Not receiving sufficient training or tasks in workplace

Garzard

Hi folks, this is my first time posting here. Apologies in advance for the lengthy OP, but it’s necessary that I include enough information to allow people to get a clear picture and hopefully provide useful advice.

I commenced a 2-year accountancy apprenticeship last September, split between one college day per week and a work placement setting for the remainder of the week. It’s my first time in accounting, so I’m very keen to learn all I can and get the most out of both the course itself and the work placement so I can get my new career choice moving after graduation.

So far I’m thoroughly enjoying the course, thanks to excellent lecturers and course books, a well-set structure, and I’ve established a very good relationship with my class, lecturers and colleagues up to managerial level.

That said, a significant issue has been lingering from the start, and to date it hasn’t been resolved to my satisfaction despite my repeatedly bringing it to the attention of the several managers, HR and the director himself many times over the last few months.

From day one, much to my disappointment I’ve been receiving very little training and tasks on the job, except in paltry amounts. I don’t believe it to be deliberate exclusion or the fault of any one person; it rather seems to be caused by an unlucky combination of my desk being isolated from my mentor, the frequent absence of managers, my mentor and the apparent inability (possibly even reluctance) of qualified colleagues to find enough time to sit with me or vice versa and thoroughly show me the processes of what I’m supposed to be learning. On the other hand, a second apprentice started the same day I did; they were assigned to a desk within the immediate company of their mentor and were immediately receiving training and tasks on their assigned clients, software systems, was given access to all resources, got to meet their clients personally and has thus became very well versed in the role – everything an apprentice is meant to receive.

I've received very little in comparison despite repeated requests; a third apprentice arrived in December, and has found themselves in an almost identical situation to myself despite making every attempt to resolve it.

I do of course have busy periods during the week, depending on the time of the month, but no meaningful routine as such. I always do my utmost with my colleagues when I find myself without work and request either more tasks within my ability and/or training to enable me to take over more complex tasks, but I’m fobbed off much of the time. Again, I’ve approached everyone from colleagues to managers to even the director on this, and although they’ve taken note of my concerns and promised action would be taken, the cycle hasn’t changed. There’s absolutely no shortage of work, but I’ll stress again that this is my first time in an accounting role, and I can’t take on more responsibility without the training.

Aside from the frustration, I’m becoming deeply concerned that even should I successfully graduate from the apprenticeship, I won’t have gained enough experience in this workplace, which would hold me back tremendously in another company should I decide to move after qualifying. If I was in any other position and it was left unsolved for this long despite my best efforts, I’d simply leave for greener pastures, but the difficulty I’m left with is the two year contract, and it would cause all sorts of headaches resigning, and then having to find another company willing to take me on at this late stage in the programme, which mightn’t be at all possible or allowed as part of the apprenticeship. This is something however which may be worth looking into with the apprenticeship body. I don't want to leave though, I just want the problem fixed.

Any advice would be welcome. Apologies again for the length of the OP.

ongarboy

OP - I think what you are experiencing is a common issue for interns/apprentices in similar type situations where there is often a lot of free or idle time for them even if companies or teams are so busy because the trained in/experienced staff are so over-worked, they struggle to find time to train in the rookie as they have such critical deadlines to adhere to that is tempting although not wise to do it themselves quicker than hand it to a novice who will understandably take longer initially. They miss out on the concept of long term gain from short term pain.

I'm not sure if you work for a small practice or a big 4/big 6 type firm but the fact that you've relayed this to several managers, HR and the director is quite surprising. I think most full time staff could go months or years or never before they speak to the CEO or director of their firm - maybe yours is a small practice where everyone is familiar with each other but the point I'm trying to make is I hope you are not making waves unnecessarily and involving entire chains of command when really this is something that you should only be bringing up 1:1 with your immediate manager and/or mentor? This could prove detrimental to you and make your responsible colleagues resent working with/imparting knowledge on you. I could be way off base here but it's something that jumped out a little from your post.

Also from your post, you come across quite methodical and precise and possibly expect everything to follow a certain, precise, scientific, mathematical and possibly rigid pattern (maybe this is where your accountancy leanings come from) and that is not necessarily a bad thing. However, busy companies pandering to bespoke and demanding clients often cannot follow such methodical processes at all time and often there is a level of reacting rather than pro-acting and often times just fire fighting. Without sounding blunt, the practice does not revolve around you. I think you need to continue addressing your concerns only with your mentor and immediate manager but not taking it beyond that immediate dynamic of colleagues. You will ruffle feathers unnecessarily and rub your colleagues up the wrong way if you step over them. Learning how to handle workplace adversities and challenges (or lack thereof), respecting hierarchies and knowing when to choose your battles may be far more benefit to you than being able to prepare a trial balance at month end.