Apprenticeship Case Studies

One way the support from my skills coach helps me in my role, is by ensuring that I don’t spend all my time procrastinating.

For example, when producing our evidence summaries, my skills coach ensures I split my time perfectly so that by my final year, I’m not under too much pressure, especially being a mother of two.

It’s been brilliant being able to take what I’m learning in the lectures into the workplace.

The communication between Ada, my manager and the wider organisation at BofA, has been super helpful, for my mental health but also for my wellbeing and my career.

They’ve been very helpful during my apprenticeship.

There were times when I was stuck on my reflective statements, trying to figure out what kind of evidence to use from work. I’d ask my skills coach, and she’d give me great advice, like asking my manager for a certification or using certain spreadsheet work.

She also coached me on how to get a better rating in my reviews with my manager.

I would say please go for it.

One reason why I say go for it, is the opportunity to be able to have a very fresh mind out of college and then shaping their growth in a way that genuinely benefits your team and the wider business.

Apprentices come with curious minds and a real eagerness to learn, upskill, and contribute. They bring entirely fresh perspectives to projects. While people who have been in the field for 30 years can sometimes be limited by doing things the same way, having a brand-new outlook can be a massive plus.

Absolutely, go ahead and do it. There is really no risk involved. When you bring in an apprentice at 18 or 19, they are completely fresh to the industry and just want to learn as much as possible. I 100% recommend it.

Companies should absolutely look at hiring apprentices.

In today’s economy, it’s incredibly difficult for young people to get their foot in the door and gain real work experience, even after graduating from university. Apprenticeships teach practical, real-world skills that you just don’t get in a traditional academic setting.

Compared to university graduates, apprentices are much more proactive, confident, and business-minded. They are able to make decisions that truly benefit the company and can communicate clearly with stakeholders right from the start.

In three words, I would describe Ada as focused, purpose-oriented, and supportive.

Emphasis on ‘supportive’ because I have benefited so much from the support system here. I started my apprenticeship when my second child was just six months old, and the care I received deeply touched me.

Before our Launchpad week started, I was incredibly anxious, but Ada even provided a dedicated room where I could pump breast milk. I will be forever grateful to every member of staff who constantly checked in to ensure I was doing well mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Supportive. Inquisitive? and driven.

Starting your career as an apprentice means there’s no expectation for you to know everything right away.

You are truly able to ask as many questions as possible and learn on the go. For graduates, there is often an expectation that they should already understand what’s going on because of their degree, so they can get thrown into the deep end a bit more.

As an apprentice, I’ve loved having the freedom to ask questions and really learn the ropes from start to finish. While we all end up in a similar place eventually, having the flexibility early on to explore different career paths has been fantastic.

I would describe the journey as exponential growth.

Students usually start out with very few digital skills, but Ada builds on those skills more and more until they graduate as confident, capable professionals. They know exactly what they’re doing, they are able to contribute meaningfully to their businesses, and they carry themselves with real confidence.

The skills I’ve developed cover both technical and soft skills.

On the technical side, I’ve learned SQL for querying databases, Tableau for creating data visualizations and charts, and advanced Excel for manipulating data. A massive part of my role as a Business Analyst is acting as a bridge between the developers and the stakeholders. I translate what the stakeholders need into technical requirements for the developers, and then communicate the technical updates back to the stakeholders without any jargon.

This has massively boosted my communication skills and given me the confidence to speak to different audiences in a way that truly benefits the business.