It’s National Apprenticeship Week! To celebrate, GAMBICA are highlighting some of the fabulous apprentices that work across our member companies. From explaining why they chose this route to where they hope it will take them, it’s clear that an apprenticeship is an excellent option within our industries.

Gemma Birkbeck, Digital Marketing Degree Apprentice at Endress+Hauser UK, said: “I’m so glad I chose to do an apprenticeship. It has given me the opportunity to work for a fantastic company and do a job I enjoy which allows me to be creative and learn something new every day.

“The best thing about my apprenticeship is that I have the opportunity to learn about and complete tasks that I wouldn’t necessarily do in my day-to-day work, so my knowledge and skills within digital marketing are always expanding. This is extremely valuable for my future career, my company and my personal development.”

Lewis Morley, Level 6 Control Tech Engineering Apprentice at FESTO, said: “My apprenticeship has brought me many opportunities I wouldn’t have had through alternative routes, it has given me the knowledge and benefits of higher education along with real world engineering experience.”

Joshua Whelan, is also a Level 6 Control Tech Engineering Apprentice at FESTO, He said: “I chose the apprenticeship route due to the practical experience gained alongside doing a degree. This is a major advantage for me, especially in the engineering field, as I find hands on learning to be far more valuable when developing my skills.

“I thoroughly enjoy my apprenticeship with Festo as it provides me with the opportunity to learn practically across all the main departments within the company. I have the support of kind, patient and intelligent colleagues who are always willing to help if I get stuck. I hope that the experiences I gain will lead me into a full-time technical role in the future.”

Precious Akintimehin, Engineering Technician Apprentice at Endress+Hauser UK, said: “I decided to take the apprenticeship route as it includes a good balance of hands-on experience and theory learning which sets me in good stead for the future. It has taught me many useful skills, knowledge and behaviours that can be applied in industry and in life as a whole – all whilst making the most of the opportunities brought my way."

Interested in hiring an apprentice but not sure where to start? This GOV.UK website is packed full of essential information for employers.