At Aspire, we’re proud to support individuals developing their careers in procurement and supply chain management. We spoke with Dan Peacock, a Procurement Assistant at R&G Fluid Power Group, about his journey into procurement, his experience on the Level 3 Procurement and Supply apprenticeship, and his advice for others starting their CIPS journey.
Could you tell us a bit about your role and what you do day-to-day? How did you fall into procurement?
I moved into the Procurement Assistant role as a result of company restructuring. Previously, I had worked my way up from administrator to General Manager within a business that had been acquired by R&G Fluid Power Group.
Currently, my role is varied, but I get involved in MRP control and general daily purchasing for several of our group businesses, along with product and supply chain alignment projects. These also tap into the product/category management side of things, so it’s a good mix of procurement and wider supply chain responsibilities.
What motivated you to take an apprenticeship in Procurement and Supply?
I had accepted the role and one of the things discussed during the onboarding process was the possibility of completing a Level 3 Procurement and Supply apprenticeship alongside the Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Procurement and Supply.
While I had some procurement experience from my previous role, I thought getting some properly structured and accredited training in procurement and supply would be a real benefit when moving into a dedicated procurement/supply chain role.
What were the biggest challenges along the way, and how did you overcome them?
Firstly, it was the culture shock of doing a structured training programme for the first time since completing my NVQ Level 3 nearly 25 years ago!
The second challenge was getting the hours in to do the apprenticeship programme justice. My employer and line manager have been very supportive, and I did have the opportunity to use work time to study and complete assignments. With apprenticeships, you get 20% of your working week allocated towards the apprenticeship. However, you do need flexibility in your home life to dedicate your own time to the programme – it’s definitely an eye opener at first.
What advice would you give to someone who’s just starting their apprenticeship or CIPS journey?
Be prepared to work hard but also enjoy the process.
The tutorial sessions with Aspire Procurement Training were not only fantastic learning opportunities, but they gave me the chance to network with other procurement students from very different business backgrounds and sectors. This gives you a much wider view of procurement and supply chain processes.
Which topics or modules have been most useful in your role?
Learning a proper framework for Ethical Procurement & Supply and Environmental & Social Governance (ESG) has proved very useful.
These areas align with the cultural changes happening in my workplace as we become more aligned with the overall policies of our parent company, so it’s been directly applicable to my day-to-day procurement role.
Do you have any study tips?
As soon as you are onboarded onto the apprenticeship programme, start logging your “off the job” hours properly.
Track the hours spent, what it related to (assignments, guided learning, etc.), and what you did in that time. Make sure you log it every time you study – even if it’s only an hour here and there… as it all counts!
It makes tracking your off-the-job hours much easier and also helps you remember and explain the background work you’ve done for each unit or assignment submission.
How has the apprenticeship helped you in your role or confidence at work?
It’s helped me put “meat on the bones” of why, in a procurement role, we do things the way we do.
My EPA project also helped me understand where we are with intercompany data and the challenges we face, while also beginning to solve some of these issues using live data within the business.
Would you recommend an apprenticeship with Aspire?
Absolutely, I’d definitely recommend taking an apprenticeship with Aspire.
You’ll learn procurement and supply chain concepts and skills that genuinely apply to day-to-day work. You also gain industry-recognised accreditation through CIPS, alongside proof that you can apply your knowledge in a real workplace through your EPA and apprenticeship certificate.
What’s next for you?
A consolidation period – it’s been a busy 14 months!
It’s quite likely my role with RG Fluid Power Group will continue to evolve over the next few months as the group fine-tunes internal roles and structures, so I’ll have plenty to keep me occupied.
However, having now completed work-based learning in procurement and supply, I would certainly consider progressing onto the Level 4 apprenticeship in the future.
Dan’s journey highlights how a procurement apprenticeship can support career progression, build confidence and provide real, practical skills that make an impact in the workplace.
If you’re looking to develop your career in procurement and supply chain management or want to support your team with industry-recognised training, Aspire can help.
Get in touch today to find out more about our Procurement and Supply apprenticeships.
