What’s your name and long have you worked for RBG?

Michelle Hollingworth – 14 years!

Give us a brief history of your journey with RBG

I started with RBG as a glass collector in my first year at Uni and never left! After finishing Uni I worked my way through TAM, Assistant, and Deputy to GM and was GM at Huddersfield for 7 years before moving across to join the Business Excellence Team after my maternity leave.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

I love the ever-changing nature of our business. My role gives me the opportunity to work alongside so many talented people from different departments and be involved in new and exciting projects which I love!

What apprenticeship did you study?

When I was GM I completed the ‘Operations Manager Level 5’ with Babington.

How has studying an apprenticeship helped you in your role?

The course covered a wide range of subjects which offered a good refresher for topics previously covered with RBG (that you might have forgotten about over time!) as well as new opportunities to learn about wider aspects of the business that I wasn’t usually exposed to on a day to day basis. I feel it helped me refocus in my current role as well as help prepare me for future career development.

Another aspect that was particularly helpful was having the opportunity to work with and learn from people outside of the hospitality industry. It was certainly very new to me but was very interesting and exciting.

What are the challenges of studying an apprenticeship alongside your role?

The biggest challenge for me was fitting the additional work in every week. But off the back of that, it made me more organised and focused which was a positive!

What advice do you have for anyone considering studying an apprenticeship?

Commit 100% from the start and give yourself designated time each week to focus on your studies. Immerse yourself in every opportunity given to you during the course and embrace the opportunity to learn from others outside of your industry!