NO UNI BUT NOW I HAVE A GREAT CAREER ON TAP
MEGAN Mason was the first person in her family who didn’t go to university, but when she joined United Utilities on an apprenticeship five years ago, she launched herself into a fantastic career in customer communications.
Now, Megan, 22, from Warrington, is a digital optimisation officer for the water giant.
Why did you avoid going to university?
I did a year at college but really didn’t enjoy it. I was 17 and my family would have much preferred for me to go to university, but the hands- on approach of an apprenticeship appealed to me.
I thought I wanted to be an accountant. I saw the opportunity to be a customer service apprentice and I really liked the look of it. I did everything from being on the telephone in the customer service department dealing with queries and complaints, to being on the road with the water and wastewater team to see how we tackle problems like unblocking drains and detecting water leaks.
I then moved to the digital and communications team and found what I love and I’m still doing it.
What is the job about?
My role is to grow our digital channels including the website, our online service, My Account, and our app, as well as ensuring customer satisfaction is high.
I look at customer feedback and analytics to check the performance of the webpages and if one page isn’t getting many visitors or there’s a lot of people leaving the page straightaway then I recommend ways it can be improved.
I email customers campaigns we are running, and also respond to any reviews that are left by customers.
If our social media team needs support, I will help them too.
What qualifications have you got?
on any
I completed an NVQ Level 2 in customer service, and when I started in the digital department and realised it was my dream career, I went on to study for a postgraduate Certified Digital Marketing Professional (CDMP) Certification in digital marketing.
It was a one-year online course that I did during the evenings and weekends. I have the opportunity to do a degree, too, which I can study for around my job.
My next step is to do United Utilities’ aspiring management course, a programme that will give me the skills and confidence to progress to the next level and become a digital optimisation manager.
Do you regret not going to uni?
all. It’s been the best decision I have ever made and I love how varied my job is.
My bo y f r i e n d Mat thew is an accountant now and it has made me realise how repetitive it is as he seems to do the same thing every day compared to my widely varied role.
My family are so proud of me after seeing what I have achieved. My mum Diane and sister Gemma both work at United Utilities but my sister went to university first. at
Do you talk ‘shop’ all the time with them?
I live at home with mum and dad and talk to my mum all of the time about work. We chat about our days and if I come across struggles, I ask for her opinion.
My dad Gary gets annoyed at us sometimes because he’s a postman so he’s in a completely different line of work.
What do you say to young people unsure about what to do next?
Say yes to every opportunity that comes your way. That’s what I have done, even if it means doing things outside of work time. Getting involved in as many things as possible is a good way for people across a business to get to know you. It might sound cheesy, but I would also say be nice to everyone you work with too as you never know when your paths will cross again in the future.
EARN AND LEARN
United Utilities is currently recruiting for 62 apprenticeship roles across the North West. Visit unitedutilities. com/ corporate/ careers/early-careers/apprentice ships. Applications close on September 20.
You should also log on to the national apprenticeship site (apprenticeships.gov.uk) where we found 6,679 apprenticeships, and Not Going to Uni (notgoingtouni. co.uk) has 456 apprenticeships and some great information.