National Apprenticeship Week:
How collaboration in Leeds
opened doors for a young apprentice

Apprenticeships play a vital role in levelling the playing field for young people from all backgrounds. They offer paid, practical experience and access to professional networks that can otherwise feel out of reach without personal or familial connections to industry. 

Recently, the government allocated new apprenticeship funding to combined authorities, reinforcing the importance of apprenticeships delivering local benefit. Successful apprenticeships cannot happen in isolation: they rely on collaboration between public and private sector partners to create the right opportunities for young people. They enable young apprentices to stay close to home and contribute to their community, and enable businesses to retain local talent, benefitting from an apprentice’s knowledge of their region.  

For Saffy, cross-sector collaboration and intervention at the right time in her academic journey has had a big impact on her career outcomes. As a participant in Ahead Partnership’s Growing Talent Digital Leeds programme, and participant turned volunteer at programme Girl Tech, Saffy’s story highlights the importance of early intervention within her apprenticeship journey.  

Saffy is an apprentice at Accenture in Leeds, a leading solutions and services company. After developing an interest in technology at school and completing her T Levels, she secured a Level 6 Technology Services apprenticeship – a career and a pathway that has exceeded her own expectations.  

Key touchpoints with employers during her academic journey, facilitated and delivered by Ahead Partnership, helped her discover opportunities she might otherwise have missed.  

Saffy reflects on these milestones: 

“I would never have found out about the apprenticeship with Accenture without the Ahead Partnership events I attended in college. I’d thought about applying for a Level 4 with another company, but I wanted to aim higher, and working with Accenture gave me the opportunity to secure my Level 6, which is closer to a degree apprenticeship.” 

Through careers events and employer engagement sessions organised by her college, she also built the confidence and employability skills needed to succeed at interview. 

“The Ahead events I attended through college gave me the chance to practice my interview skills. I learned how to react more quickly and relate my answers to the experience I have, which came up as part of my interview for Accenture. 

“I think I’d have probably lacked a lot of the confidence I had in my interview without the experience I gained back then and might not be where I am now.” 

Through the interactive design of Ahead Partnership’s programmes, Saffy was able to speak directly with apprentices and industry professionals. The chance to ask one on one questions, participate in workshops and hear honest accounts of career journeys made these experiences stand out from more traditional careers activities. 

“It was great to speak to the mentors and the apprentices because they get it. They’ve come from the same sort of journey that I’ve come from, and look at them now!” 

“It’s a lot easier to ask questions one on one, so I networked with lots of people through the different events, finding out what their experience has been like, and how it compares to their expectations.” 

“Speaking to real people means they don’t just tell you all the good things about their paths. Challenges happen in life, and it helps to have an honest conversation, and learn how they overcame their obstacles. That’s what really hooks you in when speaking to mentors, you can relate to that, otherwise you think it’s only “perfect” people who end up in positions like theirs.” 

Inspired by her own experience as an apprentice, and with the encouragement of a volunteer Saffy met at a Girl Tech event, Saffy has since become a STEM ambassador – supporting the next generation in exploring their options and helping to provide guidance at the right time for younger people.  

“I learned about being a STEM ambassador at a Girl Tech event, and now I volunteer there! I love having the opportunity to do it because so many schools and students come up and ask questions. You can see that they’re really taking it all in.” 

“I’ve been able to give advice to the younger generations, help them with their confidence now that I’ve seen the other side. I’ve been told it’s really helped some of the attendees, and that puts such a smile on my face. That’s why I get involved.” 

For other young people navigating their next steps, Saffy offers the following advice:  

“Attend the events on offer and ask everything you want to. There’s no such thing as a silly question and you don’t want to regret missing out on an answer that might help you. No one’s ever going to laugh at you for getting things wrong, and putting yourself out there always turns out better than you expect.” 

Saffy’s story highlights the importance of early intervention when it comes to apprenticeships, ensuring that young people have access not only to the right knowledge around their next steps, but that this information is delivered to them in the best possible way.  

Through a series of meaningful encounters with a collaborative network of employers, education providers, businesses, support networks, and role models, Saffy’s story spotlights what is possible when partnerships are used to deliver the right activity. It outlines a framework for unlocking local potential when it comes to apprenticeships and shaping the best possible outcomes for young people. 

To find out how you can unlock the best outcomes for apprentices, contact us via the link on our website, or email us at enquiries@aheadpartnership.org.uk.