In 2020 we all found ourselves in the very same position. Locked down and with limited options.

At the time I was an Assistant Manager at my local cinema, loved my job and the team and it was an amazing part of the local community. I worked here while my husband worked in Insurance and we balanced shifts with looking after our two daughters. Of course with COVID-19 that meant furlough and it wasn't too long before that was completely unsustainable given the fact I had only just finished maternity leave when lockdown hit.

I took up a temporary job at Amazon in November 2020 packing the parcels for Christmas shoppers on the night shift and ultimately took up a permanent position when a new facility opened in 2021. With my experience in managing and leading people I quickly went up the ranks to Operations Lead and found out about the apprenticeship opportunities. I was fortunate enough to secure a place in the Amazon cohort of the fast-track Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (3 years) and started studying with Manchester Metropolitan University in late '22.

I spent the first two years leading my team and stepping up into Area Manager roles, covering for other departments and doing my studies. It wasn't always easy, fighting for time to write and get off-the-job hours in that would take me away from the shop floor but I had some incredible managers advocating for me and great working relationships that made it happen.

Best advice: communicate with your line manager and skip level manager so they know exactly what you need from the beginning and continuously throughout. They may not have managed an apprentice before or know the fine detail of the standard you are working towards. Give them opportunity to read your assessment briefs, get feedback on your written drafts and know where you need them to advocate for you.

This advice goes for when you drop into new roles too or take secondments, let any new people around you know what you are working towards too so you have the space to succeed.

At this point, two years in, I had worked night shift for four years and it had had a particular impact on my mental health and home life and there were no opportunities available in my current role to make a transfer to a daytime rota. By chance, I was browsing LinkedIn and found a vacancy with the Association of Apprentices (AoA). The chance to move into a role within an industry I’d come to love—and to have room to grow—was too exciting to pass up. In May 2024, I became the Partnerships Manager for AoA. This coincided with the end of year two and the start of year three of my apprenticeship, where the final modules came thick and fast: Strategic Management, Project Development, Sustainability & Innovation, the Synoptic Business Report, and the portfolio gateway, all while learning my new role.

Best Advice: The portfolio is a big piece of work no matter what apprenticeship you do. Do yourself a favour and start it early. I had collected evidence of examples while still working at Amazon which was a great head start and started writing reflections and explanations between year 2 and 3. It saved so much time at the end and gave me more mental space to prepare for the last module and EPA that were so close together.

The last year of my apprenticeship happened so fast, the assignment deadlines loomed and the portfolio grew every day. I got involved in as much as possible and attended events that grew my Off-the-job log to completion. In my OTJ log, I needed to say what I was doing and how it contributed toward my development so it was really important to get involved with a strong variety of activities.

Best Advice: Using the Association of Apprentices for a lot of OTJ gave me great variety of topics. The speakers at events were amazing and the resources on AoA Learn offer a lot that fill in so many gaps, I spent a lot of time on that platform and it was a genuine help for completing.

By the time Gateway came around I was ready to take on EPA. I was so nervous but really needn’t have been. My EPA was with the CMI and my assessor was so lovely, she was clear and concise and managed my expectations really well. The whole session was done in an hour and a half! The most excruciating part was waiting for the results. I can’t see any rhyme or reason to the time it takes for results, some of my colleagues waited only 3 or 4 days, while mine took two and a half weeks! But regardless of how many times I paced the floors waiting, it was worth it – my degree came out with First Class Honours and a Distinction in the EPA.

What’s next?

Reflective practice has become a key part of my working life (after writing so many reflections during my apprenticeship!). At times, I felt pigeonholed by some of the theoretical models, but one stuck with me: Borton’s cycle—

What? So What? Now What?

What?

I’ve completed the Level 6 Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship.

So What?

It’s given me the chance to learn more about myself and what I’m capable of, all while staying central to my role and life. Through highs and lows, it was flexible, achievable, and incredibly rewarding.

Now What?

I’m in a role I love, doing meaningful work, and I see a bright future in this industry. I may even apply for another apprenticeship!

I came to apprenticeships as an upskilling manager in my thirties, with children already. It’s probably not what most people imagine when they think of a "typical apprentice." But if I knew then what I know now, I’d have done this a decade earlier! As a route into the workplace, apprenticeships offer so much value—not least because you aren’t racking up student debt. You can’t buy this kind of experience, but you can absolutely earn it through an apprenticeship, hitting your goals along the way no matter your circumstances.

Kym Lewis

Partnerships Manager at Association of Apprentices

You can find out more and connect with Kym on LinkedIn.