These days I get a lot of questions about how I got into my current role and it always takes me back to being younger and being desperate for someone just to give me a chance, which is one of the reasons I’ve written this piece. apprenticeship

Growing up I was obsessed with the Brit Crew, the Youtubers who took over the internet in 2012 and raised a generation (more specifically, mine – Gen Z)  Beyond their content, I was fascinated by what went on behind the scenes: the industry, their management, and the intricate processes that fuelled their success. How did it all work? How did brands approach them? 

It was at the age of 17 when I was in sixth form that I really wanted to find work experience within social media. But, with zero connections, I struggled.  I ended up taking a role at the next best thing which was working at the local council in their marketing department.

That’s right, the next best thing was my local County Council, and I’m not throwing any shade here, as I got office experience alongside guidance and advice from some lovely people. Unfortunately for me, the extent of my marketing role was making an A4 poster using Word Art which wasn’t *quite* what I had in mind…

When I finished my A Levels, I found it quite overwhelming to find a job which focused on the marketing disciplines that I was drawn to (social media, influencer marketing etc) given the struggles I’d had for work experience. I knew that if you had connections in the industry, it was understandably easier to get into, but as previously mentioned, I had none. So I had to utilise my skill set and think outside the box a little. 

Shortly after the COVID pandemic, the government introduced a scheme called ‘Kickstart,’ designed to help young people enter the workforce through internships. When I signed up for the programme, The Fifth was the first job that came up on the website and it sounded *perfect*; not only a marketing role but at an influencer agency which was so up my street. I applied straight away, got invited for an interview and was really pleased when I was offered the role.

@thefifthagency

Follow along a day in the life of an intern at THE FIFTH #dayinmylife #dayinthelife #internship #influenceragency #fyp #agency #office #foryoupage #london #uk

♬ As It Was – Harry Styles

My internship was only supposed to last a month, but The Fifth must have thought I was doing something right because they kept extending it, and it ended up lasting eight months. They then encouraged me to apply for their upcoming apprenticeship, where I would be doing a similar role to what I had already done in my internship. But this opportunity was for two years, meaning I would be much more involved in the business as well as having the opportunity to gain experience in each of the agency’s teams such as Marketing, Strategy, Creative, Client Services, Talent Research and Talent Management.

It seemed like a natural next step, so I applied and was incredibly grateful to be offered the role. Over the last two years, it has given me so many opportunities including meeting new people, attending events, and gaining vital experience in a hands-on way. I have worked across so many different projects from making TikToks to launching a new website, meaning I have gained a wide knowledge across all different parts of marketing. Not to mention, exposure to an amazing work environment and fantastic company culture. 

I wasn’t set on university, so an apprenticeship was the perfect way for me to get hands-on experience and start working. University is amazing and if someone wants to go by all means they should, because of course you can gain life experience and meet great friends, but for me, I knew it wasn’t necessary, so I chose to do things differently.

For me coming into a business and showing them exactly what I can do was extremely beneficial, I was lucky when I joined, that the marketing department needed a spare pair of hands so I used it as an opportunity to prove I could do it which gave me more opportunities, and has ultimately helped me to grow in confidence and experience.

My top tips for anyone looking to enter this industry would be: 

• Look for any work experience opportunity you can, and get out there and show them what you can do.
• Look into internships because as I learnt, they can lead to something much bigger.
• See if you can offer marketing help for free to a small business in your town or city, you could make some Instagram posts for them, and use these as a portfolio in interviews.
• Figure out what type of marketing you want to do, marketing is broad and covers everything from social media, SEO, email marketing, events marketing, content, internal comms, community management – if you know which aspect of marketing excited you most, look into specific roles; and if you have the time, you can upskill yourself in these areas using online videos for free.
• Look into free digital marketing courses online, LinkedIn also offers courses.
• Have an idea of what kind of company you would like to work in. Would it be in-house for a brand (B2C) or at a marketing agency for example (B2B)?
• Accept as many interviews as you possibly can – even if you’re not sure you want the role, practising your interview skills is so important. Make sure you reflect on what you could have done better for next time – and always ask for interview feedback too!

I’ve now finished my two-year apprenticeship and recently started my role as a Marketing Executive. I’ve been at The Fifth for three years now, and I still can’t believe how far I’ve come; thank goodness for my boyfriend’s Mum mentioning the Kickstart scheme to me otherwise who knows where I’d be!

To conclude I would like to give a special mention to a few of the people who have been instrumental in my growth so far: Esra Gurkan, Hayley Harrison, Jess Markwood, Courtnee Haley, and Emma Cartwright – really appreciate you believing in me, helping me learn, and making the whole journey a lot of fun. Here’s to the next few years!!!