I’m Ayman and since August 2021, I have been a Digital Marketing Apprentice for a Diversity and Inclusion grassroots organisation. I’m going to share a bit about my background, journey and why I decided on taking an apprenticeship route.
About me
Like many people after leaving school, I had no idea what I wanted to do, so I progressed onto A-levels in the following subjects: Philosophy & Ethics, Sociology, Law and Psychology. 7 months in studying towards my A-levels, I suffered from academic anxiety and imposter syndrome and studied from home most of the time to help myself stay calm. During this period, I researched different industries and careers as I felt like working towards the A-levels wasn’t what I truly wanted. During this time, I was also actively managing my jewellery brand and found myself to be learning different marketing tactics in the hopes to promote my brand. I found myself watching a lot of YouTube videos about digital marketing and the benefits of this for e-commerce brands. This is what led me to looking at apprenticeships in the Digital Marketing industry. I felt like during my time at secondary school, everyone made apprenticeships a taboo! However, after looking at the apprenticeship process and structure, I decided that this would be the perfect step for me to take.
Why I chose a Digital Marketing Apprenticeship
I have always been a creative person, so I felt like I could really use my skill and passion in this industry, as content creation requires a great amount of creative thinking. In one of my previous jobs, I managed their social media accounts and promoted products and communicated with their customers online. I found that the apprenticeship would be ideal for me to apply my skills and knowledge to my jewellery brand too! Doing an apprenticeship is very different to university, I’ve learnt a lot of new skills through training, and I am able to apply my knowledge everyday. I really love what I do because it’s something I’m genuinely interested in.
What I’d like to do after completing my apprenticeship
I’ve always had an eye for fashion and loved marketing. As a young entrepreneur and digital marketer, I’d love to be able to get into the fashion marketing industry. I’ve always had a special connection to fashion and it’d be perfect for me to mesh both of my interests and hobbies into one! I’m currently researching different pathways to get into Fashion and Marketing Communications, including internships and apprenticeships of course
My advice for future apprentices
As a current apprentice who’s been studying for just over a year now, I’d like to give you future apprentices a piece of advice to make the most out of your experience.
Before undergoing an apprenticeship, it’s important to know whether the qualification and workplace is right for you. The last thing you want is to work in an environment you don’t really enjoy, remember it’s important to put yourself first! Another piece of advice I would give to a future apprentice is to ensure that you try your best in producing work whilst always receiving feedback to further your skills. Apprentices require commitment and organisation skills to ensure their development goals are reached. You need passion and persistence, it’s a fast-paced environment with a lot to learn.
