"I've really enjoyed working with the support of my team to grow more confident."

Sam Lloyd Date published: Feb 06, 24

Lauren Hindmarch is a Level 1 Support Engineer Apprentice. Discover more about her role, why teamwork matters, and how the apprenticeship route is helping Lauren move towards her goal of becoming a developer. 

How I got here 

After deciding that A-levels were not the right fit for me in November 2021 and deciding to drop out early, I started working full-time at McDonald's. I had no direction but didn't want to go back into full time education. 

I spent an abundance of time trying to figure out what I wanted to do until I decided that the best course of action for me was to do an apprenticeship. This way, I could gain an education while remaining in work. In June 2023, I began my search for an apprenticeship to move on from where I was. 

Why Ideagen 

During my search for an apprenticeship, I mainly used Indeed and didn't come across much that I would be able to or wanted to do. However, as soon as I came across the Ideagen apprenticeship, my interest was piqued. 

I started researching the company and very quickly realized that it seemed like a really fun, friendly and relaxed work environment. What really sold me was when I attended the skills day where I was able to see the office and the people, who all appeared genuinely happy. In that moment, I knew that Ideagen was the place where I wanted to work. 

About my role 

As a Support Engineer Apprentice, I work with my team on a day-to-day basis to provide support for customers experiencing issues with our software. This is done through email, phone and Teams communication. I've really enjoyed learning about my product and working with the support of my team to grow more confident in customer communications. 

In the future, I would like to learn more about the products within my area of support to be able to assist customers more effectively in all areas. I would also like to grow as a person, which I believe I am already doing thanks to the amazing team around me. My overall goal with Ideagen is to progress into developing and begin a journey to become a developer. 

Why was I successful 

I believe that I was successful because of my curious nature and eagerness to learn, which was shown during the skills day and through my past experiences. Previously, I have played football at a semi-professional level, been a part of my school's cadet force, gaining many qualifications, and been part of numerous art clubs during my school years.  

On the skills day, I made sure to ask lots of questions and learn as much as I could, but I believe the key thing was that I made sure to be my authentic self. 

Find out more about the career opportunities available at Ideagen here.