It's great to hear how apprentices are getting on in their job role and how they're finding their apprenticeship.

We asked one of our very own apprentices, Mathew, how he's been finding his apprenticeship. Here's what he had to say:

Can you explain a little bit about the company you work for?

"I actually work for Swift themselves! I'm the digital marketing apprentice for the digital marketing department. Swift has a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere, and it feels good to work as a part of something that dedicates itself to helping people like myself find their career pathways.

We are an apprenticeship provider that also offers apprentice recruitment services for employers. Our unique selling point is the fact we have our own mentors that provide bespoke training to our apprentices on the job. I'd say Swift operates on a much more individual scale than any other apprenticeship provider, and that's what sets it apart from the pack."

Why did you decide to do an apprenticeship instead of University?

"This isn't actually the case. I have a degree in illustration and had just recently finished my degree when I was looking for a job as a junior web developer. I learned to code and digitally market during the start of the pandemic since I had so much spare time.

I figured that I could use my creative skills and my newfound technical knowledge to make something of myself in digital marketing, I just needed a good entry-level.

I applied for many jobs, and it was quite demoralising at times, I was kept afloat by a small business I ran on the side, but it wasn't sustainable.

My Swift Digital Marketing Apprenticeship gave me the opportunity to gain valuable work experience and the qualifications needed to get my foot in the door of the industry; the money was also a great help!"

How would you say an apprenticeship is different to University?

"Well to start with the obvious stuff, you get paid for your time. You also get work experience, which in my opinion is a lot more important than qualifications in a lot of fields. After the 15-18 months of apprenticeship work, you have the potential to progress into a high paying digital marketing career. After 3 years of University, I had a degree but no work experience, no money, and no desire to work in the field I studied."

How do you think you have progressed since the start of your apprenticeship?

"When I first started, I didn't have what I needed to get a job as a digital marketing exec, digital marketer, or even digital marketing manager. With the skills I've acquired throughout the course (and the job), with the help of my colleagues and my mentor, I now have the confidence that I could land myself a career in digital marketing with relative ease.

The key difference is that when I was job hunting, I needed the work and I was desperate, but now I have the skills to pick and choose what path I take, and it means a lot."

To see more case studies from apprentices like Mathew, and even some employers, view our case studies page here