As part of this year’s Apprenticeship Week theme, “Skills for Life”, we’re shining a light on how apprenticeships help people grow, develop and thrive – no matter where they are in their career journey.
At The Key, learning never stops. Whether stepping into the workplace for the first time or building on years of experience, apprenticeships provide valuable opportunities to strengthen skills, gain confidence, and bring fresh thinking into our work with young people.
Hear from Nicole, our Marketing Executive Apprentice, and Jack, our Youth Projects Co-Ordinator who is doing an apprenticeship called the Data Driven Professional Programme.
Nicole chose to do an apprenticeship because “Marketing is something I’ve always had an interest in, so I decided to do an apprenticeship because I wanted to gain real experience and develop my skills.”
After finishing university, Nicole began her Level 4 Marketing Executive Apprenticeship with Gateshead College in October 2024. Since then, she has been involved in everything from social media and branding to event planning and video production – gaining hands-on experience while building a strong foundation for her future career.
Jack’s path looks a little different. Having worked at The Key for over six years – and more than a decade over various roles – he wasn’t actively searching for an apprenticeship. But when he discovered the Level 3 Data Driven Professional Programme through Corndale College, funded by UK Youth, he took the opportunity without hesitation: “I’ve been looking for a little while to up skill in data and analysis and impact as my role over the years has evolved to incorporate more of that and a lot of it is kind of through being self-taught… so I really wanted to try find a way of developing in that area and I just came across this apprenticeship.”
For Jack, the opportunity offered practical learning that could be applied directly to his role, without stepping away from the job he loves.
Both Nicole and Jack have already begun using their new skills in meaningful ways.
Nicole said that the apprenticeship has strengthened her communication skills and confidence: “I’ve learned how to communicate better, present ideas, and feel more confident talking to people.”
She also discovered unexpected growth in her independence: “I didn’t expect to get so much better at problem solving. I’ve learned how to take ownership of my work and feel confident working independently.”
Meanwhile, Jack has been developing technical expertise that supports The Key’s impact work: “So far, the course has covered quite a lot around AI so I’ve been using that much more effectively and understanding more about that. […] And then we’ve just started doing a module on Excel so I’ve developed a few skills on Excel, kind of one recently that I didn’t know existed was forecasting on Excel so doing work around that and projecting figures into the future based on past data.”
These skills are already helping shape projects across the organisation.
One of the greatest benefits of an apprenticeship is the ability to apply learning in real time.
For Nicole, this connection makes everything click: “Being able to learn alongside the job has helped everything make more sense, as I can apply the theory to real tasks and situations.”
For Jack, the timing aligned perfectly with key organisational work around skills measurement and impact reporting: “Doing that work at the same time as learning things on my course and through my apprenticeship has just helped bring some extra knowledge, different perspectives, [and] different ways of working that I wouldn’t have done before I done the course.”
Why Apprenticeships Matter
Jack challenged the common misconception that apprenticeships are only for young people entering the workforce: “Don’t disqualify yourself depending on what you think an apprenticeship is. I think often we see apprenticeships as for young people who are just starting out in the working world but actually it can be for anyone.” He also highlights the flexibility apprenticeships offer: “It fits with working […] you don’t necessarily have to stop and go back into full-time education […] it can fit around your existing role.”
For Jack, apprenticeships ultimately represent the opportunity to keep on growing: “I was a full-time student, I went to uni, I got a masters and then kind of went into the working world and didn’t have in other roles many opportunities to develop and grow whereas at The Key I’ve had a few opportunities to do that. The Key’s always been really supportive whether it’s a training course for a few hours or having that time to explore different topics and areas and try different things so I think that’s a really great way of continually pushing yourself, growing, developing and being all that you can be but in a way where you can still do a job that you love.”
For Nicole, apprenticeships open doors: “They provide a flexible route for people who prefer hands-on learning and want to develop skills while still figuring out their future.”
Nicole and Jack’s experiences highlight exactly what apprenticeships are designed to do – create opportunities for continuous learning, build confidence, and strengthen the skills that support both personal and professional growth.
At The Key, investing in development means investing in the future – not only for our team, but for the young people we support every day.
Because when people are empowered to learn, grow, and challenge themselves, the impact reaches far beyond the workplace.
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The Key