An apprenticeship is a unique opportunity that serves as an alternative to university. Being able to progress academically whilst gaining practical experience provides a way to accelerate your career, however like many paths it contains its own challenges. By identifying potential obstacles early on in your apprenticeship, you will be able to address them allowing you to progress seamlessly in your career.
A challenge new apprentices often encounter when they first join the workplace is that they are out of their depth. Finishing school or sixth form and entering an office can be quite daunting after years of structured classroom learning. As apprentices you are expected to adapt to workplace culture, learn industry-specific skills, and contribute to projects. At the start of your apprenticeship you may feel inexperienced, and imposter syndrome might start to set in, impacting your performance at work. To overcome this you need to remind yourself that you were chosen out of many applicants to carry out this role, that you started your apprenticeship to learn from industry experts and that your employers are not expecting you to be an expert in your role initially. To immerse yourself in your new role and your environment you need to ask your colleagues questions about your role, new tasks, and the culture of the company. This will allow you to understand the different areas of your role that you need to gain a better understanding in and how your company operates, overall these actions will allow you to accelerate at your job and get used to the working environment.
Balancing a personal life alongside your apprenticeship can be challenging. If you do not manage your time efficiently you can begin to experience burnout. When working and studying simultaneously you can feel drained, especially around exam season or when there are multiple project deadlines at work. A healthy work life balance needs to be maintained to prevent feelings of tiredness and burnout. To achieve this, you need to efficiently plan your time at work and outside of work so that you are prioritising the most important tasks ahead of the due date. This is so that you avoid getting stressed and rushing tasks, which could potentially lead to you working later at the office, compromising on sleep and deadlines for other tasks leading to you becoming stressed, negatively impacting your mental health. Many apprentices are able to have a very healthy work life balance by creating a schedule where you are able to engage in hobbies, exercise, and spend time with friends and family, providing a mental reset.
Finally, apprentices may feel uncertain about their long-term career goals, whether they are the only apprentice in their company or are a part of a new apprenticeship. Being proactive about networking within your industry and seeking mentorship can provide valuable insights into what roles your apprenticeship can lead to and many opportunities can manifest by participating in these activities. Many professional organisations offer networking events or early career groups tailored to those starting out in their career, fostering a sense of community and helping individuals find their vocation. Many apprentices worry about progression in their careers and what they need to do to develop in their apprenticeship. To combat this uncertainty, you should take time to set yearly goals and discuss them with your manager. This will also be an appropriate time to discuss development opportunities you can take part in whether that is additional training or a new project. These opportunities will allow you to develop your skills as well as expose you to the different roles you can have within your organisation.
