e.g. A-Level, BTEC etc.) with grades (or predicted grades) equating to 96 UCAS points or above (typically 3 C’s at A-level).


• Suited to students with an interest in any of the following: business, economics, maths, understanding the connected world (technology), sustainability, supporting people


• Strong desire to learn and develop, using open thinking and able to easily adapt to new ways of working


• Able to demonstrate involvement in extra- curricular activities. This may include:


o Hobbies or voluntary work

o Previous work experience

o Involvement in personal or school-based business initiatives (e.g. STEM, Young Enterprise etc.)


• Good IT skills - A working knowledge of Microsoft office programs is sufficient and ability to pick up new software


• Ideally able to demonstrate a strong work ethic, e.g. through part time employment

and/or voluntary activities

Location, Salary, Hours & Benefits

8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday with 1 hour for lunch at our offices in Bolton


Weekly Wage: £187.50 per week


Fully-funded qualifications

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