Daniel Samuels
School leavers apprenticeship with Ernst & Young
You know when they say: ‘It’s not rocket science?’ Well I was studying rocket science quite literally, at the University of Manchester, when the pandemic started. As a first-year I was living in halls back in March and suddenly we were given two weeks to get our stuff and get out. I wasn’t really enjoying university, and the pandemic put things into perspective: life’s too short! Then, this August, I realised I can’t go back to university – paying £9,000 a year for Zoom calls is mad. I decided to look into doing a school leaver apprenticeship with Ernst & Young, a company I’ve always aimed to work for. As a uni graduate I might not have stood out to them, but as a year 13 graduate I stand out. I was involved in loads of extra curricular projects and my CV looks strong. I’m interested in trading and cryptocurrency so I spoke about that in my interview with EY. The manager interviewing me asked where I see myself in the future and I told her: EY board of directors. I’m going straight to the top.
Samuel Foxwell
Level 3 apprenticeship with Pinnacle Housing Association
I was going to Middlesex University to do a business course, but then I thought: “Is this what I really want to be doing?” University is not the same this year as people are just locked in their rooms. With an apprenticeship I’d be getting paid and learning workplace skills at the same time, so it seemed like the way to go. Now I’m actually working in housing, I have customer service skills that I can take into future jobs. I’m training to become an income officer, helping people manage their rent and I’m on the phone all day, it’s great. I’m starting my CIH (Chartered Institute of Housing) qualification next year. It’s an 18-month course that I’ll get one day a week off my job to complete. Our office is only allowed eight people in at any time – but they accommodated me every day when I first started so I was in the office five days a week, with the support I needed. They’ve been brilliant, to be honest, giving me everything that I needed. I couldn’t have made a better decision. I can see the future and I’m working towards something, so it’s all good.
Yasin Usman
Degree apprenticeship in digital and technology solutions with Vodaphone
Degree apprenticeships: higher-level study, but no uni fees? Yes pleaseRead more
I confirmed a place at Queen Mary University of London to be close to my family during Covid-19. Grades are crucial to getting into uni, so when I heard that the A-level exams were cancelled I started looking into degree apprenticeships, which seemed like a great option. I decided to go into IT because there are lots of jobs in the field. My apprenticeship is run by Blackpool & Fylde College and accredited by Lancaster University, so I’ll graduate from there. I’ve been working from home since I started, which has been great, as it cuts out the commute and I can use the hours productively. I am missing the human interaction – however, many of my colleagues are all over Europe, so we’d be working online even if I was in the office. I work in a team called Network as a Platform within network architecture, focusing on new technologies, so the experience I’ll gain from this role will be invaluable.
Megan Lightfoot
Degree apprenticeship in quantity surveying with Tom Willowby Ltd.
I’d originally planned to go to Northumbria Uni, where I’d applied for a quantity surveying degree, but when I heard that A-level grades would be based on mocks I thought I should have a back-up plan. I started to look into apprenticeships and I found one at Tom Willowby Ltd. They hadn’t advertised when I applied, I just emailed them on the off chance and they offered me an interview. I thought it would be a lot more valuable than going to uni, especially at this current time. I don’t think I would have enjoyed university this year. My friends at uni say it’s hard doing courses online, while I can work in the office or on site, as construction is a key-worker industry. I’m starting my degree apprenticeship next September, but until then the company has taken me on in an admin role. It’ll take me five years to finish the course, but I have no regrets; I’ll have a job and a degree, so it’s the best of both worlds.
