Become an apprentice

Sohail took an APM apprenticeship after deciding a law degree wasn’t for him after two years of studying at university.

“The project management [apprenticeship] appealed to me kind of straight off. I've always wanted to get into a management and leadership role.” The application process took several months to complete, but Sohail was successful and started the course at 21.

“You kind of subconsciously pick up so much stuff while you’re working, your skills are developing every day…It's a role where your improvement and your development never ends. Every day is a new challenge, and every week there's something else that you've learned that you can apply to different projects. I like how much it can keep you on your toes. There's never a dull day, which is always good because I like to be busy.”

Sohail loves the challenges that project management throws his way. It never allows you to be complacent, he says. “It's a role where your improvement and your development never ends. Every day is a new challenge, and every week there's something else that you've learned that you can apply to different projects. I like how much it can keep you on your toes. There's never a dull day, which is always good because I like to be busy.”

Advice for aspiring apprentices:

“If could go back with the belief I have now, I would have embraced the scheme a lot more in the first six months, when I probably spent a lot of it kind of doubting myself. But the knowledge and the confidence does come with time. I think the biggest piece of advice I have for any new apprentice is to remember that you're there for a reason. You've won a place on that scheme because you have got the competencies and the capabilities to become a project manager. Be resilient or remind yourself that you one day you'll walk in and things will start to make sense – that is a good feeling.”

After completing her A levels, Georgia felt like she couldn’t go on to university and pursued an apprenticeship at Direct Line Group. She was placed in the project management office (PMO), to help her get a better understanding of what a project is and how they are set up.

Her first project was for Direct Line’s rescue and breakdown teams; she spent a lot of time working with various stakeholders to build a picture of what the process should look like, ensuring that it aligned with the new operating model.

“It was really interesting…The key learning for me was to understand that as a project manager, I’m not expected to know everything. When I went in on that first project, I was worried because I didn’t know what anyone was talking about. But it helped me to think about the right questions to ask so I could learn new things and get all the information that I need.”

“I captured my own lessons learned afterwards,” she explains. “More like personal lessons, rather than a project one. Then you automatically apply those experiences without thinking about them. It’s a bit like when you’re little and you touch a hot pan – you’re not going to do it again.”

Georgia loves the work she does as a qualified project manager. Particularly, the fact that she gets to work with so many different people across the company, and the fact that she is delivering genuine change. “You feel like you’ve really got somewhere when you’ve started from nothing, basically. You’ve delivered this really great thing that hopefully people really like and it’s benefiting the business. It’s very satisfying.”

Advice for aspiring apprentices:

Don’t be nervous or worried about knowing everything and remember to ask for help: “When you’re an apprentice, everyone wants to see you succeed and do your best.” Read her three golden rules for managing your first project here.

Luca had always been passionate about business and management at school but was reluctant to go to university.

The placement was an APM project management apprenticeship at Direct Line. “It was the variety of projects and opportunities that you could get at Direct Line Group, and the fact that I’d still be sticking to my roots in that it was a very business-focused role,” he says.

“You’re hit with a lot of information on your apprenticeship,” he continues. “You’re trying to learn through APM while trying to understand the context of automation…by speaking to everyone you’re working with, you can pick up an awful lot.”

He started off supporting other project managers in the organisation, until he was ready to take on his own project. “It gave me the freedom to learn and work at the same time....You’re learning on the job, you’re surrounded by experts – in university, you might have one or two professors, but you’ve got a company full of experts.”

Advice for aspiring apprentices:

1. Do your research: “The hardest thing about apprenticeships is finding the right one for you. You need to have some focus as to what you want to do.”
2. Take the lead: “You just have to prove that you can produce a quality output as well as anyone else. It’s just that initial trust barrier – you need to show them what you’re made of.”
3. Get as much support as possible: “I got an experienced public speaker to join my calls, and after the call, we’d talk about how I’d done, how I could improve and stuff like that. That was a great bit of support, because I was getting loads of constructive feedback that I could apply on the next call.”

Read Luca’s tips for passing the APM Project Management Qualification.

Abi Fielding is a Project Management Trainee at AlphaPlus Consultancy Ltd, an education service business that specialises in standards, assessment and certification. Their work spans the public and private sectors, schools, colleges, vocational and professional learning. 

Abi has completed a Level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship which covered many different aspects of business including project management.  Abi joined AlphaPlus in 2022 as a Project Management Trainee. She has worked on several high-profile projects and upskilled considerably to the point that she is now leading one of the organisation’s high-profile trialling projects.

Abi has transitioned to a role where she now mentors and trains more recent apprentices. She has also recently completed a project to improve the induction process for new starters which has been implemented company-wide and will result in increased efficiency and shared learning.

