Daniel Powell, a Business and Management degree student at Bangor University joined the Ambition North Wales team in September 2023 on a year’s work placement funded by Welsh Government with the aim to attract new talent into Procurement.
As part of our Procurement Team, led by Sara Jones - Procurement and Social Value Manager, Daniel has gained a breadth of valuable experience, skills and qualifications which we know will support him as he leaves us and moves into his final year of study at university.
Here's what Daniel said about his time with us:
What brought you to Ambition North Wales and how did you feel about joining the team?
“I originally saw the position at Ambition North Wales was being advertised thanks to my personal tutor at Bangor University, and after doing some research I found myself very interested in the work that this organisation was doing in order to improve North Wales. When I initially joined the team, I was extremely nervous and unsure as to whether I’d be able to fit in with everyone, given this was the first time I had experienced being part of a large professional team. Fortunately, on my first day in the office everyoneI met was very nice, so it calmed my nerves a lot.”
What have been your main areas of work at Ambition North Wales and how will this experience support you in completing your degree?
“While I was employed at Ambition North Wales, I was usually working alongside Sara Jones, Procurement and Social Value Manager, which would involve creating, checking, and reviewing important documents such as contracts and invitations to tender that would be used for Ambition North Wales’s projects.”
What would you say you have learnt during your time with Ambition North Wales?
“I believe that I have learnt a tremendous amount over this past year, which I am sure I will be able to put into practice in any career I seek in the future. I now have a great understanding of contractual documents; what they contain, how they should be written and the terms used in such documents. I have also gained useful insight into the world of procurement, the processes that organisations go through in order to acquire goods and/or services, and the ways in which it functions throughout a contract’s lifetime.
I’ve undertaken some formal procurement training to allow me to understand and work in line with national and local policies as well as legislation. I have also gained an insight into the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and its importance within procurement and supply chains in North Wales.
What have you found most challenging during the year?
“To my surprise, I found that the most challenging stage of my placement year was the initial starting period where everything around me was completely new to me; the atmosphere, the people, the work and even the hours. Fortunately, Ambition North Wales are very committed to employee wellbeing and so they have adopted a hybrid method of working, which meant I went into the office twice a week. This helped me slowly transition into the team at my own pace, which allowed me to overcome my worries as a new employee quicker than I expected.”
What would you say has been your highlight during the year?
“I would say that the highlight of my year was when, as a team, we participated in the 5 Behaviours team event. It taught me some very valuable information about how different types of people function within a working environment, as well as understanding my own way of operating within such an atmosphere. I think this information will definitely be vital to my career in the near future.”
What has been the best thing about being at Ambition North Wales this past year?
“The best thing that I think of when being at Ambition North Wales was genuinely feeling like part of the team. The Portfolio Management Office team at Ambition North Wales are some of the nicest people I have met and welcomed me to the operation with open arms. It was very comforting to experience this, especially within the first few weeks of entering into this new world I was yet to explore. There is a large sense of community that this team brings, whether it be during regular working hours, a team meeting, or outside of work, that I am very much going to miss being a part of.”
Is there anything you didn’t like?
“There were times during my time at Ambition North Wales where I would feel overwhelmed with the work provided to me, as well as the deadlines set, as it was the first time I had done such tasks. However, this quickly went as my line manager helped me with scheduling my work and understanding the importance of structure when working within an organisation with deadlines. I am very thankful for this help and will be sure to continue to use what I have learnt in the future.”
What would you say to anyone else thinking of approaching Ambition North Wales for a work placement?
“I would do nothing but recommend this amazing organisation to anyone who has an interest in working in the public sector, as it has taught me so much in just little under a year and I have not regretted my choice to apply for a single second. The work that Ambition North Wales is doing, has done, and is planning on doing is phenomenal. The people behind that work are just as outstanding and have my upmost respect - working tightly together as a well organised team to give back to North Wales in the best possible ways.”
Sara Jones, Daniel’s manager during placement has seen a really positive growth in Daniel both personally and professionally over the last year, saying:
“Dan has developed so many skills and has grown as a person since starting with us. He’s tackled each challenge head on and worked through them in a way which has enhanced his understanding and learning. He’s allowed me to learn a lot about myself as a manager - around how best to support someone new into the procurement profession in a way that’s exciting and interesting. Dan has completed a very interesting study / project on the use of AI in procurement and we hope that we can carry on with this work to develop our systems and processes when he leaves."
Alwen Williams, Portfolio Director, Ambition North Wales
"During the last year I feel that both Dan and Ambition North Wales have benefitted from the year in industry scheme. Being able to gain perspectives from a young person who is in the middle of their journey through further education has been invaluable and has added richness to the diversity of our Portfolio Management Office team. Dan leaves us with observably improved skills, both in terms of his confidence, his ability to turn his hand to complex procurement documentation, his interpersonal and communication skills - both written and verbal, and also the understanding of what is required to meet that psychological contract formed between employee and employer within that working environment. I would encourage Dan to keep building on his confidence and consider how he can use the professional skills he has gained by working closely with Sara, Nia and other key colleagues within our team, to help him to define a career pathway that will be both fulfilling and rewarding for him at a personal and professional level.
"We wish Dan the very best in his final year at Bangor University and wanted to express our thanks for his resilience and tenacity in what has probably felt like a challenging year at times for him."
Good Luck Dan!