Meet Our Apprentice Ambassadors
What inspired you to apply for the Apprentice Ambassador role, and what impact do you hope to make on future apprentices?
My primary inspiration for applying is the significant mental hurdle I had to overcome to start the apprenticeship. Since school, mathematics has always held me back, and I had a high level of hesitancy about returning to a learning environment. The idea of tackling a subject like 'Data and Insights in Business decisions' felt daunting. I didn't attend university, and the entire world of apprenticeships was new to me, especially balancing it with a busy full-time job that involves international travel and my young family. The impact I hope to make is to show people that their past experiences don't dictate their future achievements. I want to share my story of fear and eventual success to help others who feel the same way - that despite what their mentality is telling them, they can achieve their goals. I want them to know that apprenticeships are a viable and rewarding path to professional growth, even for those with existing work and family commitments.
Can you tell us about a challenging moment during your apprenticeship and how you overcame it? How do you think sharing this experience could help future apprentices?
I can pinpoint two experiences that defined my challenging moments, and both are valuable to share. First, the most challenging element was my additional mathematics study. It was the subject that caused my initial hesitancy, but with the guidance of my fantastic tutors and my new-found focus, I dedicated myself to the work, overcame my fears, and successfully passed the exams. The second moment was during my End Point Assessment (EPA). I made a critical error where my initial graphs were clearly not reporting the right data. It was a stressful moment, but I took a deep breath, focused on what I had learned, and was able to work backwards to mitigate the error. I successfully produced the correct visualisation and data takeaway. Sharing these experiences will help future apprentices in a few ways: ● The Power of Support: My math success highlights the critical role that coaches and tutors play - like my coach, Gerard, who was always on hand even for basic questions. This can ease new apprentices' concerns about their ability to cope. ● Resilience is Key: The EPA mistake demonstrates that it's okay to make errors, even at a high-pressure moment. The true lesson is in how you handle it: focus, take a breath, and apply your knowledge to solve the problem. It shows them that setbacks are opportunities to demonstrate resilience and critical thinking.
How do you typically communicate complex ideas to different audiences, and can you give an example of when you've had to adapt your communication style?
I leverage a range of different formats to ensure the narrative resonates with the specific audience. I believe a single message requires multiple delivery methods to reach diverse groups effectively. A recent example of adapting my communication was around my presentation, in which I was invited to speak at IAA Mobility in Munich. ● Format 1: Thought Leadership (The Speech): I delivered a presentation on a key partner's stand. This was a confident public speaking event, a high-impact, longer-form method targeting attendees who were likely peers, industry leaders, and potential partners. ● Format 2: Pre-Event Awareness (Talking-Heads): In the run-up to the event, I recorded a series of shorter, snappier talking-heads videos. This format was designed to be easily digestible, likely targeting a broader social media audience who might be interested in event highlights and key details but wouldn't commit to a full presentation. ● Format 3: Deep Dive (Webinar): After the event, I delivered a free online webinar that took the IAA presentation and added significantly more detail. This format targeted a committed, curious audience who had more time and wanted a greater technical or strategic deep-dive into the topic. Because each output targeted different and diverse groups, I had to adjust the length, detail, and delivery platform to be most effective.
Tell us about your professional goals for the next 2–3 years. How do you see the ambassador role contributing to your development and career progression?
My professional goal is to continue to progress in account leadership, with the long-term aim of one day reaching Account Director level. I see the ambassador role as a critical and active development opportunity that will directly contribute to this goal by teaching me highly sought-after leadership skills: ● Enhancing Communication: As an ambassador, I will be speaking to new, diverse audiences (from students to employers) on a new topic. This will force me to hone my ability to clearly articulate my message and adapt my style, which is essential for leading a client-facing team. ● Interacting with New Networks and Industries: The role will provide access to new professional networks and industries, expanding my perspective and commercial awareness beyond my current role. ● Skill Transfer: Speaking about my apprenticeship - the journey, the fears, the resilience, and the final success - will be a form of leadership in itself, demonstrating my ability to mentor and inspire, which are core attributes of a Director-level professional.
Outside of your apprenticeship, what are you passionate about, and how do you balance your commitments? How will you manage volunteering as an ambassador alongside your other responsibilities?
Outside of work, I am a keen runner, and I regularly participate in long-distance events such as ultra marathons. My favorite races include the Ultra Tour of Edinburgh and The Wall, which traverses the length of Hadrian's Wall. Balancing this hobby with a demanding full-time job, international travel, a young family, and the apprenticeship was admittedly difficult. However, I managed it through realistic planning and using the support available: ● Provider Support: My apprenticeship provider had ready-made suggestions and plans to help apprentices stay on track, especially for 'off the job' learning, which I utilised effectively. ● Prioritisation & Curiosity: My commitment was seated in a sheer curiosity and unwillingness to fail, which kept me engaged even when parts of the course were less interesting. I will manage the volunteer role by applying the same principles: 1. Setting Realistic Expectations: I know the role requires dedication, so I will be realistic about the time I can commit and communicate that clearly. 2. Integrating Activities: I will look for opportunities to integrate ambassador activities, such as utilising my existing communication skills (e.g., creating short video content) or leveraging existing travel plans to support in-person events. 3. Efficiency: Having already successfully juggled the apprenticeship, I have a proven track record of finding time to focus on significant commitments and will carry that efficiency into the ambassador role.