Starting My Journey

Written by Apprentice Amy Lowe

I’m one of 13 new apprentices to start my year long journey as an apprentice with Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service and I would like to share with you how my first week went.

I am working as an Emergency Response Hub Assistant Apprentice based at Fire Service Head Quarters in Swinton. My first two days of the apprenticeship were spent alongside the other apprentices.  We had an induction at the Training and Development Centre in Manchester. We had a lot of forms to fill out and various members of GMFRS staff came in to visit us to talk to us about their job role and the departments that they worked within.

We also had our pictures taken and we were featured in the Manchester Evening News.  A picture I took of all of us using a selfie stick was up on the GMFRS website and Social Media - which I am quite pleased with!

On the third day I started my role at Head Quarters and I was shadowing someone in the ER Hub to see what kind of work that is on offer, I found this really interesting.

Day four involved me being given a small task to do by my line manager. I also had a little interview with a Senior Communications Officer from our Corporate Communications team for an article for the Routine Circular – which is an online weekly newsletter for Fire Service Staff and Volunteers.

Friday, March 13, was my fifth day and I was a busy managing a mailbox and I was shown the system to review and book holidays for colleagues.  I enjoy being busy and felt happy to have something to do.