Written by Naomi Dykins, Digital Marketing Apprentice at Datesand (February 2023)

National Apprenticeship Week 2024

National Apprenticeship Week is held every year in February to celebrate achievements and how apprentices can positively impact businesses. The theme this year is ‘Skills for Life’, which is about how apprenticeships can help individuals to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career, and employers can develop a workforce with future ready skills.

Apprentices come at all different levels, from high school leavers to university graduates, and it is a great investment as an employer. It’s a productive and effective way to grow talent and develop a motivated, skilled and qualified workplace. Statistics from Apprenticeships.gov.uk state that:

· 86% of employers said apprenticeships helped them develop skills relevant to their organisation

· 78% of employers said apprenticeships helped them improve productivity

· 74% of employers said apprenticeships helped them improve the quality of their product or service

My year as an apprentice

I started as an apprentice in February 2023, and as I approach my 1st anniversary at Datesand (a Member organisation of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter) I’ve reflected on my journey.

Before starting this course, I graduated with a degree in Photography in 2022 from the University of Salford. I found these three years extremely valuable but also quite difficult; trying to balance my studies, whilst working to earn an income, whilst trying to have a social life, then throw a global pandemic into the mix, and it was a struggle!

Once I graduated, I didn’t consider an apprenticeship. I thought I had missed my chance, or that I wouldn’t find a course that could propel me towards a proper career. In addition to this, I wasn’t certain which career to pursue! That was until I saw the Content Creator Level 3 course at The Juice Academy (based in Manchester) and after going through the application process, I was invited to Bootcamp Day. I found that this process was fun, but quite a challenge. We had 2-minute pitches from the employers, and we had just 1-minute to pitch ourselves to prospective employers, followed by an afternoon of interviews. I had prepped really hard and managed to end the day with three offers, one of which I accepted!

The sessions at The Juice Academy have been exciting and really informative. Each of those delivering the sessions, including many guest speakers, were professionals in their field. From being taught how to use industry standard software and tools, to understanding how SEO works, to building confidence and public speaking skills, it was insightful and beneficial as I will be able to use what I have learned in my career from now on.

My year at Datesand has been invaluable. I have developed many of my existing skills and gained new ones in my time here. Being able to study and work at the same time has proven to be the best move for me, as it has allowed me to earn while I learn and feel like part of a team. Who wouldn’t want that!

Real Living Wage

One struggle that many apprentices face is the wage. We usually work full time, yet often get paid the bare minimum.

An apprentice is entitled to the National Minimum Wage rate of £5.28 an hour regardless of age (as of April 2023) – equating to less than £11,000 a year. Even though young apprentices need and deserve more than this, it has been shown that 47% of the apprenticeships started in 2021/22 were actually by people aged 25+, and 30% were aged between 19 and 24. Source.

Luckily, in April 2024, there will be an increase in the National Minimum Wage rate to £6.20 for apprentices, but this is still nowhere near the Real Living Wage.

One great thing about Datesand is they are a proud Real Living Wage employer. But what is the Real Living Wage?

The Real Living Wage is the only UK wage based on the cost of living and businesses can voluntarily pay it to their people. With the rising cost of living, it’s more important than ever for employers to commit to paying a Real Living Wage.

Financial stress is a mitigating factor for poor performance, and it increases absence and can affect conduct. According to CIPD, the relationship between financial and overall wellbeing is reciprocal, potentially creating vicious circles. It directly affects people’s mental health, which in turn affects performance and productivity.

With the positive impact we have seen on businesses that employ an apprentice, it would make sense to pay them appropriately. Since Datesand pay the Real Living Wage, I have seen a significant drop in my own financial worries since being in university, ultimately allowing me to focus on working towards my qualification the best I can. It also instantly made me feel like part of the team; I’m not ‘just the apprentice’, I am part of the Datesand Marketing Team. This feeling is mirrored in my work, as I feel confident in my ability and enjoy the day-to-day office life that changes every day. If I want to expand my knowledge and skills within any aspect of my role, from Adobe software to website building to industry understanding, they are quick to support me in this and value me as part of the team.

The fewer outside worries a person has, the less they spill into the workplace, and just by providing a wage that is sustainable for the majority it allows a workforce to be strong and produce incredible work. For me, being able to work this way is allowing me to have the best evidence for my Portfolio and Assessment at the end of my apprenticeship, giving me the best chance of receiving my goal of a distinction grade.

Conclusion

As I get ready to complete my Level 3 Content Creator apprenticeship course, I do not take this journey for granted.

Having support within work, with financial and mental health aid, alongside the support from all those at The Juice Academy, including my Development Coach provided by Apprentify, to further my career using all the knowledge they have and opportunities they provide, I am thankful and excited to see what the future has for me.

Employing an apprentice benefits both parties, with the impact being positive overall. There is still work to do within the industry, like making the application process easier and a less negative experience, but as apprenticeships become more popular and more refined, I believe that will create a better learning experience for many evolving students breaking out into their professional careers.