After making the decision to change career, Kira Woodrofe entered local government to start a new career within HR. Having now spent two years working as a HR Administrator at Bracknell Forest Council and working towards the level 3 HR Support Apprenticeship, which finished in November 2025, Kira describes herself as being at the early stages of her HR career.
After making the decision to change career, Kira Woodrofe entered local government to start a new career within HR. Having now spent two years working as a HR Administrator at Bracknell Forest Council and working towards the level 3 HR Support Apprenticeship, which finished in November 2025, Kira describes herself as being at the early stages of her HR career. However, her willingness to step into new opportunities has already set a strong
foundation for future development. One such opportunity came in the form of the Local Government Apprentice of the Year 2026 event. In preparation for the event, Kira completed an emotional intelligence assessment and sought feedback from colleagues. These reflective tools ensured she arrived at the event
feeling as ready as possible for the challenges ahead.
At the start of day one, Kira described feeling apprehensive, excited, and curious but the opening icebreaker activity which provided a valuable opportunity to connect with apprentices from across the country. While initially daunting, this experience helped her begin building relationships and understanding the diversity of roles within local government.
I enjoyed all of the aspects that we had to work on as a team as I could benefit from different perspectives and interpretation
As the day progressed, team work became central to the overall experience. Kira fully embraced the opportunity to collaborate, recognising that the strength of the team lay in the variety of perspectives and ideas each member brought. The event’s theme, ‘Innovation,’ further strengthened the value of teamwork. Kira enjoyed hearing fresh ideas and exploring how technology and new approaches could be used to improve local government services. It was the final group activity though, which brought together all their efforts, that was the highlight and most rewarding part of the event for Kira and which she felt showcased their team’s collaboration.
Day two brought excitement and anticipation, as Kira looked forward to finding out which apprentices had excelled and reflecting on the experience. Inspired by insights from guest speakers, particularly around understanding organisational priorities, she gained a valuable perspective on how individual contributions connect to wider goals.
When the results were announced, Kira was surprised to learn that she had been part of the winning team.
I really enjoyed this experience, and I am glad to have taken part. I would like to thank my council for entering me and I am thankful to the organisers for all of the hard work that has clearly gone into this even
Reflecting on the event, Kira identified teamwork as the most rewarding aspect. Working closely with others, learning from different perspectives, and contributing towards a shared goal created a strong sense of achievement. The experience of attending the event and being part of a winning team has given Kira greater confidence as she now continues her HR apprenticeship journey. By stepping forward, embracing teamwork, and fully engaging in the experience, Kira has taken an important step forward in her development, demonstrating the true impact of working together to achieve success