Learning at Work Week 2026 – Meet Helen Padget-Smith

Learning at Work Week 2026 is all about the ‘Many Ways to Learn’. Recognising that personal and professional growth doesn’t just happen in a classroom.

Whether it is through learning by doing, coaching from a supportive tutor, or social learning with colleagues, there are so many paths to building new skills. We know that balancing a qualification with a busy job is a journey full of different experiences, so we asked some of our apprentices to share theirs. These stories highlight the various ways our learners have harnessed their own potential to grow, evolve, and succeed in their roles.

Recently we asked them to share their Apprenticeship journey, looking at the different ways they have picked up new skills and the impact this has had on their career so far.

Meet Helen Padget-Smith, a Project Manager Lead at Propelis.

Question 1 – What made you decide to take on an Apprenticeship rather than another route into the role?
I had progressed from Project Manager to Project Manager Lead about 18 months earlier. With no previous management experience, I was learning on the job, so I requested the course to achieve a formal qualification while I worked.

Question 2 – What were you hoping to get out of the Apprenticeship when you started?
My main aim was to receive the qualification, but I also wanted to upskill myself and grow my confidence in how I worked as a leader.

Question 3 – Were there any nerves or doubts going in?
As I had not attended any qualification-led training for 14 years, I had no idea what to expect. I was nervous that I would struggle to manage work and home life while staying on top of assignments.

Question 4 – What is something you have learned through your Apprenticeship that you have actually used at work?
I have learned to place a much stronger focus on managing the team specifically to deliver results.

Question 5 – Has there been a moment where something “clicked”?
The topic of stakeholders really resonated with me. I had only ever thought of Brand Managers as stakeholders, but I realised my own Project Management team are stakeholders too. Since then, I have worked hard to ensure they feel valued as individuals.

Question 6 – How do you fit learning around your day job?
I use “spare minutes”—if I have 10 minutes before a meeting, I focus on answering just one question in an assignment. I also start 15 minutes early or stay 15 minutes late when work is busy to complete small sections. The key is to log every call, meeting, or training session immediately so you don’t lose those goal hours.

Question 7 – What is the most useful support you have had?
My trainer, Gail Velasquez, has been the most useful support. She explains things in different ways when I’m stuck, and the friendly training sessions made me comfortable to think through how to approach new challenges.

Question 8 – What can you do now that you could not do before you started?
I can now deliver clear and concise constructive feedback. When I had my first experience of implementing a Personal Improvement Plan, I used the tools I’d learned only a week earlier to share development needs effectively to achieve results.

Question 9 – Have you noticed a change in your confidence, your responsibilities, or how others see you at work?
I have become much more confident in my position. This gave me the drive to request that my workplace provide funding for me to continue onto the Level 5 course.

Question 10 – In one sentence, what would you say the Apprenticeship has given you?
The confidence to know my self-worth as a Team Leader and what I bring to the company as an individual.

Question 11 – What would you say to someone in your team or sector who is thinking about an apprenticeship but has not taken the leap yet?
Take the opportunity to upskill; it will give you greater confidence and is inspirational to your peers.

Helen Padget-Smith
Project Manager Lead at Propelis