Learning on the job

‘You’re never too old to learn!’ says Preston operations manager – and apprentice – Steven Scott-Rattray.

Stephen has worked for Royal Mail for 35 years, but recently made the decision to take on an apprenticeship alongside his day job in order to build up his skill set.

‘As Royal Mail is constantly evolving and improving, we need to be updating our skillset to enable us to develop in our approach to the changing environment. Apprenticeships are a fantastic opportunity to allow us to do this. I am in my 50s, so they’re not just for young people!’

The programme Steven is taking part in – which is run by an external agency named The Growth Company – involves attending a course in person, as well as home learning.

Stephen says he’s grateful to his managers, who have allowed him to attend the course, and believes the time he’s spent there is worth it for the benefits the apprenticeship will bring both to himself and the business.

‘The apprenticeship was first offered when I was a plant improvement manager at Preston Mail Centre,’ he said. ‘It was perfectly aligned to the role as it teaches tools and techniques that are used in implementing change.’

Steven has already led the successful introduction of a new letter sorting system in the Preston area, and has gone on to also introduce it into mail processing units (MPUs). Starting an apprenticeship is a recommendation Steven is happy to make.

‘I now look for change in the units I attend,’ he said. ‘We sometimes get stuck into the “we’ve always done it like this” mentality, and that blocks innovation.

‘I know that things never stay still and we need to continuously improve to keep ahead of the competition.’

If you are interested in upskilling as an apprentice, speak to your manager or send an email to apprenticeships@royalmail.com. You can search available apprenticeships here: www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards.