Over the past few days, the world of FE has been celebrating National Apprenticeship week - and with hundreds of schemes providing access to all industries, there’s a lot to be celebrated.

But with this breadth of choice comes confusion: how can teachers stay well informed about all the opportunities available to young people?

Enter our brand-spanking new campaign: #InspiringApprentices. We want to showcase to teachers and everyone working in the education system what today’s apprenticeships are actually like. And we’re doing so through the voices of the apprentices themselves. You can read three of their stories here - and we’ll be sharing one a week from now on.

Rhys Goulden, 25, Seaham

Rhys contacted manufacturing company Unipres UK when looking for work experience when he was 14. It was during his placement there that he became aware of the apprenticeship opportunities available. He has now completed a level three apprenticeship in a maintenance role, and is currently undertaking a degree apprenticeship.

“I grew up with my grandparents and I still remember my grandad holding my letter from Unipres when I walked through the door; sitting waiting for me to open it. He was so excited to know I was going to earn a wage while also creating a career for myself.

I have been with Unipres for six years now. An apprenticeship is demanding: it always will be when you’re working and completing both educational and vocational requirements. As I am now well established in my job role, the degree seemed relevant to my day-to-day workload. It takes a lot of commitment, but the result and success you can achieve makes it all worthwhile.

I enjoy my job role very much as I work with a range on colleagues from a range of business functions from purchasing to assembly. I’m an individual who likes to make a difference and in this engineering role, that is exactly what I can do.”

Zaynah Din, aged 18, Langley

Societal and family pressure meant Zaynah felt pushed towards the ‘safer’ university route. But during her time studying at a university technical college, she discovered the value of apprenticeships. She applied to do a level 3 digital marketing apprenticeship at Facebook.

“During my apprenticeship, I thought I would be working closely with my team, shadowing my mentor, inputting on projects and attending meetings. My Facebook journey so far has gone far beyond that. I have done all of that and so much more, including attending training and boot camps in Dublin, and team off-sites in California, managing my own regional campaigns and more.

“I didn’t expect to take on such a significant role in my team. From day one, I was learning key skills, which have allowed me to tackle and deliver design briefs independently. Then I moved to work with the digital sub-team. I am now managing my own campaigns across Facebook and Instagram, including the Chelsea Flower Show 2019 with garden designer Joe Perkins and Nick Clegg’s Live event. Every morning, I wake up and feel excited to go to work. I don’t experience Monday blues.”

Kerrie Fisher, 37, Dover

After hearing about the need for female firefighters on the radio, Kerrie Fisher decided to apply for a level 3 operational firefighter standard. She was 37 at the time. She remembers the fire brigade visiting her school in the 1990s but never considered joining. At the time, no one mentioned apprenticeships

“I’m a single mum of two children, so it was a big step for me, but my family really encouraged me. My daughter is especially proud of me.

“The apprenticeship provides an opportunity for more structured learning and detailed training owing to the way the standard is designed. And, actually, the firefighter training and apprenticeship go hand in hand nicely. They both cover the practical and theoretical aspects and compliment each other to get the best learning outcomes.

“It’s all teamwork. We start the day together having breakfast and then follow the brief of the day. We know exactly what to expect in advance, which is supported by the pre-learning given. Today, for example, we did cable training and ladder work.

“I’m still on initial training and will be allocated a station after I have completed my 11 weeks’ training. I love it: I’m doing what I enjoy.”