Make your next stop an apprenticeship
LEAH RAWLINS is working and earning at the same time with an apprenticeship in general management.
The 20-year-old, from Havering, East london, started her four-year apprenticeship with Transport for london (Tfl) in 2017.
As part of the scheme, leah will study for a business management degree and become a member of the accredited Chartered Management institute.
she is among the thousands of young people each year who opt for alternatives to university.
Their success stories were highlighted as part of national Apprenticeship week 2019, which was celebrated this month.
leah says: ‘i’d never considered doing an apprenticeship, as they had always seemed like a “dropout” option. if you were clever, you went to university — not to do an apprenticeship.
‘it was only when my friend told me about the qualifications that apprenticeships offer that i started to consider them as a serious possibility.’
leah’s friend had applied for an apprenticeship at Tfl, so she took a look at its website. ‘There are lots of different apprenticeships from which to choose at Tfl, from engineering to finance,’ she says.
leah had enjoyed geography at school and believed a general management apprenticeship within the field of transport was ‘the perfect fit’.
she explains: ‘ As part of my scheme, i am studying for a degree qualification and the course is affiliated to one of the universities i had applied to anyway. This way, i get a degree and experience in the workplace — plus a salary.’
leah enjoys a variety of placements within Tfl, as she rotates around the business every six months.
‘i think a lot of people, including myself before i started, think being an apprentice means being the office “lackey”, making coffee or photocopying,’ says leah.
‘This isn’t true — when i was working as a station supervisor, for example, we had a customer with a medical emergency. it taught me how to deal with situations under pressure, making sure customers have the help they need, while also explaining to other customers why they couldn’t get on their train as quickly as they’d like.’
she adds: ‘i love my apprenticeship and would recommend it to anyone. ignore the stereotype and see for yourself.’