Spotlight on... Aymen Belkacemi

What is your role and what does it involve? 

I am a Teaching & Learning Administrator (Process & Teaching Support) at the UCL School of Management. My day-to-day duties include timetabling, room bookings, case study orders and helping as many people as possible! I’m always trying to go above and beyond in order to make a positive impact within my team and work towards UCL’s organisational aims and goals.  

How long have you been at UCL and what was your previous role? 

I’ve been at UCL for just over 15 months now. I spent the first year at Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering (CEGE) as a Teaching & Learning Administrator Apprentice, where I was studying towards a Level 3 Data Technician Apprenticeship Standard. The apprenticeship was a unique and welcomed opportunity to gain a foothold within a highly competitive and sought-after profession, allowing me to work and build upon new skills and knowledge, which I obtained throughout my time as an apprentice. This allowed me to then go on and apply and secure a full-time permanent role within UCL at the end of my apprenticeship. Without this apprenticeship, I feel I would have struggled to get a role that I would have been happy in, certainly within the Higher Education sector where experience is needed and desired in order to be favoured for a permanent full-time role.  

What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of? 

I have just been awarded the Apprentice of the Year in the Charity, Voluntary and Public Services category at the Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards 2023. I feel this shows my remarkable achievements throughout my apprenticeship, from managing to embark and complete this apprenticeship as a young adult unpaid carer for a family member while also taking on additional responsibility at work, to successfully implementing a semi- automated purchasing system at my previous department, to my outreach work within the community, promoting, and helping people achieve apprenticeships.  

Tell us about a project you are working on now which is top of your to-do list? 

I’d say I’m working on a new room bookings system, where everything is streamlined and available on demand in one place, to minimise mistakes, and double bookings. This is extremely rewarding, as it brings together my apprenticeship learning and knowledge gathered in my previous role, and allows me to build upon the core foundations the apprenticeship with UCL has offered me.  

What is your favourite album, film and novel? 

I’d have to say Harry Potter.

What is your favourite joke (pre-watershed)? 

Why did the chicken want to cross the road? To get to KFC on the other side.  

(This was the last joke I thought of, back in Primary School!) 

Who would be your dream dinner guests? 

Family, as they are my support, and offer words of wisdom and perspective on life.  

What advice would you give your younger self? 

No matter what, never give up! There is a bright and prosperous future ahead, and that, whatever happens while you are in school, don’t let that impact you - it should give you more motivation to succeed and excel in what you aim to pursue.  

What would it surprise people to know about you? 

I have really bad handwriting.  

What is your favourite place? 

I’d have to say anywhere with family around.