When I joined the Press back in 2018, I joined as the first apprentice in journals production. At that time I had just quit university where I was doing a computer science degree, which I wasn’t really enjoying, and wanted a career change. This was when I came across the apprenticeship scheme at Cambridge. I saw this as a great opportunity to get into an industry that not only was I interested in, but is also quite difficult to get into without some form of experience or qualification. One of the big draws for me was the guarantee of a job at the end of the course. This was something that not every employer was offering so as someone who quit university looking to start something new, this was huge! Another element that drew me towards an apprenticeship at the Press was the difference in the way you study for the course. One thing I didn’t enjoy about university was the constant feeling that you had to be studying, but with the apprenticeship you only study/work on it during work hours, meaning your spare time was yours.

During my apprenticeship, I split my work week between the course and my day-to-day job. Fortunately, I had a lot of support from my manager and team so my workloads never got overwhelming, which I found really helpful. One of the best things about the course was the monthly training sessions. Each month all of the Business Administrator apprentices would take part in a training session where our tutor would visit the Press and teach us about a specific part of the course. These days were great opportunities to focus solely on the course content and learn about something completely new. The topics included things like project management, business fundamentals, government policies, and development of personal skills like professionalism and communication.

It was also a great time to get to know the other apprentices who worked in different areas of the business. I think the comradery we created over the early months of the course, and continue to have today, really helped me find my feet at the Press and get more enjoyment from the course in general.

The apprenticeship also provided me with the opportunity to not only work at the Press but has allowed me to do things that I wouldn’t be able to without doing the course. I’ve attended an apprenticeship event at the House of Commons, I’ve been invited to be an Apprentice Ambassador network and I’ve had the opportunity to represent CUP at several other apprenticeship based events.

If you’re interested in the world of academic publishing then I think it’s a great opportunity for people who have just left education or just want a career change. So if you see a course that you think would be good and want to apply, go for it!

Find out more about apprenticeships at Cambridge University Press: https://www.cambridge.org/gb/about-us/careers/meet-press/apprenticeships