Conveyancing Case Study: Megan Webb

We continue our series of case studies for National Conveyancing Week 2023, by talking to Megan Webb of RWK Goodman. Megan is studying a Level 6 Apprentice with Total People.

Megan, why did you choose to do an apprenticeship in conveyancing?

I went to university and did a course in real estate, but I just didn't really get on with it. I qualified, got my degree and I should have switched to a law course within the first year because I knew that that was the part of it that I really enjoyed. But I didn't, so it was very much a case of finding my path after I after I got into the working world. I joined a law firm as an assistant, and I've just slowly built my way up from there.

I needed a way of getting qualified and this was a really nice way of doing it because I didn't have to pay the fees or go back to uni. This apprenticeship just really worked well for me.

Can you tell me what kind of skills you are learning?

It's quite nice to learn everything behind the scenes and why you do certain things. And I feel like it's made me a better conveyancer already because there's a lot of stuff that I just did, like I said because that’s the way that we do things, but I now understand why and understand how it can be written in certain documents and understand the background to everything that we're doing.

And how are you finding the experience of combining work with study?

I have a 2-year-old as well, so I do have a lot on my plate, it's obviously sort of delayed things a little bit. So now it's quite nice getting back into studies and feeling like I'm using my brain again.

It it's obviously difficult because conveyancers are always busy, but you do have to be quite strict and make sure that you take that time out of your day to make sure that you're doing your course and it is manageable as long as you do take that time.

I'm very, very lucky that I work in a lovely team of people that want me to qualify and want me to progress so they do allow me to have that time.

What are your career goals ultimately?

I'm hoping to finish my Level 6 and qualify here straight away and just continue working here. Really, we're toying with the idea at the moment of expanding our new build team, which I'll be a part of. And so it's just a case of when I qualify, we'll see where I fit.

Would you say that your ambitions have changed since you started doing the apprenticeship?

No, I always knew that I wanted to qualify in estate agency or conveyancing, so it's been quite nice to have the tools to be able to do it. 

I just wanted to get qualified and use my brain and actually feel like I've accomplished something with my degree.

So how are your employers supporting you?

They allow me to do my 20% off-the-job training in work time and allow me to transfer my phone to them. They read my emails in that time that I'm off studying and if I've got any questions, they're always here to help me.

What are the highlights of this apprenticeship?

I think allowing you to qualify in something while you're at work, it's just worth its weight in gold because you're not needing to do extensive study in the evenings. Obviously, you do have to do a little bit here and there if you're not grasping it in the hours that you're in work, but obviously for me being a working mum, I don't have very much time.
It’s really beneficial to have it as part of your working day.

Would you say that you've managed to use the skills that you've gained yet, and if so, how?

Little things, like when I'm having to change some documents, say for example we've had a new build site and there is a Transfer of Part that I've had to convert into a Transfer of Whole…I now understand why things need to stay within the contract, and the wording that needs to be incorporated, in order for it to be in the legal documentation whereas beforehand I probably didn't grasp why.

It really does teach you the background behind the way that we do everything. It’s been really good.

How else do you think the apprenticeship has helped you? 

The benefit is being able to work alongside your studies. I wouldn't be able to go off and do a university course, so being able to study alongside a full-time job is really great and it’s boosted my confidence. Now I feel like I know what I'm doing and I'm on the right path.

Have the tutors at Total People been helpful?

Yeah, so much. They are really supportive if I've ever got any questions. My tutor is always there to help me. And if anything, she could sort of guide you even further than you're thinking of on your own, which is really, really nice. When you're looking at a computer screen, reading instructions and haven't been in education for quite a long time, it's hard to bring your brain back into that way of working. 

Finally, would you recommend Total People to others as a route for this apprenticeship?

Yes, most definitely. I did my Level 4 course via a different provider who don't even provide the course anymore, and I do definitely find Total People to be much more supportive and a lot more hands on.
 

If you’d like to find out more about our Apprenticeships in Conveyancing, click here.