Finding an apprenticeship wasn’t easy, especially finding one that was right for me. So how did I get to my apprenticeship here at Headland? Well, I’ll tell you a little bit about that journey now…
Like most 15/16-year-olds doing their GCSE’s, we’re all told the same thing when thinking about our future, do your GCSE’s, then A-levels, get a degree at university – the same linear way of thinking that generations before us have drilled into us constantly. And frankly, I’ve never been the scholarly type, though I always got good grades in school.
My only plan after completing Year 11 was to move to New York. That’s all I ever wanted to do from a young age, and because my dad lived out there it was a pretty easy move to make. The summer after completing my GCSE’s I was gone. Goodbye London, hello Long Island New York. However, after spending a couple of years in New York, it suddenly hit me that the career path I thought I wanted, but more so what my parents and teachers had guided me towards, wasn’t right for me after all.
I found myself missing the cold dreariness of London, so I moved back. It was quite a difficult time for me, my friends were all starting university and very few had plans to go straight into work. So, I began hunting for apprenticeships and a lot of what I was seeing was in ‘business admin’. I applied, despite never being a fan of admin work, and by nature being a more creative person.. I got some offers but constantly found myself turning them down. Surely, I should be happy to get any job right?
Wrong! I am hugely passionate about wanting to spend my career doing something I love. After a pretty tough time during the pandemic, I began my search again. But this time looking for something more creative. Somewhere amongst my search I stumbled upon Public Relations, which I had never put much thought into before, having no knowledge of the industry at all. After doing a bit more research, I realised that PR often incorporates aspects of digital media.
And that’s when I found Headland’s Apprenticeship with the PRCA! After seeing it would give me a Level 4 qualification in Public Relations, plus the number of interesting brands Headland worked with, I applied straight away!
After a fun assessment day, where we got to take part in a number of activities like a group debate on lowering the voting age to 16, writing social media copy and an individual presentation on Crayola’s brand and purpose, I went away knowing I’d made the right choice and hoping I’d done enough to impress!
Well, four months later and here I am, and I am loving every minute of it!