Unapologetically Nerdy About Apprenticeships

My apprenticeship journey began back in 2021, sparked by a conversation with my line manager about my future in the Marketing team. As a school leaver, I missed the chance to gain a formal qualification, and often found myself struggling to keep up with new tasks and unfamiliar skills. I needed something to help me build confidence as a marketer. I was eager to work on my personal and professional growth, but I wasn’t sure where to start. After considering options like part-time university courses, my line manager introduced me to a way to earn a recognised qualification and gain hands-on experience, all while keeping my full-time salary.

This apprenticeship solution helped me achieve both my personal and professional goals in a way that was affordable and manageable.

Coming back to learning after more than 15 years away from formal education was definitely an adjustment. The studying was challenging at first, but once I found my rhythm and discovered the best way for me to learn, I became fully invested. The sense of accomplishment I felt after excelling in my classes and achieving a distinction at the end of the course was incredibly rewarding. It ignited a desire to keep pushing forward and see what more I could achieve.

That’s when I decided to take the plunge into a second apprenticeship: Level 3 Leadership & Management, delivered by Fuel Learning. This course helped me sharpen my leadership skills and develop into a more effective manager within my team.

Along the way, I’ve gained valuable skills—like project management, campaign planning, and situational leadership—that I apply directly in my day-to-day role as a Marketing Campaign Manager.

Balancing Work and Study

Managing a full-time job while learning can be tricky, but I quickly learned that having a well-structured study schedule was key. I made sure to plan my study days around my classes, which kept me on track and helped me retain information more effectively. To ensure I wasn’t disturbed, I’d set my email to out-of-office and activate ‘Do Not Disturb’ on Teams during study sessions.

This structure also allowed me to fill my off-the-job hours with practical activities, like shadowing colleagues, attending operational meetings, listening to relevant podcasts, and doing independent research.

Chasing a Big Dream

I have big career goals ahead, and my line manager has been a huge inspiration for where I want to be one day.

The knowledge, skills, and practical experience I’ve gained through these apprenticeships are helping me work toward my ultimate career goal of becoming Head of Marketing. I’m incredibly grateful for the talented team around me and the supportive leadership team who continue to guide me in the right direction. The journey is far from over, and I’m excited to see where it takes me next.