At Aspire, we love hearing how apprentices put their learning into practice – and how it shapes their confidence and career growth. This case study comes from one of our recent Level 3 learners at Jisc, who began the programme with a clear desire to understand procurement, business fundamentals, and commercial environments more deeply.
Building Strong Foundations in Procurement
This apprentice joined Aspire wanting to build commercial awareness, develop financial understanding, and gain a clearer insight into the dynamics of business.
“I started the apprenticeship with Aspire wanting to understand the fundamentals not only of procurement and supply, but also of business.”
From the start, they found that the training aligned directly with their role. One standout moment came when an Aspire tutoring session covered how to prepare an RFQ for a construction company:
“We went through the detailed structure of the documentation. The next day in work I was tasked with writing my first RFQ from scratch.”
Because of this direct alignment, they were able to immediately apply what they learned – and impress their managers with the quality of their work.
Gaining Confidence Through Real-World Application
The learner highlighted how Aspire’s materials helped bring concepts to life:
“The Aspire resources really helped me impress my managers with a quick and sleek RFQ that was related to Jisc operations.”
This hands-on practice gave them the confidence to manage procurement exercises independently and engage with suppliers more effectively:
“The fundamentals of procurement documentation really gave me confidence when running my own exercises.”
They also noted how the programme strengthened their communication skills:
“The soft skills I gained by interacting with tutors and other apprentices also helped me in my professional communication.”
Support, Resources and CPD Guidance
Throughout the programme, Aspire’s focus on CPD empowered the learner to continue developing beyond the core curriculum.
“Every task set by Aspire came with links to resources from CIPS resource banks which I utilised to further my own understanding.”
Their tutor even recommended an additional Excel course, which proved invaluable:
“My tutor pointed me in the direction of an additional Excel course which helped me write a procurement evaluation scoring matrix.”
These extra resources helped broaden their knowledge and build confidence in technical procurement work.
Opening Doors to New Opportunities
One of the most significant outcomes of this apprenticeship was the increased career clarity and direction it provided.
Aspire encouraged the learner to explore new opportunities:
“Aspire gave me access to so many career opportunities, and encouraged me to pursue a Procurement Coordinator role at Jisc, for which I have an interview next week!”
They also found value in the career tools provided:
“They gave me information about the CIPS salary guide which helped me moderate my expectations for my salary at my role and experience.”
Your Next Step Starts Here
This Jisc learner’s journey shows just how transformative a CIPS apprenticeship can be – boosting confidence, building capability and opening new career pathways.
If you’re ready to start your own success story, explore our Apprenticeships today or contact our apprenticeship team about our upcoming cohorts.
