Workshops, mentoring and belief

The responsibility and opportunity to voice how effective apprenticeships can be as an alternative to university is incredibly monumental. To have my face be known amongst people of high calibre and other apprentice’s within Lewisham Council gives me a great sense of worth.
 
I’ve been given the chance to guide, help and mentor a new apprentice within the Council I work in to take working life and personal growth to new levels, reaching leaps and bounds in their own achievements and developments.
 
Of all the apprentices within the Council I work in, I was suggested to be the voice of the scheme at the ‘Lewisham Career Forum’ at Goldsmiths University; to speak out and express how effective and key apprenticeships are as an alternative route to gaining a career in all different fields.
 
I divulged my story; that after attending a 6th form college for my first year, I found the subjects were completely off target from what was originally stated. It left me feeling extremely let down and worried that university could offer the same disappointment. I had to make the brave decision to leave with my AS Levels and work towards my actual “dream career” as a project manager in a different fashion. This meant I had to not only believe in myself, but also that there were alternate ways to reach my goal.

I spoke to schools careers advisors that had attended the workshop about better ways of advising young people about apprenticeships and positive outcomes that can occur. Not everything in life should be looked upon with a negative light, especially when its with motivating young people.
 
I’ve always been advised that university is what is needed to be successful, however I’m currently doing an apprenticeship which can offer the same foundations to gain a degree later on in life, as well as on the job training and no university fees!

With APM and Skills CFA’s Higher Apprenticeship in Project Management changing the overall negative thought of apprenticeship’s as a whole and the support and guidance from an outstanding manager, I believe I am being given the right support to gain what I need to reach every milestone I have set for myself. 
 
APM has offered a platform for the 12 apprentices currently associated with the course to propel themselves towards greatness. It is now down to myself to use the tools I have been given to build my wall of success.
 
To believe in yourself is key to progression; for when you believe in yourself, so will others! 
 
“Faith is taking the first step, even when you can not see the whole staircase..” – Martin Luther King, Jr

Find out more about Higher Apprenticeships in Project Management 

Read other blogs in the Higher Apprenticeship in Project Management series:

• Stuart Tatton, Apprentice Project Manager at EC Harris - "Apprentices: hired or fired?"