Three current apprentices, Oyinda, a degree apprentice at CAE Technology Services; Erin, a data analyst apprentice at Jaguar Land Rover; Kate, a data technician apprentice at the NHS and Rebecca, who recently completed her apprenticeship at Defra, shared their insider advice. We’ve selected the best bits from the event, so if you’re wondering if an apprenticeship could be the pathway for you, read on to hear their tips!
Starting Your Journey: Your Time Is Now! (Or Later!)
“My brother did a degree apprenticeship,” said Erin, a data analyst apprentice at Jaguar Land Rover. “I got to see him do his first year so by the time I got to Year 13 I thought that's what I want to do.”
Oyinda said “I decided to defer my University entry.” Unsure whether to opt for a digital marketing degree or a different route she wanted time to weigh up her options. She continued “In case I didn't find an apprenticeship, I could always go back.” After spending a year immersing herself in the tech community, she knew tech was the path for her.
Rebecca started her apprenticeship after 7 years in hospitality, while Kate started her data apprenticeship after having her son. There’s no need to rush your decision - take time and explore your options, apprenticeships will always be there.
Support Matters: Looking Beyond The Curriculum
"JLR has 38 apprentices in my year. It's a big early careers community and they've been running apprenticeships for years - I didn't want to be in the first cohort, that was really important to me." Employer support was key for Erin. Finding out about the support on offer, delivery style and class sizes can be a great way to help you choose between programmes.
Rebecca agreed, “Makers were so supportive. They had yoga sessions and meditation after lunch. The tutors were always around if you had any questions, you knew you were never alone.”
Finding Your Perfect Apprenticeship Programme
“Just IT has a partnership with our hospital. I read a newsletter where they mention apprenticeships and this one caught my eye.” Kate found her data apprenticeship through her employer but you can head to Just IT’s website to find Level 3 and 4 apprenticeships in Digital Marketing, IT, Analysis or Software Development. Makers share information on Software Engineering, Cloud Engineering, Data Engineering and Quality Engineering apprenticeships on their website.
Not Going to Uni, Rate My Apprenticeship and social media are also great tools to help your search. Erin says “The websites help you filter the level, location and salary but Instagram and TikTok helped to understand what a data analyst actually does.”
Ready To Apply? Here’s How
"When I was in school, the advice was ‘apply for as many as you can’, but I'd say only apply for ones where if you got them, you'd be happy. I applied to four and balancing that and 3 A levels was hard" - Says Erin.
Rebecca described her Makers application. “There was a week's tutorial - an hour a day learning a language with a test at the end. Then a 10-minute phone call with Makers - which makes sense as 800 people had applied for two positions! Finally, I had a 45-minute interview with Defra, with my future line manager and a tech panel."
Some programmes ask for specific GCSEs. Kate's Level 3 apprenticeship with Just IT required Maths and English while Oyinda's required at least one STEM A Level for her degree apprenticeship. As Emily, Director of Next Tech Girls shared, “Don’t be put off if you don’t have STEM GCSEs or A Levels. Some programmes won’t require it.”
A Day In The Life Of An Apprentice
The best part of apprenticeships? You're learning, earning and doing. You'll spend 20% of your time studying, and 80% working in real life tech teams.
Training at Makers is delivered in an up-front 12-weeks bootcamp, before you start work. Other programmes, like Kate's at the NHS, spread the learning. “I arranged with my manager to take every Friday as a study day." Erin has a similar setup, "Every Friday I'm out of office doing assignments and preparing for exams."
Apprenticeships get you workplace-ready from day one, giving you broad experience in a range of areas. "In the first two years we rotated through different departments," says Oyinda. "I've had experience in customer experience, data analytics, and then for our final year they tell us to choose a department we want to be in."
Final Thoughts
Apprenticeships can be your ticket to the tech career of your dreams. Earn while you learn, get hands-on experience, and start your journey without student debt. As Rebecca puts it: "I literally can't fault it. I get to work from home and work with amazing people. I just love it!"
Watch the full video to hear more insights from our panel and sign up to our newsletter for the latest apprenticeship opportunities with our partners.
