My name is Bram Ottewell, I am a degree apprentice at CEVA Logistics working within the Air and Ocean department. I work in the logistics industry which is extremely fast paced and vital to the worlds economy.  

My journey began 9 months ago in the AOS department at CEVA Logistics where I was immediately challenged with working on a large account without ever working in Logistics beforehand!

“Leaving school with an open mind and a desire to continue learning I jumped into this massive Industry ready to develop.”

Early Journey – Before I Found my Path

I thought I wanted to be a professional Track Sprint Cyclist before my career began.

I trained as hard as I could however I never quite progressed as fast as I needed to. I dragged my training along with my studies to pursue my desire to be a professional cyclist however I maintained a high level of education alongside which made me struggle in both aspects. I was unsure which path I needed to go down. Education or Sport.

I found my first year of A levels very difficult, specifically maths. This meant I had to do additional work to catch up to where I needed to be. Then I began applying for Degree apprenticeships at the beginning of my second year of A levels. This made things harder because there is a lot of preparation that goes into interview practice and creating presentations that need to be suitable. Then to be turned away and rejected whilst focusing on studies and training, made things much more difficult and stressful. Education, Cycling, apprenticeships, jobs you didn’t get made it hard to focus in the right direction.

I learned that I was able to balance multiple things very well in my life. I showed myself how resilient I could be and determined to succeed. I also learnt that it is extremely Important to prioritise in such a busy part of life. Which is why choosing to stop my Cycling training and focus on my A level studies allowed me to succeed.

The Challenge

I had multiple Interviews and many job applications which I was unsuccessful. I probably submitted around 25-30 Job applications and got around 5-6 Interview offers whilst also completing around 10 online assessment centres which shows how difficult/competitive it can be to get a degree apprenticeship. My first two interviews where very daunting and I felt like I had done plenty of preparation however on the day nerves took over and unfortunately, I had to face rejection.

I found balancing my time was the hardest thing during my application process for degree apprenticeships. Studying was a priority but also securing a future with a major company also required a lot of work to stand out during application and interview processes. I also started to not feel myself during this time as I had stopped training completely which was a big change in my life as previously, I would be training 6 times a week and striving to compete at national events. Suddenly, I was purely revising and preparing for interviews which felt alien to me.

I was being challenged during this time. I believe A levels is one of the most difficult times in your life and to top it off applying for degree apprenticeships make it harder however always in the back of my mind I knew that I was temporarily in a difficult time of my life. This is very important to remember if you are in a similar situation. These obstacles made me more determined to succeed as I knew if I worked hard and pushed through the difficult times I would benefit in the future!

What Helped me Push Through

I was well supported by people around me. I had numerous conversations with my coach, parents and carers advisor at school All of which wanted to see me succeed and do my best. This is how realised that I needed to give something up to allow me more time to achieve my ambition for education.  

I then came to the decision to stop my training and competing for Cycling to allow me to focus on preparation for A levels, further education such as university applications and Degree apprenticeship roles. This was difficult for me as all I had ever known was training and pushing myself physically. However, I knew that I could adapt and by dropping my sport I gave myself so much more time to focus on revision and applications. This decision allowed me to put the effort in needed for such a competitive apprenticeship market.

I developed my presentation skills, Interview skills and time management skills. This is because I had to develop myself and practice to obtain a degree apprenticeship. Learning from each interview was key to my success. I took on board feedback and noticed my own faults and triumphs when interviewing for the first few times. I also improved my own time management through various commitments that I had with school and apprenticeships. Ensuring that deadlines are met and revision got done was very important therefore I kept a planner and scheduled things whenever I could.

I realised that my skills and behaviours that I developed from my Cycling were a great strength to me. This was because I had the determination to succeed and the resilience to move on to the next interview when one didn’t go my way. Utilising skills learnt along the way I improved drastically over my apprenticeship search.

I Always found my maths very difficult and there were times where it made me wish I wasn’t doing A levels however it was always in the back of my mind that if I continued to put in the hard work now, I would benefit in the future. That is why I kept pushing myself and for anyone in a similar difficult situation just know that it won’t last forever.

Landing the Job / Apprenticeship

I got my opportunity through my efforts in putting a well-presented CV to the application. I was then called by HR who asked standard basic questions in pursuit of seeing if I was suitable for an interview. My interview was well prepped for, and I took lessons from past interviews. I practiced my presentation numerous times and learnt that being positive and confident in my communication was key to a successful interview.  

I chose my role in supply chain and logistics because I was interested in how it all works and understood that it is key to the economy and an important part of society. I also chose my role due to a positive atmosphere towards the company, and I knew I also wanted to pursue a degree which was offered with my role.

I was surprised about how well supported I was when I first joined. I was fortunate to have a brilliant team around me who helped me massively grow and develop quickly which enabled me to become more valuable to the team.

I’m proud of how much my excel skills have improved and my competence with systems involved in my everyday work. I am also proud of how well I have developed my communication skills as during my role I have had opportunities to present and speak to senior employees which has helped me grow my confidence in communication to others.

Practical Advice

Tips for Getting Your First Job/Apprenticeship

• How to approach applications: Approach applications with a general CV/Template and tailor it to companies’ goals and values this creates less work for you and a more desirable application for companies.
• What employers really look for: Confident, ambitious and a strong desire to learn.
• How to handle nerves before interviews: Practice enough for it to feel natural. Always remember that the interviewee is interested in what you have to say. Maintain a strong and confident posture.
• How to build confidence without experience: Push yourself out of your comfort zone and do things that are new.
• How to stand out when your CV is short: Make it align with company values and put things on there that are individual to you which make you more interesting than others.
• Why soft skills matter: Because it helps in social scenarios which are very common in the workplace especially with new people who you must make a good impression in front of.
• How to show passion even if you’re unsure: Be enthusiastic when asked to do something. Always be polite and look to be proactive and not just do the bare minimum.

Tips in the Job

• How to ask for help: Speak to people nearby with experience. Senior employees are also often very welcoming to help.
• How to learn fast: Listen carefully and note down as much as possible in the beginning. Making mistakes is also the best way to learn so jump in and give things a go even if you’re unsure.
• How to manage mistakes: Mistakes are common, always ask for help if it could be avoided. However, the most important thing to do is learn from your mistakes and jot down what should be done next time.
• Building good relationships: Use platforms such as linked in to build connection but also reach out via email and calls but the best way is to talk to people in person, whether it be at lunch or in the office.
• How to grow without pressure: Set your own personal targets which only you can judge yourself as it will take away external pressure and you can grow by reaching your own targets.

Closing Message

Hard work will pay off in the end and difficult times don’t last therefore if you’re finding it difficult to secure an apprenticeship or complete, you’re A levels just remember that if you keep striving to succeed eventually you will.

No one’s path is the same and everyone is different therefore don’t be caught up in what other people are doing and just focus on your own journey as that is where your will end up.

Just think about how happy you will be when you reach that final hurdle or finish that last exam that is reason enough to continue your journey. Thank you very much for reading my blog, I hope it was a useful insight into what you might expect when trying to obtain a degree apprenticeship.

Feel free to message me if you’re starting out and want advice.

I’m always open to connecting with people starting their journey.

Bram Ottewell

Ocean Freight Degree Apprentice | Logistics Handling Operations Administrator at CEVA Logistics | Excelsior Road, Ashby-de-la-Zouch

You can find out more and connect with Bram on LinkedIn.