How uni prepared me for an apprenticeship

My view is that there should be no bounds to learning, no matter which path you choose to take and at what age there should be no stereotype.

I recently graduated my Masters degree in English Literature and I truly believe that I would not have been ready to do this apprenticeship if I had not first spent four years studying at university. It taught me many skills that are transferable into the newspaper industry, such as good English, analytical thinking and, of course, writing. Being at university also gave me confidence living away from home and without that growing process I wouldn’t have been able to move into such a fast-paced industry.

I have to admit that before I started this apprenticeship I shared the view that many do that apprenticeships are for people who could not get into university. The idea is based on snobbery and lacks fact. Yes I loved my time at uni but when I graduated I found it extremely difficult to find a place in the journalism world. I could write lengthy essays, debate theory and speed read. But I did not have the skills necessary to land a job, which is a problem that many post-graduates find.

Which is why I applied for this apprenticeship, and I’m extremely glad that I did, as I have learnt so many things that I could not possibly have gained from lectures. I’ve gotten real life experience in various fields of journalism and every day I get training which prepares me for a career in this business. I’ve learnt to write news stories, features and shoot and edit video. Not only this but I’ve been able to build up a portfolio whilst I’m here, my highlights so far have been getting book reviews in the newspapers we work on and working closely with publishers.

There’s this ridiculous idea that apprenticeships are only for people who want a career in trade, but they can also be a great opportunity for people who want to explore the creative industries. Not only do you get real experience whilst being paid, you still get the ‘traditional’ education aspect. As I’m doing the NCTJ I study areas such as law, public affairs, court reporting and shorthand. I love learning and being thrown into an area that is brand new to me has been fantastic, challenging and thoroughly interesting. For anyone who has preconceived ideas about apprenticeships I would ask them to rethink; apprenticeships are evolving and growing into bigger and better industries and can really help you succeed in a career you want. Not to mention they don’t come with a £60k debt price tag.