Elle Armstrong was awarded a Distinction following the completion of her Level 4 PR and Communications Assistant apprenticeship. 

For Apprenticeship Week 2023 she wrote an article for her university and now shares it with us to inspire others to consider whether an apprenticeship might be just what they need.

I had never considered an apprenticeship as an option for me

I talked about my journey as an apprentice in a previous article and explained that I had never considered it as an option for me. I had so many misconceptions about what an apprenticeship was and who it was for, but actually, it turned out to be a perfect fit. And it could be for you too.

So, here are five signs an apprenticeship could be for you:

1. You are new to a career

Now, this first scenario might seem obvious. In the 20th century, it’s certainly how a large proportion of people started their careers in the UK.
Apprenticeships are still going strong in areas such as engineering and healthcare, but they shouldn’t be overlooked as valuable training resources in professional and corporate work. My apprenticeship was in public relations. Did I know that you could do an apprenticeship in public relations? Nope!
The University I work for is a levy-paying employer, which means if there’s an appropriate apprenticeship out there, you can do it alongside your job for free, regardless of whether it’s a course delivered in-house or not. It really could be the launchpad you need to send your career to the stars.

2. You are a recent graduate

Like me, you might already have a degree or another criterion that makes you qualified for your job. You’ve gone through the due process, acquired all the necessary skills, and you look great on paper. But now you’re in the workplace applying what you’ve learned isn’t the walk in the park you expected it to be.
I’ve been there and I get it. I spent a year feeling like I was a total impostor before seeking help. I had the voice in my head saying “Why are you here? You’ll never know what you’re doing. They’re going to figure you out soon enough!”

I had the voice in my head saying “Why are you here? You’ll never know what you’re doing. They’re going to figure you out soon enough!”I

A piece of advice – don’t suffer for as long as I did. See what programmes are out there. Speak to your line manager. The problem probably isn’t you at all, some of us just need a bit of guidance on the transition.

3. You have moved to a new role

Similarly, you might have years of work experience under your belt, but a change in industry or role can really feel like starting again.
Some on-the-job structured training might just be what you need, and you shouldn’t overlook it on account of being a seasoned professional. Nobody’s judging!

4. You want to take your career to the next level

Ok, so maybe you’re well-established in your career and can honestly say you know what you’re doing. Well, why stop there? Did you know Level 6 and 7 apprenticeships are equivalent to undergraduate and master’s level study, respectively? An apprenticeship could up your game.

5. You love learning!

And last but not least, you’re a philomath like me. No, not a psychopath (though there may be some similarities). A philomath is someone who just can’t get enough of learning.

If you collect skills like stamps, and you’re happiest and most fulfilled when you’re learning something new, then you should really consider this as your next venture.

If you collect skills like stamps, and you’re happiest and most fulfilled when you’re learning something new, then you should really consider this as your next venture. I didn’t think my apprenticeship was going to be particularly academic, but I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of theory and contextual learning I could dip in and out of.

 learned so much in my apprenticeship, and I use what I learned every single day. 

 It has transformed me as a professional, and it could do the same for you too.