Audit Manager and Growth Coach of the Year winner Sophie Porter shares how her Growth Coach role centres on guiding and mentoring apprentices, helping them find their feet and supporting their apprenticeship.
What do you find most rewarding about supporting apprentices as a Growth Coach? 
It’s really great seeing the apprentices' growth and progress in their roles. From the interviews and assessment centres, where you briefly get to learn a bit about them, to them turning up on the first day, taking everything in, and picking up more and more knowledge of the job and the technical side, it's clear in our monthly catch-ups. My apprentices are becoming more self-sufficient, which is great, but I still really value our regular check-ins to have a chat and see if there’s anything I can help with.
What’s the biggest challenge apprentices tend to face, and how do you help them navigate it?
I think the biggest challenge apprentices face is balancing their workload and studies. Whilst there is time away from work to focus on studies, in between, prioritising work, study and having a social life/keeping up with normal life is tricky. I always tell my team to make sure they’re speaking up if they are struggling; everyone is here to help, whether that's colleagues or tutors. I also make sure they have some downtime throughout the exam period to reset and relax.
How do you support apprentices during high-pressure periods such as exams or busy seasons?
The main way I do this is by being as available as possible. Obviously, there are times when this is tricky, but if there is a query, I’ll always try and find the time to chat things through and come up with a solution. This could be over Teams, but more often than not, it’s just a quick chat in the office.
What advice would you give to managers supporting apprentices for the first time?
Just get to know your apprentices and have a good chat - it makes it much more enjoyable and much more effective! You learn how they work and their preferences, which will help shape the advice that you give. It can be daunting, but we’ve all been there and sharing your experience is invaluable.
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