How apprenticeships break down barriers to employment

I’m currently a project management apprentice at BAE Systems, helping to build some of the most advanced warships in the world for the Royal Navy. But, like many others, I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do once I finished school and my journey hasn’t been linear.

I originally wanted to study medicine at university, drawn by a strong interest in healthcare and helping others. However, recognising the intense competition and limited spaces available on the course, I changed tact and studied pharmacology and immunology instead.

Even though I enjoyed what I was studying, I started panicking about what the future held after graduation. Was I going to be able to land a job straight away? The financial and emotional worry of studying with no wage and the fear of the unknown can be really overwhelming.

I asked my mum for advice and she mentioned BAE Systems. She remembered that a family friend had started working there a few years before and suggested I got in touch with her to chat about her experience. This was invaluable insight and I recommend doing the same to any young person considering their options. The more people you can talk to about their own journeys, the better.

That one phone call had such a huge impact. I applied for my current role during my final year of university and ended up sitting my final interview on the same day as my last exam which, needless to say, was quite stressful! It paid off though.

University is an amazing experience for so many and a great option, depending on where you want to go, but then so are apprenticeships. Yet I don’t think they are getting the recognition they deserve yet. Part of the reason for that, in my opinion, is a lack of awareness. I certainly wish I had known about them sooner. They’re simply not spoken about enough as a valuable path to good jobs.

The reality is that sitting in lectures or being in an academic environment doesn’t suit everyone. That’s one of my favourite parts of my role; it’s hands-on and about tackling real-world challenges. It’s not just being told how to do things, the theory, but actually doing them for real as part of your education.

I also worry that the common misconception that apprenticeships are only for trade-based roles is also seeing the opportunity that they present pass a lot of people by. I know from my own journey that the reality is much different and there is a real breadth of options across many, many professions. Take shipbuilding as an example; everyone thinks about the need for engineers and welders, vitally important roles in the industry, but it takes a much larger team, covering a huge array of jobs to successfully build a ship. In my role working on the new Type 26 frigates, for example, I assist with planning, organisation and execution to ensure we meet core objectives on time.

Besides the hands-on nature of them, the ability to ‘earn while you learn’ is another massive benefit of apprenticeships. Some of my friends from university took almost three years to land a job in their respective fields. This is a barrier you don’t come up against as an apprentice and helps those from less affluent backgrounds to get onto the career ladder far quicker.

I always felt encouraged by my teachers at school to pursue any subject that I expressed an interest in – including science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) – but I know that isn’t always the case. While more must be done to raise awareness of apprenticeships more broadly, I would also love for more young girls to be encouraged to consider careers in these subjects as we’re still underrepresented within them.

I decided to join a STEM ambassador program to share my experience with others to play my part in promoting apprenticeships and female participation. This advocacy is made all the easier as I get to work alongside inspirational female role models every day at BAE Systems. Watching the successes of the female chief engineer on the Type 26 programme, for example, has made me feel like I can do anything.

As someone who has experienced both university and an apprenticeship, my advice to anyone receiving their results is to not be afraid of exploring every option available to you. University, college, apprenticeships or even a gap year are all valid paths. Talk to as many people as possible about their own journeys. Their experiences might just open your eyes to a path you never knew existed.

​Helena, Higher Project Management Apprentice at BAE Systems