From leaving college in June 2015 with 3 A Levels in Art, Photography and Sociology, I knew that I wanted to begin my career within the digital marketing industry through an apprenticeship scheme. Whilst going to Uni was an option, I knew how competitive Marketing can be so gaining as much work experience as possible would be really important. The other benefit was earning a salary whilst learning.  

Almost as soon as I graduated from college, I contacted QA, one of the training companies specialising in Apprenticeships, who ran a digital marketing course that looked interesting. They organised a telephone interview which lasted about half an hour. During the interview they asked me a series of questions regarding why I had selected this particular course, the type of skills and experience I had and how that could be applied to the workplace. They were really friendly and supportive which really put me at ease.

Once I was registered, they kept me informed about the new roles available in the area. I was lucky to secure an offer from the very first interview I went to, a software agency close to where I live. I was employed to look after their own social marketing channels including designing some of the content. Not long after joining I realised it wasn’t the apprenticeship for me, so I chatted to the guys a QA who continued to be supportive and helped me to look for other opportunities.

Whilst the first role was a bit of a false start, it really helped me think about the specific type of place I wanted to work, and the sort of role that would really suit me. So by the time I met the guys at Chatter, I knew I wanted to work somewhere exactly like this.

During the interview process here, my nerves instantly disappeared and the interview felt more like a chat rather than anything intimidating. One of the many reasons why I wanted the opportunity to work with Chatter was the working environment. Anyone who has had the chance to visit The Roost will agree that it’s not your typical office. Every aspect is fun and sociable and a brilliant place to work. So when I got the phone call from QA to say I was successful in my interview, I was so excited.

The ability to get involved and learn new skills everyday will be a huge benefit towards my qualification and the in-house training at QA Leeds City Centre, where I will be kick-starting my Digital Marketing course this month.

My top tips for other people considering the apprenticeship route would be:

• Don’t always go with the first offer, explore what’s out there and make a choice based on what you discover
• Make sure you research the companies you interview with
• Go for it!