How I got my project management degree apprenticeship

What’s your apprenticeship journey been like so far?

I joined Atkins in September 2021 after finishing my A Levels. I actually applied to uni and to multiple apprenticeships to keep my options open. I got in to do politics and economics at Loughborough, but I decided that I wanted to do the apprenticeship because I get paid to do my degree.
I’m currently completing my degree in project management at Northumbria Uni. I study one day a week and work the other four days. Atkins is a consultancy business, so I spend my time working with clients to add value to their businesses.

My uni is all online and it’s run by a separate trading provider called QA. On my study day, I have the morning to work on assignments and then I have a three-hour lecture in the afternoon. It’s 100% coursework based so I’m assessed by writing 3,000-word reports every two to three months.

How do you find the balance between working and studying at the same time?

What’s great about Atkins is that they give me enough time to do all my uni work. I have a uni day on a Monday, and everyone knows not to contact me on Mondays because I’m not around. So, I have that time to purely focus on my uni work.
You’re encouraged to, and should generally be able to, fit all your uni work in on that one day a week. I might do some extra in the evenings or at the weekends if I've got a deadline coming up, but I’m mostly able to fit it into that day.

What support do you have at work?

Everyone at Atkins has a line manager and you also have a buddy that's another apprentice when you join. They’re a really good sounding board to talk to. So, you get that outside perspective from your line manager and the peer-to-peer perspective because we're all doing the same degree and there are about 30 of us on the apprenticeship. 

It's a good way to gather thoughts on what other people think of the uni assignments and how they’re going to tackle things. It's a really supportive culture and environment which is great. I never feel I’m alone when it comes to uni or client work.
 

Did many of your friends from school do apprenticeships?

None of my friends did an apprenticeship. There were only two of us in my whole year. Most people went to uni, but I think that’s changing now. More and more people are thinking apprenticeships are a good way to go. One of the nice things about doing an apprenticeship is you're doing it alongside like-minded people that also wanted to do one.

Are there any characteristics that you need to be an apprentice?

I think the key thing is willingness to work hard and take on a wide breadth of opportunities and get stuck in. Don't be afraid to just dive into the deep end and put your name forward for opportunities. But at the same time, if you're not that confident, it's a development programme – You can grow your confidence. My confidence has been built massively through being an apprentice, more than it ever was being at school.

Do you feel like you missed out on anything by not going to uni?

I actually moved out to do my apprenticeship, so I got to move away from home and live on my own, which was really nice. I personally don't think I missed out on anything. I was still able to go out and do all the things you would do at uni. My boyfriend and I rented a house really near the office so I could walk to work every day and attend social events in the evening.

We have a lively Young Professional Forum which organises social events regularly, and Atkins fund some of them. They are a great way to get to know your colleagues better outside work and generally relax and have fun. I’ve gone to Oktoberfest, bingo in a club, and roller skating. 

Did you find you were really thrown into it, working with clients right from the start?

As an apprentice at Atkins, you do three weeks of training where you learn how to use things like Outlook and Microsoft Teams because you have no real clue when you've just joined after finishing school.

Then you’re thrown into the deep end on a client project. At Atkins we do something called an apprentice challenge where each apprentice runs their own project. So, within the first month I was looking after my own project, delegating, and making sure the deliverables and the task outputs were on time whilst completing client work.

Are there any considerations to think about when doing an apprenticeship?

One consideration is that you are working a full-time job and you have 25 days of annual leave, although we do have flexible holidays so we can buy and sell leave if we want to. I struggled in the first few months because workdays are a lot longer than the school day was, but you get used to it quickly.

What I do like about working a 9-5 is you’re not expected to go home and revise all the time. Or during the Christmas holidays, for example, you actually get a break. I’ve never really had that with school because I was always studying for GCSEs or A Levels.

How did you find the interview process?

I personally found the process harder than applying to uni, because you do your personal statement and most universities decide based on the grades you get, plus there’s Clearing as well if you need more options. An apprenticeship is about showing why you’re right for the role and why you’d be a good fit at the company. It’s not completed based on academic achievements.

It took me a long time to write my application, and then it was quite time-consuming preparing for interviews. But I think as long as you really want it it's worth it.

Is there anything you're particularly proud of?

I was really proud of being nominated and shortlisted for Young Professional of the Year at our annual awards ceremony. I've also become vice chair for school leavers and apprentices at the Management Consultancy Association (MCA) which is our trade body.  There's a young MCA, which is for people with less than five years’ experience. I sit on its executive council, and I represent apprentices and school leavers across the consulting industry at quite a high level. I had to interview for it, and it was quite a long process, so I was very proud of myself for getting that and I really enjoy working on it.

Is there any advice that you'd give to anyone who's thinking about their options?

I would say definitely apply for traditional degrees and apprenticeships, because it’s always good to have a back-up plan if you don't get one or if you change your mind. That way you don't have to go through Clearing or wait another year to re-apply and get a place. I’d also say don’t be scared to apply. If you don’t get it, you haven’t lost anything, and you may as well throw your hat in the ring and see where you get.