9 October 2023
What does a typical day look like as an apprentice?
Apprenticeships are amazing – in more ways than one.
You’ll earn money, receive first-class training and walk away with some excellent qualifications that’ll open doors for you in all sorts of exciting industries. There’s nothing quite like it.
But what’s an apprenticeship actually like? What do you do on a day-to-day basis? Meet four real-life apprentices, who’ll tell you just that.
Husain Mahomed, at Domino Printing Sciences
Hi there! I’m Husain, an 18 year old engineering apprentice at industrial printers manufacturer, Domino Printing Sciences.
I work for a team who maintains assembly and improves user experiences. Currently, I’m upgrading an extraction unit which helps to boost the health and safety of our staff.
8.30
I arrive at my desk, log on to check my calendar and create a schedule for the day. I then go to the canteen and grab some breakfast.
9:00
After having my breakfast and following up on emails, I check in with my manager to discuss any objectives I need to meet or problems I’m facing.
11:00
Once I’ve completed my tasks, my colleagues and I head to the break room for coffee and catch-ups. We have a good laugh too!
12:30
Time for some lunch. Sometimes, I’ll bring my lunch to my desk so I can watch YouTube videos whilst eating. Other times I’ll hang out with friends in the canteen.
16:00
I log off, organise my desk, and create a to-do list for the following day. Job done!
Myah Genish, at Willis Towers Watson
Hi! I’m Myah. I’m training to be a marine insurance placing broker at Willis Towers Watson. I’ve been there for five months and am loving it.
My company is quite big, so there are lots of names and faces to remember, but everyone has been so welcoming and accommodating that I’ve felt at ease.
9:00
I log onto my computer and check my emails, then go for a coffee.
10:00
I have a 30-minute call with my team to discuss incoming information on accounts. After our call, I start planning for the day or week ahead.
11:30
Around half 11, I have a call with my group tutor to go through my apprenticeship programme and make sure I’m up to date with my studies.
13:00
Lunch time! Some days I’ll go to the canteen, other days I’ll head out to eat.
14:00
Occasionally, my colleagues let me accompany them to Lloyds, so I’m able to get a feel for the business and learn more about how things work there.
Jaiden Yawson, at Visa
Hi! I’m Jaiden, and I’m a degree apprentice on a rotational programme at Visa. I work in the performance and strategy team, but change roles every six months to experience different sides of the business.
10:00
I have my first meeting of the day with a colleague who lives in Turkey (via Teams). We discuss ongoing projects and chat about new ones too.
11:00
I reply to emails and read any materials that have been given to me. I also take this time to upskill myself using Visa’s internal resource centre.
13:00
I produce data reports and summarise them for my team. Once I’ve finished, I send them off.
14:00
Should I have any outstanding tasks, I’ll make sure they’re completed by the end of the day, so I don’t have to worry about them down the line.
Alisha Kasobya, at MBDA
Hello! I’m Alisha and I’m a degree apprentice at MBDA. For the last two and half years, I’ve been on the Sales and Business Development degree apprenticeship, working towards a Chartered Management certification and a Business Management degree.
My scheme is exciting as no two days are ever the same – so I’m always on my toes! Currently, I’m acting as Deputy Chief of Staff in Business Development.
I’ll give you a quick rundown of what a day in my life was like … on an international business trip to Rome!
6:00
I arrived at Heathrow Terminal 5, got my bags checked then went through airport security to my departure gate. I grabbed a coffee and a light snack before my flight, as I didn’t want to get plane sick.
8:30 (local time)
After a two-hour flight, I landed in Rome! The first thing I did was contact my team to let them know I’d arrived safely. On my way to the hotel, I made a to-do list for the trip. I planned an entire schedule, including how I’d document my trip on my social media channels.
9:30
Whilst waiting to check in, I looked at my calendar to pinpoint any meetings I had for the day. (Time difference makes things tricky, but you eventually get used to it). Once that was done, I went for breakfast at one of my favourite hotels in Rome!
10:00
Breakfast and check-in, done. Time to get dressed and head to the Italian Head Office for the day’s meetings. Investing in smart clothing has definitely improved my workplace confidence, so I always opt for my favourite olive green suit.
10:45
Once I’d arrived, I unpacked my laptop and set up my workspace for the day. I went through my agenda and slide packs to make sure all the info on there was correct.
11:00
After welcoming the guests (many of them had flown into Rome too), I went for coffee with the team and gushed over the amazing Italian coffee machines.
11:30
Time for our first meeting. I was in charge of taking minutes and keeping track of suggestions from all attendees. Being our first face-to-face meeting, there were lots of things to be discussed, so I learned a lot about business development during this session.
14:30
Lunch time, 🎉 FINALLY 🎉. Towards the end of our three-hour meeting, everyone wondered what we were having for lunch. The food was delicious – by the way.
15:30
After our bellies were full, I checked my to-do list to see if there were any tasks I had to complete before the end of the day. For our upcoming meeting, I prepared some resources for all those who were presenting.
17:10
I went through my emails and sent out the agenda for our next in-person meeting. I also checked what meetings I’d be having upon my return to the UK and managed my schedule around my flight time.
17:30
Before finishing up, I made some content for TikTok (follow me @alisha.kasobya) and LinkedIn, making sure I got the best photos I possibly could from my trip!
18:00
Back at the hotel, I got ready and had dinner with the team, then relaxed and planned my travel arrangements for the following day.
