16/07/2026
Meet Lily (AAT qualified) and Jacob who is currently an apprentice studying AAT, both of whom have kindly shared their experiences with us.
Lily became an apprentice after her GCSEs whereas Jacob chose to do A-levels before following the apprenticeship route. Neither Jacob nor Lily felt that they were missing out on the university experience but rather felt that an apprenticeship had given them a head start on those following the traditional university route.
They both attend/ attended college one day a week, giving them the perfect balance between work and learning and allowing them to meet with other students for that social experience. Both said that doing an apprenticeship has boosted their confidence and enabled them to gain valuable workplace experience. It has helped to make them well rounded, experienced employees and valuable assets to Shepherd Partnership.
In short, they chose the apprenticeship route to gain workplace experience and work towards qualifications whilst still receiving a salary and avoiding costly student debt. It’s a relationship that is mutually beneficial to both employer and employee and some of the advantages to employers are laid out below.
