How an Associate Project Management Apprenticeship helped me survive, succeed, and start again.

"Where I Come From"

I’m from an ex-colliery town. The kind of place where opportunities can feel limited and ambition is something you often have to chase outside your postcode. I went to a comprehensive school, and like a lot of young people from working-class backgrounds, I started working early — Saturday jobs at 16, odd shifts, making ends meet.

There’s pride in that graft. But there’s also something else: pressure.

Pressure to figure it all out, to earn, to succeed — sometimes before you’ve even been shown what success can look like.

For years, I carried that pressure with me, navigating jobs, trying to carve out a career in spaces that didn’t always feel built for someone like me.

"Choosing an Apprenticeship — On Purpose"

I didn’t “fall into” an apprenticeship. I chose it.

Already deep into my career and well-known for my advocacy work around skills and apprenticeships, I made a deliberate decision to walk the walk. I couldn’t champion these life-changing programmes in good conscience without having gone through one myself.

So I enrolled on a Level 4 Associate Project Management apprenticeship — not just to gain a qualification, but to experience the reality: the balance, the burnout, the growth, the stretch.

I wanted to feel what apprentices feel. To earn it.

But I had no idea just how much it would come to mean.

"Life Doesn’t Pause for Your Plans"

During my apprenticeship, life didn’t just throw curveballs — it threw the whole pitch.

I was diagnosed with a tumour and had to undergo surgery. It completely shook the foundation I was trying to build on. I faced redundancy, and with it, the terrifying edge of potential homelessness. I discovered I had an additional learning need I’d never had the space or support to understand before.

There were moments when I felt like giving up. When everything seemed too heavy. When the very idea of submitting another portfolio entry or attending a progress review felt like climbing Everest.

But I didn’t stop.

Because that apprenticeship wasn’t just a qualification anymore. It had become my anchor. My structure. My way forward.

"What I Gained — Far Beyond a Certificate"

Yes, I learned how to run projects. How to lead. How to manage resources, timelines, risks and delivery. But what I really learned was how to lead myself through chaos.

I learned resilience on a whole new level. I learned the power of reflective practice. I learned how to use my story not as a barrier, but as a bridge — to connect, to support, to guide others who felt just as overwhelmed as I had.

By the end of my apprenticeship, I’d:

• Helped save my then employer significant costs
• Delivered on national, Royal-awarded programmes
• Launched education initiatives to tackle poverty
• Built the confidence to start my own consultancy when redundancy hit

I went from crisis to control. From barely holding on to standing tall. That’s the power of a good apprenticeship — one that sees your potential and gives you space to grow into it.

"If You’re Still Waiting for Your Shot"

To anyone reading this who’s stuck between job applications, unsure where to go next, feeling like they’ve missed their window — I’ve been there.

And I’m here to tell you: you are not behind.

Apprenticeships aren’t just for school leavers. They’re not a “lesser” route. They are some of the most dynamic, demanding, and genuinely life-changing programmes out there.

If someone like me — from a small coalfield town, with no silver spoon or safety net — can thrive through an apprenticeship, so can you.

"A Few Things I Wish I’d Heard Earlier"

1. Your background doesn’t limit your future. Your roots can keep you grounded while you grow beyond them
2. You are allowed to start again. I did — mid-journey, mid-crisis — and it changed everything.
3. You don’t have to be perfect to be worthy of opportunity. Just willing. Just open. Just you.
4. The strength you’ve already shown matters. Whether it’s getting through school, caring for family, juggling side jobs — all of it counts.
5. Don’t let rejection make you forget your value. Someone out there needs what you bring. Keep going until they see it.

"Looking Ahead With Pride"

Now, I run my own business. I support national apprenticeship campaigns. I help employers build inclusive, future-ready programmes. I speak out, proudly, about what apprenticeships can do — because I’ve lived it.

And I’ll never stop championing them.

I’ve officially joined the thousands across the UK who know just how transformational they can be — and if you’re still waiting for your chance, I hope you’ll join us soon.

You don’t need to be “ready.” You just need to be willing.

Apply. Ask. Try.

And one day, you’ll be writing your own story of resilience, growth, and pride.

Bobby Ramsay

England's Most Awarded Apprenticeship Specialist | Multi-Award-Winning Strategic Consultant | Apprenticeships | EDI | Talent Development | Innovator Creating Global Impact. Let’s Connect And Collaborate.

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