Why I ignored the conventional route and chose an apprenticeship

My friends and family meant well. To them, taking a second gamble on an apprenticeship after the first one failed seemed stupid. It looked like I was taking a step backwards when I ended up back in college full-time.

Their advice was not malicious. It was the safe, socially expected route: stay in education, collect the qualifications, keep your options open. But their version of safe felt like a delay, not a plan.

My first apprenticeship was in financial administration. It did not work out. I was not getting the support or education I needed to do the job properly, and I knew quickly that the fit was wrong.

Leaving was not easy. It confirmed every fear the people around me had about apprenticeships: unstable, risky, not as good as the academic route. For a while, it looked like they were right.

When a marketing apprenticeship at Queen's College, Taunton came up, I knew it was different. It held everything I was passionate about: creativity, communication, real-world work, and a chance to build something.

While at college, I realised I still did not want the conventional academic route. It is outdated for the career I wanted. I wanted practical, real-world experience in a creative industry. So I decided to back myself and apply for the Level 3 Marketing Apprenticeship at Queen's College, Taunton.

It was not an easy choice, and it was not an easy process. Apprenticeships are not a secondary option. You need to be prepared and ruthlessly dedicated to the opportunity.

I had to own up to why my first role was a bad fit. I had to structure and tailor my portfolio to the role. I had to analyse the job description properly and actually determine whether the role would suit me this time round.

I was competing against roughly 150 other applicants for a single spot. I had to build a portfolio from scratch to prove my value. After two interviews, a tour, a meeting with the team, the training provider and the headteacher, I finally secured the opportunity.

Looking back, ignoring that well-meaning advice was the best career decision I ever made. That second apprenticeship opened the door to public speaking, invaluable projects, and building a career on my own terms.

I am now years ahead of my peers. I have gained valuable experience, a wealth of new knowledge, and a career I actually chose rather than one I fell into.

Changing direction or walking away from a route that is not working is not a failure. It is course correction. The first apprenticeship taught me what a bad fit looks like. The second one proved what the right fit can do.

If you are currently facing pressure from people around you to take a conventional path when your gut says otherwise, trust your own instincts. You know more about what will work for you than anyone else does.

I first shared this story as a LinkedIn. It reached far beyond my own network, which tells you how many people are quietly weighing up the same decision.

• 7,201 impressions
• 14% in-network (followers and connections)
• 86% out-of-network
• 69 social engagements
• 58 reactions
• 4 comments
• 1 repost
• 6 saves

You can read the original post and join the conversation on LinkedIn.

Have you ever taken a career risk that your inner circle advised against? I would love to hear about it. Read and reply to the original LinkedIn, or message me on LinkedIn.

If you are weighing up an apprenticeship and need honest advice, visit the apprenticeship hub or read my full apprenticeship story. Apprenticeship support and mentoring from me is free.