If you had told me a few years ago that I would achieve what I have in the last year I would never have believed you.

My apprenticeship journey has been rather unusual than most. This time 2 years ago I was running a kitchen at an independent restaurant having worked in hospitality for 15 years. I’d transitioned from front of house into the kitchen at a time of need, but that’s not where my responsibilities ended. Working for an independent required learning a variety of skills. Along with building relationships with customers and staff, organising rotas, orders and balancing stock, I’d also fixed dishwashers, fridges, ice machines and toilets. Not to mention a fair share of gardening, painting & decorating. Problem solving was a part of my day, every day. As much as I loved my job, the people I worked with and for, I didn’t feel like I was using my skills to their full potential. I was ready for a new challenge. 

After the pandemic, a lot of people from the hospitality sector had retrained and I felt I’d missed my chance as I didn’t know what I wanted to do yet. I dabbled in a bit accountancy, but it didn’t feel like it was for me. My brother, a software engineer of over 10 years asked me if I’d ever considered doing what he did. I absolutely did not think I had the capability of grasping anything computer programming, but he urged me that I might surprise myself. The next few months looked like working 40-50 hours and then doing free coding courses in my spare time. I thought it was going to take me years to break into this industry. Then an apprenticeship opportunity was sent my way by a friend. Surely, I wouldn’t be able to get a job without any experience and minimal knowledge? I was absolutely wrong! You could earn and learn at the same time in a supportive setting in a permanent job role, it was real.

I applied to 2 software developer apprenticeships in total with different companies and after some multi-step processes, I had offers for both! I decided to go with Lloyds Banking Group. With the group being so large a business, I felt that there would be more opportunity to grow and plenty different paths to specialise in when I found my calling. 

Starting with uncertainty

When I first joined Lloyds Banking Group as an apprentice, there was a lot to take in. I was moving into a new type of workplace environment, joining a multi-disciplinary team and learning how technology supports real customer journeys. My team worked across areas such as pensions, investments and digital customer experiences, so I needed to understand not only the technical side of software development, but also the wider business purpose behind what we were building.

At the start, that felt overwhelming. There were new tools, new processes, new terminology and new expectations. I had to learn how my team worked, how software was designed, built, tested and released, and how to contribute in a way that added value. But that is one of the biggest strengths of an apprenticeship: you are not expected to know everything on day one. You are there to learn, and every task, meeting, conversation and challenge becomes part of your development.

Learning through real work

One of the most valuable parts of my apprenticeship was being able to apply what I was learning to real work. I worked on the Pension Hub journey and contributed to projects that helped customers better understand and engage with their pensions. My End Point Assessment project is one that stands out, “Pension at a Glance”, where I explored how users could see clearer pension projections and understand how small changes to contributions could affect their future outcomes.

That project pushed me to think across the full software development lifecycle. I was not just writing code; I was analysing the problem, considering performance, thinking about accessibility, designing the front-end UI and back-end build, testing the solution and understanding how deployment worked through tools. It helped me realise that software engineering is not only about technical skill. It is also about problem-solving, collaboration, decision-making and building something that genuinely improves a customer experience.

There were plenty of difficult moments too. I dealt with bugs, unfamiliar codebases, testing challenges and situations where there was limited documentation or no obvious answer. At times I had to work through ambiguity, investigate issues independently and then know when to ask for help. Those moments were frustrating, but they were also the moments that built my resilience. Every blocker I worked through made me more confident that I could handle the next one.

Growing in confidence

Confidence was not something that appeared overnight. It grew gradually through small moments: contributing in team discussions, presenting work back to others, explaining technical topics to non-technical audiences and taking ownership of tasks that once would have intimidated me. Over time, I learned that confidence does not mean knowing everything. It means being willing to try, being honest about what you do not know and trusting yourself to learn.

As my apprenticeship progressed, I had opportunities to do things I never expected. I became more involved in knowledge-sharing, supported learning sessions, contributed to team culture and spoke about my apprenticeship experience to others. I also had the honour of being recognised as Higher Apprentice of the Year 2026 at the Next Generation Talent Game Changer Awards. That recognition meant a lot, not just because of the award itself, but because it reflected the journey behind it: the effort, mistakes, growth, support and persistence that had brought me to that point.

The support makes a difference

No apprenticeship journey happens in isolation. I have been fortunate to learn from managers, mentors, engineers, product colleagues, coaches and other apprentices who have all shaped my experience in different ways. Some people helped me understand technical concepts. Others gave me feedback, encouraged me to take opportunities or reminded me that feeling challenged is part of growth.

That support network is one of the reasons I would recommend apprenticeships so strongly. You are learning in a real workplace, but you are also surrounded by people who understand that you are developing. You have space to build skills, ask questions and grow at a pace that combines education with experience. For anyone who worries they are not ready, I would say this: readiness is not about already being perfect. It is about being curious, committed and willing to keep improving.

Why apprenticeships matter

Apprenticeships are sometimes still misunderstood. Some people see them as a “backup option” or assume they are only for certain careers. My experience has shown me the opposite. An apprenticeship can be an ambitious, practical and powerful route into a career. You gain a qualification, earn while you learn and build real experience from the beginning. You also develop professional skills that cannot always be taught in a classroom: communication, prioritisation, adaptability and confidence in the workplace.

For young people thinking about their next step, it is important to know that there is no single “right” route. University might be right for some people, but apprenticeships offer another way to build a meaningful career. If you enjoy learning by doing, want to gain experience early and like the idea of growing within a workplace, an apprenticeship could be a brilliant option.

Looking back

Looking back, my apprenticeship has been one of the most important experiences of my life so far. It has given me technical skills, professional confidence and a clearer understanding of who I am and what I can contribute. It has challenged me, stretched me and opened doors I might not have imagined when I first started.

The lessons I have learned go far beyond writing code. It has taught me how to ask better questions, communicate with different audiences, work through ambiguity, recover from mistakes and recognise the value I bring to a team. Most importantly, it has shown me that you do not need to have everything figured out before you start. Sometimes the best way to find your path is to take the first step and stay open to learning along the way.

To any young person considering an apprenticeship, my message is simple: do not underestimate yourself. You are allowed to start before you feel ready. You are allowed to learn as you go. And with the right mindset, support and determination, an apprenticeship can become much more than a route into work. It can become the start of a career you are proud of.

Nadia Jareh

Software Engineer | Lloyds Banking Group

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