It’s never too late: Redefining who an apprentice can be

In April 2025, I attended a national event focused on how organisations plan to upskill people for greener jobs. The proposed solution was to create more apprenticeship programmes. However, one question remained unanswered: how will you encourage candidates to apply?

The only answer given was to engage with schools and colleges. As I sat in the audience, I thought to myself, “You won’t find me in a school.” Why not consider people of all ages under the new Modern Apprenticeship programme? Even after a decade, the same stereotypes persist, and these misconceptions continue to create barriers to equal opportunities.

During my Civil Engineering degree (2016) and my Business Management degree (2019), I was introduced to project management modules. These sparked the idea that I could pursue project management in the future. At the time, I chose to focus on raising my children, knowing I would return to it later. Stereotypically, someone in my situation might be considered “off track” or “too late” to start a new career. In reality, it became an opportunity for transformation.

I first pursued a career in interpreting because it offered flexible working hours, but I didn’t feel the passion or fulfilment I wanted long-term. I also tried teaching assistant roles and various sales positions, but none of them challenged me enough. My choices were guided largely by the need for flexible work due to the high cost of childcare. Over time, government reforms made it easier for mothers to return to full-time work.

Remembering my earlier spark for project management, I began searching for a Project Management Apprenticeship that would allow me to gain both experience and accreditation. In my application, I was open about my previous roles, my degrees and why I believed this apprenticeship was the right fit for me. Now, over a year into the programme, I’m embracing every learning opportunity and contributing to organisational growth.

Enrolling in the Project Management Apprenticeship has been one of the most valuable learning experiences in my career journey. Through the programme, I’ve applied project management principles in real time — planning and coordinating tasks, managing stakeholders and learning how to mitigate risks effectively. It has given me practical, handson experience while building my confidence in leading projects, collaborating across teams and understanding how structured project delivery can drive meaningful impact. It has strengthened both my technical skills and my personal growth, giving me a clearer sense of direction and purpose as I work towards practitioner-level expertise.

Whether an apprentice is eighteen or forty, they share something fundamental: curiosity and a desire to grow and learn.

To conclude, apprentices may often be seen as young people, but that’s only one chapter of the story. The full book reflects a far richer diversity — proving that anyone, at any age, can be an apprentice across a wide range of industries.