“Before my apprenticeship, I worked in retail for two years. I reflected on what career path I wanted to commit to – something that would allow me to grow and develop.

 

When I discovered marketing, it felt like the perfect choice. It offers an ideal balance of creativity and analytical work, giving me the opportunity to combine innovative ideas with structured, desktop-based tasks.

 

When I was deciding between university and an apprenticeship, one thing stood out: I wanted real-world experience.

 

Instead of worrying about student loans, I’m gaining qualifications while earning. Every day, I apply practical skills in a professional setting, making learning rewarding and relevant. I’ve been able to learn, grow, and kick-start my career with the guidance and support I need.

 

Every day brings something new and means I am constantly learning and growing.

 

In a normal working week, I work in the office two days a week and from home on three days but no two days are the same – and that’s what makes it so exciting.

 

Every morning begins with the essentials: checking emails, reviewing social platforms and responding to comments. From there each day takes a different direction. One day I could be in meetings others I’m diving headfirst into creating and scheduling content- whether that’s social posts, blogs or visuals for upcoming campaigns. The next I could be preparing audits, working on website updates or analysing competitors to keep us one step ahead.

 

Balancing off-the-job training hours with work responsibilities can be challenging, but it’s important to make the most of your learning opportunities.

 

My top tips are:

• Document everything you’ve learned in a learning journal – this will help you optimise your work and track your progress.
• Don’t hesitate to ask for new tasks that you haven’t tried before – this is a great way to add to your off the job hours.
• Support is always available if you’re unsure how to build up your hours, and webinars are an excellent resource for gaining additional knowledge and experience.

 

Before joining the industry, I thought marketing was all about content creation – but it’s so much more than that.

 

From mapping out campaigns and researching audiences, to setting goals and timelines. It makes you realise how much thought and strategy is involved before anything goes live. Seeing this has given me a whole new perspective on marketing.

 

Starting an apprenticeship can feel intimidating, especially when you’re surrounded by experienced professionals.

 

Try to see this as an amazing opportunity to learn from them and grow your skills. Remember, no one is there to judge you – mistakes are part of the process, and at the end of the day, you’re there to learn.”