The Business Apprentice Programme

The Business Apprentice Programme Contents:

Marketing

• Understanding the role and function of marketing in business
• Introducing the 7 'Ps', the marketing mix and corporate communication
• Understanding customers and stakeholder management
• Social/Digital Media and Google Analytics
• Chartered Institute of Marketing online exam and assignments

Practical Advertising (includes delivering a business pitch)

• Creating and managing an advertising campaign
• Exploring the history of advertising
• Developing mood boards, printed adverts, press releases and campaign strategies
• Presentation skills – creating and delivering a professional business pitch
• Self presentation, confidence and business image

Journalism and PR

• How journalism works and analysing key publications
• Identifying PR campaigns
• Understanding how articles are commissioned

Institute of Leadership and Management

• Developing yourself and others
• Identifying learning and working styles
• Introduction to leadership and team building
• Effective management
• Case study assignment based assessments

Event Management

• How to plan and organise successful events
• Budget management
• Exploring different types of events

Economics and Current Affairs

• Understanding and exploring global financial markets
• Key issues in world news and politics
• Understanding profit and loss, tax & VAT
• Corporate and personal finance

Professional MS Office Skills

PLEASE NOTE Whilst IT is widely taught in schools, Quest concentrates on the business application of these skills

• MS Word (including mail merge and advanced functions)
• MS PowerPoint for business presentations
• MS Outlook and Diary Management
• MS Access
• MS Excel and Business Finance

Practical Business Workshops – Part 1

Learning the vital skills needed to work in a professional business environment

• Professional telephone manner
• Diary management
• Meetings and minute taking
• Processing expenses
• Planning business travel and itineraries
• Touch typing and speed development

Practical Business Workshops – Part 2

• Applying skills and knowledge from the previous term in a series of "mock work" scenarios
• These include assisting a busy team in both a creative company and a corporate setting
• Prioritising daily business tasks in order to meet deadlines and team requirements
• Utilising previous IT, finance and business workshops to select, create and deliver the information required
• Managing upwards and approaches to building successful working relationships with your Directors

Business Documentation

• Developing business letter writing skills
• Professional emails
• Understanding report writing
• Proof reading, grammar, spelling and punctuation for business

Personal Development Programme

• Understanding your personality type and working with others
• Communication models including Transactional Analysis
• Recognising and exploring appropriate communication styles

Introduction to Industry Sectors and Business Strategies

• Analysis of key industry sectors and identifying leading companies
• Linking your strengths to future job roles
• Understanding case studies and creating solutions to business problems
• Learning about basic management strategies

Career Development

• Job market analysis
• Creating professional CVs
• Covering letter formats and interview preparation
• Competency-based interview techniques
• Contacting consultancies & companies
• Introduction to selected recruitment agencies
• Personalised career action plan
• Contracts, salaries, tax and employment law

Business Activities

A wide range of trips and professional talks to enhance first-hand experience and apply knowledge

• Introduction to Finance at the Bank of England and experiencing a live trading floor
• Learning about the history of promotions at the Museum of Brands and Advertising
• Touring the Houses of Parliament as part of the current affairs programme
• Various skills-based activity sessions including "Day of the Trader" and "Promotions and Advertising Pitch"

Internship

Upon successful completion of the 22 weeks, students progress to a two-week internship at a recognised company, arranged through Quest within Central London.