Why did you choose to do an Apprenticeship?

I chose to do an apprenticeship during my A levels. I had taken a lot of textbook subjects and found it really hard to take on the knowledge that I was studying. I find it much easier to learn by doing things rather than reading them so I knew that an Apprenticeship would be better for me than reading a textbook at university. Once I had found that there were Law Apprenticeships available I was set on the idea rather than going to uni.

How did you find out about your Apprenticeship?

I found out about my Apprenticeship through the CILEx website (Chartered Institute of Legal Executives) which is the main body for legal apprenticeships in the UK. They had many positions in Oxfordshire advertised and there was lots of useful information on the website. I also spoke to the lady who is the Oxfordshire assessor and she told me more about the role and what I would be expecting to do.

What have you gained from your Apprenticeship?

So far I have gained a lot of knowledge and experience. I have been here for 7 months now and have already experienced a lot of the work that comes with the role and the challenges that can come from working with clients at what is often a sensitive time. It has also helped me to grow and develop as a person as I have got a lot more responsibility and I have felt that it has helped me not only in my professional life but in my home life as I am more organised and find it easier to prioritise things that I need to achieve.

What do you plan to do next?

I plan to complete my level 3 course in Wills and Probate before doing my level 3 Legal Diploma. Following this I would like to complete my Level 6 Diploma with the end goal of qualifying as a solicitor. My dream would be to be a solicitor in London, but that’s a long way away just yet!

How will your Apprenticeship help you achieve this?

My Apprenticeship will give me the tools and the qualifications to be able to become a solicitor and to be able to take my career further. I am also learning the tools that it takes to become a good solicitor that you can’t get from a textbook. Meeting clients and taking instructions from clients is very important in this job and by doing this in my Apprenticeship it will help me to be able to do this in the future too.

What advice would you give a young person who might be thinking about an Apprenticeship?

Go for it! If you think that an Apprenticeship might be for you then don’t hesitate, do your research and apply for a couple. The more interviews you can get the more that you will get a feel for what the Apprenticeships will give you and what you might be doing in each role. Researching the opportunities is really important beforehand too. I also have found it really important to have a good working relationship with my employers as they are my first port of call if I have a problem or need any help with anything so I would consider that in interviews too.

What’s your top tip?

Grab every opportunity that you are given. At the beginning you might be doing the jobs you don’t necessarily want to do but it will show that you are hard-working and dedicated which will mean that you can be trusted with more challenging things more quickly.

How do you feel about becoming an Apprenticeship Ambassador?

I feel very excited about becoming an Apprenticeship Ambassador as I would like to encourage more people to think about becoming an Apprentice as there is so much focus on going to University in school. I think that it is important that people know that it is an option to become an Apprentice and that it is just as or more valuable than going to University!