Leaving college in March 2020 presented itself to be an uncertain, daunting time. With friends set on going to university and in some ways, it being viewed as the ‘norm’ I knew that I wasn’t prepared to give up the practical side of working and I was keen to combine work alongside theoretical study.
As much as I completely agree that university is the right path for some people, I personally have always taken inspiration from the likes of Steven Bartlett and Karren Brady who have carved successful careers and used their platforms for the better good without taking the traditional university route.
There is sometimes a pre-historic stigma around apprentices that they just ‘make the tea and coffee’ and ‘were not academic enough for the university route’, but this is far from the truth. In my seven months at 23red, I have managed to achieve over 100 pieces of coverage, gain exposure for clients in many of the leading nationals, build some great media relationships and most importantly have my voice heard.
As an apprentice in an organisation full of some of the brightest and most intellectual talent, you can sometimes feel a sense of imposter syndrome and feel that due to your lack of experience, your input isn’t valid. 23red has been fantastic in supporting and encouraging me to voice an opinion, share ideas and have collaborative input into a plethora of different tasks. Speaking as a young apprentice, I am keen to urge employers and encourage future school leavers to consider the apprenticeship pathway. In many organisations, younger apprentices can represent a new demographic who have great knowledge of competitive media titles. They can also have an extensive understanding of apps like TikTok, as well as social media in general which is growing at an exponential rate and can elevate business exposure dramatically.
After receiving offers from five prestigious universities, I knew that although I would benefit from the quality education and the social perks, experience to me outweighed this. Through the opportunity of being a PR assistant, I have been able to achieve the best of both worlds by coupling the experience I so desperately sought, alongside a reputable industry-specific qualification.
After being promoted to Deputy Head of Communications at the homeless non-profit organisation I volunteer at, I knew that I was keen to seek a communications role within the purpose-driven sector. It’s really inspiring to work at 23red and know that everyone is so passionate about generating exposure for brands and charities who have purpose at their core, and it makes it very motivating as an employee and I’m so grateful to work on such fantastic campaigns.
“You can only grow if you’re willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new,” I recently came across this quote by motivational speaker Brian Tracy and it encapsulates my feelings 7 months into this apprenticeship. Starting the apprenticeship and being a junior in a brand new industry full of professionals can be very frightening. I have learned that allowing myself to escape my comfort zone and explore new opportunities has aided my professional growth enormously and has allowed me to achieve some great results.