Life in the Office as an Apprentice

Starting a new job and being in a new office with new people is always a little daunting. It’s even more daunting when it is your first experience ever in an office and everything is going by at a million miles an hour. I started at AAG as a marketing apprentice a year ago and whilst I haven’t been here very long, I still feel as though I have had enough experience to talk about my experience as an apprentice.

Looking back at the past year, I can honestly say that I have changed so much, not only in my work life but personally too. Being an apprentice means there is a constant opportunity for growth and development in both yourself and your responsibilities. There are huge amounts of room for improving yourself and learning from great and respected people around you every single day.

My initial expectations going into an apprenticeship were that I would be going into a smart and professional office as a ‘child’ who has no experience and will have to prove my worth in everything that I do. I was also nervous that I would feel way in over my head. This is certainly true when you hear bizarre, French-sounding business terms that you would feel awkward asking somebody to explain. Luckily for me, my colleagues were great at explaining something to me in a non-degrading way that I could understand and easily remember. That is just one of the many examples I could give about why having supportive colleagues is an essential part of enjoying not just an apprenticeship, but any job in any industry. Whilst my first few months were very intense (in a good way), I do feel that I have now got into a comfortable groove that maintains my development and pushes me.

It’s no secret that being in a work environment is a vast change from school. I don’t think anyone quite braced me for how different it would be. There is an unspoken sense of trust in an office that would make any student that is currently studying in school very envious of. In the office, it is up to you to know what you have to do and to plan your day out accordingly, with supportive guidance when needed.

If you are a school leaver, or a company thinking about hiring an apprentice, I would highly recommend it as I think it is one of the most viable and secure career options that we have today.