An insight into the life of an apprentice

National Apprenticeship Week is drawing to a close for another year, but what a week it has been!

From meeting the MP for Outer York, Julian Sturdy, to hearing about all of the fascinating and positive experiences that employers, apprentices, teachers and STEM Ambassadors have had, this week has truly emphasised the impact that apprenticeships can have on a variety of people.

Although National Apprenticeship Week is nearly over, for the hundreds of thousands of apprentices around the UK, the impact of doing an apprenticeship continues and will continue for many years to come.

As a marketing apprentice, I come into regular contact with people who are both equally fascinated and confused by what I do in my role at STEM Learning. People are used to hearing about apprenticeships in manufacturing and engineering, not marketing (and especially not digital marketing!).

Thanks to National Apprenticeship Week, my love and passion for what I do has grown even more, and it’s amazing to hear that there are so many other apprentices that feel as positively as I do about their own experiences.

The fantastic thing about National Apprenticeship Week is that it’s the chance to raise the profile of all different kinds of apprentices and apprenticeships. Whether you’re an apprentice in manufacturing, finance or law, this week is a great opportunity to emphasise their impact.

Here at STEM Learning, I think we have achieved that. We’re lucky to have a variety of apprentices working with us – from marketing and laboratories, to finance and facilities. Not only are we well supported in our individual teams, we regularly meet up with each other and discuss what we have been up to.

It was fantastic for all of the apprentices to talk to our local MP earlier this week about our apprenticeships, Julian was fascinated by the variety and diversity of our work and interested to hear the impact it’s had. Talking to the MP really brought home what a fantastic opportunity we have been provided with at STEM Learning – we are well-supported, developing our skills and becoming more confident in our roles every day.

Thanks to National Apprenticeship Week, my love and passion for what I do has grown even more, and it’s amazing to hear that there are so many other apprentices that feel as positively as I do about their own experiences.

Earlier this week, Chantelle, our Laboratory Technician, wrote a fantastic blog about how doing an apprenticeship has changed her life. We’ve had blogs employers, apprentices, STEM Ambassadors, teachers and apprenticeship managers, all talking about how beneficial apprenticeships can be.

It’s clear that the profile of apprenticeships are beginning to change. Thanks to efforts from the Government, schools, colleges and other organisations, apprenticeships are starting to be taken more seriously.

I was lucky enough to have received a lot of support from my sixth form when making the decision to do an apprenticeship rather than go to university, and eventually I hope that all young people will receive the same support and guidance.

Apprenticeships are a viable option for millions of young people across the world – let’s hope that their popularity continues to increase.

An insight into the life of an apprentice

Joanne Woolley

You may also be interested in…