Samuel Okusaga, 20, wanted to make a good impression on his first day as an apprentice at education and publishing company Pearson PLC, so he wore a three-piece suit. “I was the most overdressed person in the office,” he says. But it wasn’t long before Okusaga got settled in and started making waves (and more appropriate fashion choices). Soon enough, he was helping to organise events and put together marketing materials. He even asked the chief executive of the company personally to be his mentor. “He agreed and I now have meetings with him three times a year,” he says. “It’s been a really enriching experience”.
There are a wide range of apprenticeship opportunities available across the UK. Government figures show that in 2018/19, there were as many as 742,400 people doing an apprenticeship in England alone. Many ambitious people are choosing apprenticeships as a way to power ahead in their careers, while benefiting from structure and mentorship – something that all apprenticeships include.
Katie Harvey
Apprentices are able to lead on projects, which helps them gain skills and propel their careers forward. Daniel John, a 28-year-old apprentice at South Gloucestershire council – who has Asperger’s – says he’s felt the benefit of being given rewarding and interesting work.
“I deliver autism training to teams in the council to raise awareness. I also started a working group to create a sensory garden to promote wellbeing in the council,” he says. “It’s inspired by nature and we’ve created a secluded space with a bench and we’ve planted daffodils, herbs and sunflowers.”
Daniel John
This hands-on experience has given John skills he will use throughout his career. “I’ve learned more about myself, my capabilities and what I can do,” he says. “I’ve gained admin skills and project management skills. I’ve also got better at public speaking.”
But apprentices are not left to develop skills on their own, as Katie Harvey, an 18-year-old apprentice electrician at construction company Darke & Taylor, explains. Like many apprentices, Harvey has a mentor to guide her. “I get on really well with my mentor. He knows what I can do and what I can’t, as well as what I’m interested in, and he’s always willing to show me,” she says. “I get loads of support from my employer.”
Harvey says doing an apprenticeship has had many additional benefits as well. “It’s not just about the work, you gain a lot of different life skills, such as time management skills,” she says. “It gives you a lot more independence and you can buy things for yourself. I’m living at my parents’ house but I’m saving to move out. I didn’t do an apprenticeship because it was the only option – I did it because it was the better option for me,” she says.
Apprenticeships also offer the opportunity to progress, often while staying at the company you trained with; 88% of apprentices remain in employment after completing an apprenticeship. This was a “massive relief” to Whitney Boateng, 26, who is a cyber analyst doing a degree apprenticeship at Barclays Technology Centre. “After four years, I can continue working with the company and I don’t have to pay [any money] back, because they invest in you,” says Boateng. “It’s good to know your employer has paid for you, and after four years you don’t have any debt. I can just jump into the next move in my career.”
Maryam Jumani
Maryam Jumani, an apprentice at JP Morgan, agrees. She says the lack of financial stress has had a significant impact on her life. “Being able to earn at the same time means I can spend my free time travelling and trying new foods, which are my current interests,” she says. “I feel as though I am getting the best of both worlds.”
All the apprentices we spoke to were confident that an apprenticeship was the right move for them. “I have absolutely no regrets,” says Harvey. “Compared with when I started, I’m so much more skilled.”
John says doing an apprenticeship has made him realise how much he enjoys working. “I look forward to going to work,” he says. “I need to have a structure to be able to flourish and to feel that I’m contributing. It makes me feel I’ve got a purpose.”
Samuel Okusaga
For Okusaga, his apprenticeship has given him confidence in himself as a person, as well as in his work. “In sixth form, I had issues with speaking,” he says. “I used to speak really fast and didn’t have much clarity and that affected my confidence. But during my apprenticeship I’ve had opportunities to practise by speaking at team meetings and I feel like I’m better now, I’m more relaxed when I speak and I’m able to get my point across.”
Overall, Okusaga says the apprenticeship has been the making of him. “I’m really pleased I’ve done it. It’s been a challenging experience,” he says. “But you can’t grow in life without going on an adventure.”
Fire it up
Engineering, food, fashion – if you can think of it, there’s probably an apprenticeship available. From large corporations to agile startups, everyone’s getting involved. Excited? Visit apprenticeships.gov.uk