Abi has been an active student member of APM, attending conferences and hands-on workshops that helped her further develop her project management and leadership skills.

Here Abi talks to APM about her apprenticeship and why she thinks there should be greater awareness about apprenticeships and project management as a career choice:

Why did you choose to do an apprenticeship?

I find it easier to learn practically with hands-on experience and wanted to develop my transferable skills alongside gaining knowledge and a qualification. I don’t think I would have progressed the way I have without being in the working environment.

What is it about project management that you enjoy?

I’ve enjoyed my personal growth and the trust that has been put into me along the way. I have developed from shadowing senior project managers on large projects, to running them independently in their absence and even leading my own projects.

I like the sense of pride I get when a project runs successfully, and when something goes wrong, I treat it as a learning experience and note it as a lesson learned for the future. It’s taught me the importance of transparency. I like the fact that things going wrong is part of the job because it makes you build and develop your problem solving and decision-making skills, as well as adaptability for the future; you can only get better at it!

Would you recommend apprenticeships to others? If so, why is this?

Yes, I believe apprenticeships offer a unique learning approach that can’t be found elsewhere, helping young people to kickstart their careers while gaining qualifications and real-life work experience with the additional benefits of a salary and having their foot in the door at a company after completion.

What projects have you, or are you currently working on at AlphaPlus?

The majority of my first year was spent supporting a senior project manager on the National Standardisation Assessment project for the Scottish Government, which is such a large project it requires two PMs, allowing me to be shown all the processes and procedure thoroughly before attempting them myself. However, since joining AlphaPlus I have worked across various projects both large and small. Most recently I have led my first two assessment trialling projects independently.

You now mentor and train other more recent apprentices, what do you enjoy about doing this?

I feel I can offer an additional level of support unique my colleagues who haven’t been an apprentice. I like how it makes me reflect on how far I’ve come and feel pride for both me and the people mentor.

Do you think there needs to be greater awareness about apprenticeships in schools/colleges?

Absolutely, I felt pushed by my sixth form to go to university without them offering or explaining any other alternatives. I thought I had no other option but to go to university, which isn’t true, university isn’t for everyone, and I wish I had known that sooner. I discovered my apprenticeship independently by actively seeking it after I had left college but feel like the support of my college would have made an immense difference.

Do you think there needs to be greater awareness of project management as a career choice? Many people tend to ‘fall into’ the ‘accidental project manager’

Yes, I agree. I knew little about project management when I found the job description. It was a career I definitely would have considered earlier if I have been made aware of it. Project management offers such a range of skills that can be transferable into so many job roles, I think more young people should know this.

Do you think that apprenticeships and other forms of on-the-job training are a solution to helping bridge the skills gap in project management and other professions?

Yes, definitely. As I said, university isn’t for everyone and that’s ok. I think starting my career so young and joining a company that only wants to support my growth has really helped my confidence and developed my skills in so many different areas.

Why did you choose to do a degree apprenticeship?

I chose to do a degree apprenticeship instead of going to university to have the opportunity to earn whilst I learn and stay debt free.

How did you find out about the degree apprenticeship with Mott MacDonald in the first place?

I already knew they had an office in Altrincham and when I left sixth form I was looking for a degree apprenticeship and a job advertisement for a degree apprenticeship at Mott MacDonald popped up based in Altrincham.

What appealed to you about doing a degree apprenticeship in project management?

Project management is a skill which is valuable in almost all industries.

Where are you completing your degree apprenticeship – which university, how many days a week do you do study v workplace?

I complete my degree apprenticeship through Northumbria University. I work 4 days a week and study 1 day a week.

When will you complete your degree apprenticeship? What are your career plans after you have graduated?

I will complete my degree apprenticeship in June 2025. My plan is to land a full time role in an industry I have a passion for.

What projects are you currently working on at Mott Mac?

I work on light rail projects.

Do you think there needs to be greater awareness about degree apprenticeships in schools/college?

100%. In sixth form there was a huge push to get every student to go to uni and very little talk about doing an apprenticeship instead. I had to do my own research and decided they were right for me.

Do you think that apprenticeships and other forms of on-the-job training are a solution to helping bridge the skills gap in project management and other professions?

I believe so. The opportunity and experience gained to learn on the job is invaluable.

Do you think there needs to be greater awareness of project management as a career choice?

I believe so. Project management is a skill which is required in so many industries and is a useful skill to have.

What advice would you give to someone considering an apprenticeship?

Maintain a good work/study balance and don’t leave uni work until the last minute!

Anything else you would like to add about your own personal experiences during your degree apprenticeship?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions!