We’ve all grown up in a society that has valued university as the ultimate educational goal. Even in primary school, we’re told that one day, if we work hard and get a place at university, we’ll be able to attain the career of our dreams. But what about other educational pathways? Are we limiting the potential of the UK’s future workforce by focusing on this solitary route? And is there more that businesses could be doing to open up alternative avenues of both education and recruitment?
Today, I run my own very successful business. But I did not go to university. Theoretical learning never did it for me. Textbooks simply don’t ignite my imagination. But an apprenticeship, where I was able to gain hands-on experience and genuine responsibility, did. And I think more young people should be given that opportunity. For their benefit, and the benefit of the wider business community.
I began my apprenticeship with Google after leaving college early. Textbooks and talks didn’t excite me or push me. I had big dreams of what I wanted to achieve and I wanted to dive into getting started and learning by problem solving and first-hand experiences. School had been fine. I didn’t have any major problems. But theory-led learning left me cold. It was tedious and not the smallest bit engaging, making the prospect of university totally unappealing. An apprenticeship provided a fast and enjoyable way for me to learn. I was given the trust and responsibility I craved. I worked on my own projects.
I was able to make mistakes, get feedback, and learn from them. Working alongside some of the top names in the industry, I gained real-life, transferable experience. Learning how to approach different situations, how to communicate, how to deal with very tough and stressful situations, how to build rapport, how to manage people effectively. And I could not wait to get stuck in every day. The contrast to my previous educational experiences couldn’t have been greater.
Just a month into my apprenticeship, I was presenting my first project, in front of 50 of the top Google salespeople in the UK. And it was both terrifying and exhilarating. And it gave me a taste of what working life could be. Enhanced by the fact that my ideas were well received and later developed into a new pitching technique for Google projects, used by teams across EMEA. A ‘Think with Google’ article about customer journeys in advertising also followed. Together, that did more to boost my confidence than anything else ever could.
It also helped to kick-start my relationships with a lot of very well-connected people. Some, I now count as close friends. Others, as important business connections, who have been invaluable as I’ve moved from apprentice to startup CEO. And that’s why I’m so passionate about passing that experience on, and helping others to receive the help that I did.
Why businesses should be offering alternative pathways
As a business owner, I’m driven to offer apprenticeships, partly driven through a desire to pay it back. But also because it seems to me to be the best thing for the future of UK business.
There is nothing in my mind that compares to a person experiencing life situations from their own perspective. The best way to motivate people is to give them responsibility and build a culture where it is OK for people to make mistakes and learn from them. Because work is not like a classroom. And while university can offer a lot in a whole range of disciplines, in business you can learn just as much on the job if you’re provided with the right environment. And by focusing on the established pathway, we are excluding a huge amount of untapped talent.
Not all young talent wants to wait and go through higher education, especially in the digital and creative industries. There are so many talented, driven, passionate, and ready-to-work people just waiting for the opportunity to access real-world projects. Bringing this perspective from a more youthful cohort into your business will truly enable you to make business decisions that consider the next generation, while you build your team for the future.
What can companies offer apprentices and how can they create an environment where apprentices can thrive?
Apprenticeships developed a bit of a bad name in the nineties and noughties. Too many providers viewed their apprentices as cheap labour, and treated them as such. But that benefits no one. The whole point of an apprenticeship is to create future business leaders, and to provide those involved with the tools they need to thrive. So, if you’re going to offer apprenticeships, you need to think about how you can help your candidates to be their best. And while every business is different, there are some basic principles to follow.
Don’t make apprentices go solo – Hiring a single apprentice rarely works. If you can take on at least two or three – ideally more – they can support and learn from each other as well as you, their mentor, and their other colleagues. It creates a micro-support network and encourages growth.
Provide real projects – The best part of my apprenticeship was the sense of responsibility, and the realisation that what I was doing could make a difference to the business. By giving apprentices real projects and initiatives to work on, you’re not only instilling a sense of trust, and motivating your apprentices to give their best. You’re opening the potential for new ideas to be fed into your business.
Get your team on board – No apprentice will ever succeed if they feel like they’re in the way. If you can get your team on board and surround them with people who are willing to meet regularly, to answer questions, and genuinely help them to grow (based on their own experiences), the experience will be more rewarding for all concerned.
Let their pay reflect their work – I’ve already said it, but apprentices should never be viewed as cheap labour. Offer apprenticeships that pay the same as a junior role – not a minimum wage. These people are working full time for you, and they need to be treated fairly.
Offer promotions – and finally, don’t view the apprenticeship as a finite period. OK, so you probably can’t afford to take on every successful apprentice on a permanent basis. But if someone looks like they are ready for more responsibility, promote them, if you can. Recruitment is expensive. Finding the right, experienced talent is hard. It is far more rewarding and effective to grow existing talent than to hire new people.
For too long, apprenticeships have been viewed as a second-class educational pathway. It’s the option for those ‘unsuited to an academic career’. But the reality is that the best business brains aren’t always those with the best qualifications. In fact, some of our leading entrepreneurs didn’t even finish high school. To succeed in business, you need a way in. And that’s what apprenticeships provide.
