My name is Charlotte Fitzpatrick, I am 19 and from Staines-Upon-Thames. I am a first-year degree apprentice with BT Digital and Technological Solutions.

I was introduced to apprenticeships at my secondary school and I saw them advertised on television.

Apprenticeships were always shown as an option in school, however I felt like they were promoted as a “plan b” to university. I was never really provided with information about how to secure an apprenticeship or even the different types on offer - I had to find that out for myself.

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Struggling to balance work and university

I didn’t truly know what to expect from my apprenticeship, but I thought there would be a lot of control over what I could or couldn’t do - for example, I assumed I would be told what rotations I had to go into. I also thought I would really struggle with balancing university and work.

The reality exceeded my original expectations. I had no idea how supportive everyone would be and how much control I would have over my own apprenticeship. Moreover, the opportunities that arise every day are something I never thought would be available to me. I love the fact that I am encouraged to visit schools and help students make decisions about their future career paths as well as get involved with some amazing things happening in the world of technology, such as 8K TV!

Every day is extremely varied and is made of up a combination of apprentice-related responsibilities and operational tasks. In my work role, I am either learning how a specific job is done or actively working as one of the team. This means that I can really get my teeth stuck into the role by actually doing it. I could be doing anything from hosting a visit at the BT tower, planning an agenda for work experience or even posting about an event on the social media page I help to look after.

Excited to come to work

I’m excited to come to work every day, which I feel can’t be said for a lot of people. Each day is different, and I am always learning. It’s so interesting working in the technology industry because I’m at the heart of new, innovative changes.

I know that if I need support, it is always there, whether that be from my manager, co-apprentices or operational colleagues. There is such a great apprentice community in BT - everyone genuinely wants to see one another grow and progress in their careers.

The nature of my apprenticeship means that I am actively encouraged to visit schools and help students engage with technology and apprenticeship schemes. Being able to give advice is such a rewarding feeling and I love spreading awareness of the different options you can take after leaving school. I also thoroughly enjoy working in content operations (my operational role). I work with films, TV and music videos, making sure files are delivered on time, error free and ready to go live on the BT TV box, app or desktop application.

Even though I don’t get to experience the traditional “uni life”, there are a lot of other benefits. For instance, I get invaluable experience actively working in a role while getting a true insight as to the direction I want my career to go in. I also get great opportunities to work with amazing organisations as well as working towards a degree that is fully funded by BT (no student debt - yay!).

Conventional route

My family were delighted that I was doing an apprenticeship. However, my friends were more surprised. I think this is because apprenticeships aren’t a conventional route to choose after leaving school and I was the only one to take this path.

After I have completed my apprenticeship, I will be able to start working in my chosen role. However, the world is my oyster. The hands-on experiences and high-level training gained during my full apprenticeship will put me in a great position for my future career, whichever direction I want it to go. In 10 years, I could be working on something that hasn’t even been invented yet and that is marvellous thing to think about.

I can’t recommend apprenticeships enough. Even though the prospect of going straight into work after leaving school can be daunting, the opportunities and experiences you are exposed to are priceless. Experience can be more sought after than a standalone degree and doing an apprenticeship equips you with bundles of the stuff. You get the chance to work in roles that you didn’t even know existed while obtaining a qualification and getting paid at the same time! It’s a win-win situation.

Charlotte Fitzpatrick is a first-year degree apprentice with BT Digital and Technological Solutions. She tells her story as part of the Tes #InspiringApprentices campaign.