Why did you choose a Degree Apprenticeship?

I was in Cardinal Newman College studying A levels and was looking at universities, but I was not 100% sure if I wanted to go to university, as I wanted to start earning and getting work experience. I started to look at other options compared to the traditional university route and I came across degree/higher apprenticeships.  This was the best of both worlds for me, as I could learn and earn at the same time as getting valuable and relevant work experience. Stateside Foods came into my college to do a talk and it was this that made me want to apply; the talk explained that the aim of Stateside’s apprenticeship was to develop college leavers and to give them the skills to become young managers and the degree was something I was interested in.  I applied for 5/6 apprenticeships in both business and accountancy and I had interviews and assessment centres for them all. I was offered three but I decided that Stateside was the best fit for me, as the degree and the company gave off the right impressions.  When I told my friends and family that I was doing an apprenticeship, they wrongly assumed I would be working for minimum wage and studying at a college, but when I told them I would be getting a fully funded degree with a competitive salary they couldn’t believe it was true.

Looking back over your time (so far), how have you found the whole experience?

I have found this experience both rewarding and challenging. I have enjoyed the combination of university and work, as I am getting theoretical knowledge and the ability to put the theory into practice in real-life practical situations, with the added bonus of a debt free degree qualification. It was challenging at first to get the right balance with work, university and personal study, but once I got my head around it, I have found that it’s more than possible; little and often is the approach that I found best suits me. I have developed massively over the last 4 years and university has played a huge part. Through rotations I have found the best suit for me and I am now in a job that I love and I can perform in.

How are you hoping a Degree Apprenticeship will support your career progression?

When I started as an apprentice, I was young and had just come out of college going into a full time job. This was a challenge for me, as I did not always know how to act or what to say in certain situations. I feel like an apprenticeship is about developing someone and with the way the Apprenticeship is set out at Stateside and Manchester Met, this has done exactly that for me. I started off young and acting like I was still in college and I didn’t always act in the correct way, but with things such as webinars,  away days, soft skills training, mentoring and from more experienced people in the classroom, I feel I have now changed and developed exponentially; I now have my own team to manage, I have my own responsibilities and projects and learning to act professionally has allowed this to happen. If you had met me four years ago and I told you that I would be where I am now, I don’t think anybody would have believed me.  A Degree Apprenticeship is much more than just a degree and work experience, it has developed me into someone I didn’t think I could be.

What impact has your Degree Apprenticeship had in the organisation?

Stateside Food’s apprenticeship scheme is centred on the development of apprentices so that they can be the next wave of managers/senior managers. It aims to take college leavers, to show them the Stateside way and develop them into the managers of the future.  When I started this apprenticeship, I had just come out of college didn’t take life too seriously and I found myself making lots of jokes; people liked me, but I was not acting in a professional way. From training support from my mentor and university, I have now developed and I feel I have matured in a relatively short space of time. I am in my final year and have the role of a team leader. I am responsible for anything between 15 to 40 staff and I feel that I am now a valued and well respected member of the team with  knowledge and skills to offer other members of my team, who haven’t had any formal degree level training or education.  When I consider how quickly I have got to the level I am now at, compared to the time it takes non-apprentices – I really appreciate the boost that the apprenticeship programme has given me. I am now a competent and independent manager who is looking forward to the next step in my career and this is thanks to the Degree Apprenticeship.  

Would you recommend a Degree Apprenticeship?

Degree Apprenticeships should not been seen as an easy option because they are not, but if you put the work in, you can learn and develop and become managers of the future, or if you’re already a manager develop even further. I have been nominated for the employee of the month numerous times and the apprenticeship team said if there was an award for most developed apprentice at Stateside I would win it. 

Do you have any advice for future Degree Apprentices?

Do not underestimate the amount of work that is involved in a degree apprenticeship - you have to manage a full time job while completing a degree and this requires a lot of dedication and quite often sacrificing your own time to ensure assignments and deadlines are being met.  However, if you are willing to put in the hard work, it really is one of the best options as a college leaver as you get a degree with no debt and four years of relevant work experience to go with it.

Please include a quote from your line manager if possible outlining how they feel you are doing in your apprenticeship and if they feel the apprenticeship has benefitted the organisation.

Harry really is one of our wonderful success stories. As he will admit himself, he started off as quite the joker, but throughout his four years, he has listened to feedback and really taken on board the advice that different managers and University lecturers have given to him, resulting in an incredible change in his behaviour and how others perceive him.

Harry now appreciates the qualities of a good manager, and he has worked incredibly hard to rid himself of his reputation as a comedian and is now a well-respected manager and team member working in a key role within the business. As his mentor, I quite literally have been asked on several occasions ‘what has happened to Harry?’ – it really has been an incredible transformation and it has been an absolute pleasure to watch it happen.

From the start of Harry’s journey, I couldn’t have hoped for the progress he has made. Harry has faced every challenge head-on, he is adaptable, enthusiastic and passionate with an insatiable desire to learn, develop and succeed. This apprenticeship really has worked well for both Harry and Stateside Foods. Harry very much thrives on variety, and this apprenticeship has presented him with new challenges every day and each success just drives him on further. As a result of Harry’s hard work and determination, Stateside Foods have gained a well-grounded, considerate and professional manager and I’m confident that he will prove to be a real asset to the business in years to come.