Lauren Garden joined Swire Energy Services officially in November 2018 to complete her Modern Apprenticeship, after spending the summer gaining work experience.

In her first year at SES, Lauren finished the Level 3 Modern Apprenticeship in Procurement and went on to study for the Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Procurement and Supply Operation, accredited by the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS). This covered modules such as Procurement & Supply Environment, Contract Administration, Ethical Procurement & Supply, Team Dynamics & Change, Socially Responsible Procurement – many of the topics were covered in her day-to-day tasks, allowing her to gain real time, on the job experience.

Lauren has recently passed her last exam and finished her Level 3 Advanced Certificate and has been promoted to Group Buyer. In her role, Lauren is responsible for managing the RFQ (Request for Quote) process, raising and issuing POs for projects and ensuring payment is made when required, while supporting with projects.

In her role at SES, Lauren has been supported by her team who have been on hand to answer any questions and give her advice. Being in an office environment has helped her to absorb information from conversations with colleagues and clients and see topics she has studied in real life situations. Looking ahead, Lauren is planning to start the Level 4 CIPS diploma which will allow her to gain more exposure to areas in the supply chain and she looks forward to the future at SES and continuing her progression within the Procurement and Supply Chain function.

Lauren commented; “I am so happy to have passed and completed the CIPS Level 3 Advanced Certificate! It has been great being able to study while continuing to develop my career in Procurement and Supply at SES. I look forward to progressing in this function and learning new skills along the way.”