Celebrating Charley’s Apprenticeship Distinction

At Systemagic, we’re proud to celebrate the achievements of our team and today, we’re shining a spotlight on Charley, who recently completed his apprenticeship with a distinction! 

We sat down with Charley to learn more about his experience as a Systemagic Apprentice and working in IT.  

What made you choose an apprenticeship over other routes like university? 

I never really connected with school, mostly because of how the lessons were structured. Too often, I found myself just copying notes from a presentation into a book, without any real opportunity to apply what I was learning in a practical way. Knowing university would likely follow a similar format, I chose a more hands-on path, one that not only offered real-world experience but also gave me the financial freedom to live my life alongside it. 

Why did you choose to join Systemagic? 

I actually started my apprenticeship at another company but had a bad initial experience.  

While the previous company had some great people, I often felt they didn’t have the time to properly support me, which really limited my learning.  

When I joined Systemagic, they promised a more supportive environment with techs available to answer questions – and they’ve absolutely delivered.  

It’s a much more collaborative atmosphere where I can bounce ideas off anyone on the team, which makes a huge difference. 

What was your role during the apprenticeship, and what did a typical day look like? 

My role was just like any other technician. I was on the Helpdesk, handling incoming tickets and answering calls from clients experiencing issues.  

I started out with simpler tickets, but over time, I noticed the complexity of the tasks I was assigned began to match those of the other techs. 

That progression really gave me a sense of growth and confidence in my abilities. 

What was the most exciting project or task you worked on? 

One of the most exciting projects I worked on was actually one of my first. Not long after joining Systemagic, I was given training on a software I’d never used before called JumpCloud. One I finished my training, I joined Jamie on-site to help integrate it across all of a client’s devices. 

It was a brilliant experience that not only gave me the chance to apply something I’d just learned, but also allowed me to meet some of the people behind the emails and calls I’d been handling.  

Getting stuck into something completely new and seeing it in action straight away was incredibly rewarding.  

How did your team or mentor support you throughout the apprenticeship? 

I was given a dedicated day each week to focus solely on my apprenticeship work from home, which made a big difference. It was much easier to concentrate without the usual distractions especially the constant ringing phones in the office during the mornings!  

What also helped massively was having two other apprentices, Gabriel and Luke, on the team. They understood exactly what I was working through, and it meant we could support each other, ask questions, and share advice throughout the workday. 

What was the work environment like at Systemagic? 

The atmosphere here is really social, which makes it a genuinely enjoyable place to work. There’s always friendly banter going around the office, and that relaxed vibe makes it easier to communicate, everyone’s in a good mood and happy to help.  

Of course, our mornings can be pretty full-on with the volume of phone calls, but it’s a great balance between being laid-back and getting down to business. 

Did you feel like a valued member of the team? 

One of the things I really appreciated was that no one ever made a point of highlighting that I was an apprentice. I was treated just like any other technician, which helped me feel fully part of the team.  

In fact, there were times I could offer advice on tickets to colleagues who’d been here longer – simply because they hadn’t come across that particular issue before. That’s pretty common in this field, given how many different elements there are to the work. 

Would you recommend an apprenticeship to others? Why? 

I can confidently say I got the most out of my apprenticeship experience. Over the past 1.5 years, I’ve not only gained hands-on work experience but also earned a qualification that will be a real asset moving forward. The amount of real-world learning I’ve had, both the highs and the challenges has been incredibly valuable.  

Even the tougher moments helped shape my growth and resilience. It’s been a journey that’s set me up with skills, confidence, and perspective I wouldn’t have gained in a classroom alone. 

Are You Considering An Apprenticeship?  

If you’re currently considering your post-16 options and would like to explore an apprenticeship with Systemagic, you can learn more over on our apprenticeship page.  

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