Tell us a bit about your apprenticeship. 

I'm a Transport Planning Technician Apprentice in the Combined Authority's Mass Transit Team. It's a Level 3 (BTEC) Apprenticeship, and most of the work I do is for various smaller teams across the Mass Transit umbrella. I also do occasional work for other teams outside of Mass Transit, like R&I.. . 

What made you want to do an apprenticeship? 

I had dropped out of a Law Degree, and had wanted to pursue Transport Planning. Apprenticeships were really enticing to me, as it offered the chance to get straight into transport planning, both the academic and working sides at once, while earning some amount of money for myself, instead of getting more student loans. 

What advice would you give to someone considering an apprenticeship? 

I'd tell anyone considering an Apprenticeship to do it, but not to assume it'll be easier than anything else they're considering - balancing work with study is it's own unique challenge, but it's totally worth the extra effort.

What have you enjoyed most about your apprenticeship? 

The things I've enjoyed the most are the experiences. As an Apprentice and a part of the Mass Transit Team, I've gone on a number of site visits, and field trips with college, and they've all been fantastic experiences. I've seen more of the world in this apprenticeship than I believe I would've if I stayed at University.

How do you manage your work-life balance with completing an apprenticeship? 

I manage the work / study / life balance fairly well, but I've definitely had my learning pains. It can be especially hard when your job, study and life all get difficult at the same time. I like keeping work and my life separate, making sure I always have some free time in the day to enjoy my hobbies, no matter how busy I've been. This can stop the busier weeks from feeling very "nose-to-grindstone", and allow myself to burn off stress before the next day.

Anything else you’d like to add? 

If an apprenticeship is your first job (like it was mine), it's quite easy to think that you don't have any time for your hobbies, or for meeting friends anymore. Certain times (like your end-point-assessment) will be harder, the same as it is at University, but you will still have time for all the things you enjoy doing, and if you forget to take care of yourself, or relax, it would make your work and study all the harder as well.