Changing the views of apprenticeships
“University is the way forward – you’ll never get a good job without it”, “It’s the much safer option!” These so-called ‘facts’ where all I heard when I was going through my final years of education. I hate to admit it, but I am someone who dislikes leaving their comfort zone. So there I was, exploring universities and seeing what they had to offer without even having a clue about what I really wanted to do, or where I could see myself in 5 years time. I then came across the idea of apprenticeships.
Looking at apprenticeships never crossed my mind and I never got any advice about them from my teachers, so I felt like I was in the dark especially since everyone around me was getting their university offers flying in. That was when I realised I had to sit down with myself and think what it was that I really wanted to do. What was I passionate about? One of my goals in life has always been to be able to say that I’m loving what I’m doing, and I was determined to reach it.
Some words of advice for you – don’t wait for the opportunity to come to you, create it yourself. Don’t sit around waiting for the perfect time, or waiting for your ideal job role to be advertised because chances are you’re not the only one waiting, and the timings are never perfect. Instead, get out there and hand out your CV’s to places that you know will provide you with what you want and sell yourself to them. Get out there and actively search. Not only does this show your passion, determination and eagerness, but it also gives you an advantage if you hear back from them and they’re thinking about offering out a role that hasn’t even been advertised yet. That was the case with eskimosoup and I – you could say the timing was perfect, but I made it possible by put myself out there hoping it was the right place at the right time. I would advise anyone to consider looking at apprenticeships, as apprenticeships can change your outlook and open many doors. At the end of the day, what have you got to lose?
It’s now been 5 months since eskimosoup welcomed me with opened arms and I can honestly say I haven’t looked back since. I still have another 10 months to go on my apprenticeship, but already it has given me so many amazing opportunities that I wouldn’t be given anywhere else. I’ve been tagging along to events, involved in meetings, and even invited to a formal business awards evening with my team – and yes, we did win! Being a part of a team, especially this one, is such a great feeling. Everyone has their own roles here, yet we still bounce off each other when it comes to sharing ideas and we’re always there to help each other out when an extra hand is needed.
I had no idea what my apprenticeship role was going to involve, or what would be expected of me, but it has definitely exceeded my expectations. To be able to honestly say that the novelty of coming into the office every day, working 9 till 5, still hasn’t worn off shows that I made the right choice without a doubt. The creative industry is definitely where I want to be, and where I can see myself going further into. My future and career is just getting started, but I can already tell it’s going to be a great one.
Thank you eskimosoup 😊
Alice O’Dwyer
Digital Marketing Apprentice