Eniola Ogundare

I arrived in the UK last July, having spent most of my life in Nigeria. My mother decided to return to Nigeria, so I came back to the UK to take over responsibilities here. Sadly, I lost my father when I was just three years old and my sister at the age of ten. In 2017, I earned a BSc in Real Estate Management after completing a five-year programme at the University of Lagos. 

Prior to joining WAES, I spent a few months working at a restaurant in Covent Garden before moving to a less demanding role at a hotel in Kensington and Chelsea, where I had the chance to connect with people from all around the globe. 

During my free time, I often conducted research on sustainable buildings at the British Library, as real estate has always been a passion of mine. One day, while exploring job opportunities online, I came across an apprenticeship opening at the British Library and decided to apply. 

I joined WAES partway through the course, which initially created a slight disconnect, but I quickly adapted. I particularly enjoyed working with the Newsroom Reference team, the customer-facing division of the British Library, where I also handled online queries. I swiftly learned how to process item requests, respond to various inquiries, and navigate the complexities of information privacy, including copyright regulations and British law regarding information sharing. I especially appreciated the technical, quick-thinking aspects of the role. 

Lorraine, my tutor ,has been doing an excellent job teaching. With some of us on different timelines, she has skilfully adapted to everyone’s learning needs, bringing the class together effectively under Jenny’s (Apprenticeship Manager) supervision. 

My greatest achievement at WAES has been absorbing such a vast amount of knowledge in a short period of time. About 90% of the learning comes from hands-on experience at the British Library, while the rest takes place at WAES, where I can apply what I’ve learned in class. This is invaluable knowledge that stays with you forever. 

Adjusting to the class schedule took some time, but the biggest challenge for me was documenting and journaling my daily activities, especially after being away from education for a while. However, one positive aspect of keeping a journal was being able to refer to it during my monthly assessments with managers, which involved meeting with four different people each month. It’s a reminder that the mind isn’t always as sharp as we’d like to think! 

Currently i’m working for the British Library. I joined during the time of the cyber-attacks, which led to my initial placement in the Read and Research department. This role focused heavily on data analysis and understanding how people use the library, involving tasks like conducting interviews and asking the public to complete questionnaires. Later, I transitioned to the Sounds and Moving Images department, where I worked on rehousing vinyl records and sound recordings. The job rotations allowed me to gain a comprehensive understanding of the library’s operations, but I have to say, my favourite placement was with the Reference Team. In the future I would love to get a permanent role at the British library preferably in the Reference Team. 

If you’re passionate about working with information, this course is perfect for you. The skills and knowledge you gain here are incredibly versatile and can be applied to virtually any career path, equipping you with lifelong expertise.