EMPLOYEE PROFILES
STUDENT RESOURCE
Gatsby Benchmarks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
FROM
BUSINESS STUDIES TO ... EARLY CAREERS AND TRAINING ADVISOR
Emily Gupwell ’ s degree apprenticeship at bp has led to a role in the HR division , guiding other young people in the early stages of their careers .
So , what do you do all day ?
In my current role , my largest focus every year is ensuring a smooth onboarding of our new early careers joiners into the trading and shipping part of the business . It ’ s great as I get to know the new cohorts of graduates , school leavers and apprentices joining bp , and have a really positive impact , giving everyone a great experience when joining the company !
The other part of my role is mainly project focused , whether that ’ s designing a new immersive induction experience for all early career new joiners to bp globally or looking at data management for our early careers . I also lead the People and Culture Early Careers Committee .
As you can see , my role is very diverse ; no two days are the same , which is brilliant . You get to work with so many different people across the world , which is a great learning curve .
What key skills are invaluable to your position ?
Definitely time management and prioritisation . While doing a degree apprenticeship , the quickest thing you will need to learn is how to manage your time between studying and your day-to-day role .
It ’ s crucial that you keep track of everything you have on ( your day job , projects and university work ) and how to assess the priority of everything . It can take a while to get used to , and things will always be changing , so it is definitely good to have a mentor and buddy who you can go to , to ask for advice when you are unsure of things .
“ Being invited to represent bp at the House of Commons for National Apprenticeship week was an amazing experience — one which I will never forget !”
Why did you choose to study Business Studies ?
I studied business studies at GCSE and A Level , as I found it the subject I could connect with the most . I loved how it ’ s all based around common sense , and you can have real-life tangible examples , which really helps bring your learning to life .
It has definitely given me an amazing foundation for my current role and career . Not only has the theory been very much aligned with my degree studies , but it has also given me a great understanding of how businesses are run , and the career options , jobs and business / areas of businesses out there , which really sparked my interest in starting my own career as soon as possible .
How is Business Studies useful in your work ?
As the degree on the apprenticeship is Business Studies , the theories and how to structure business essays was a great foundation ; I ’ ve found that really beneficial in helping me understand what we are being taught .
Then in my job , I ’ ve found that my background in studying business has allowed me to be very aware of certain business situations and how to handle them , and how to apply theories to my everyday work ; knowing best practice has just given me a deeper understanding of why we do what we do as a business , and where I fit into it .
What further qualifications or experience would be helpful for your role ?
When I graduate from the degree apprenticeship , I will have a BA in Business Studies , but I hope further down the line to get a master ’ s in either Business Studies or Business Management . I ’ m in the HR function of the business , and I think most HR professionals find having a CIPD qualification and membership to be crucial to their role .
What personal qualities help you thrive in your role ?
Being personable has definitely helped me in my role . I love to talk to people ; knowing what questions to ask can be really key in making decisions and improving processes . Continually understanding people ’ s perspectives , how and why they make decisions , and the history behind processes , are all good things to consider when decision making . Being inquisitive , organised and pragmatic are great skills to have when solving problems .
What has been the highlight of your job so far ?
There have been many ‘ pinch-me ’ moments already , but definitely being invited to represent bp at the House of Commons for National Apprenticeship Week was an amazing experience — one which I will never forget ! There are so many great opportunities at bp on an early careers scheme , so I am sure there will be many more moments like that .