Leeds City College

Level 4 Project Management Apprentice, Erin Phillips worked in backstage theatre before opting to take on an apprenticeship.

But the Costume with Textiles graduate found that her ‘dream job’ didn’t turn out to be what she was expecting.

“I was working very long hours and was unhappy. When the pandemic happened in March 2020, I made a conscious decision and decided to switch career paths because my job wasn’t bringing me much joy or excitement and it wasn’t good for my mental health.”

“Having attained a degree, I was quite nervous to begin an apprenticeship because I wondered whether I was too advanced for it. However, the work has been very challenging.”

Erin said that while looking for what she would do next, she started researching apprenticeships and the benefits of it.

“I chose the project management apprenticeship because throughout university, and in my previous roles, I had realised that what I enjoyed most was managing a project and having control over the schedule, how a budget should be spent and seeing an overview of the project’s progress.”

Erin, who is nine months into her apprenticeship, said she has had the opportunity to gain knowledge and understanding of budgets and schedules.

“I’ve learnt about topics I didn’t know existed. The work is very enjoyable and although I’m currently learning remotely, the tutors have made sure the content is really insightful and interesting. It has also given me insight into how it can be applied to other industries.”

“Since beginning the apprenticeship I have never stopped learning. If you are considering changing careers, I would suggest an apprenticeship because studying project management has definitely given me the tools and knowledge to begin a new career path.”