National Apprenticeship Week 2024 is here!

As we enter National Apprenticeship Week, we’d like to tell you a little bit about how apprenticeships have been introduced here at Skyhook Games. But first of all, what is National Apprenticeship week?

National Apprenticeship Week is an annual celebration of apprenticeships, aiming to inform and educate about career options post-16. It’s also a good time to think about who might benefit from studying for an apprenticeship, what industries might be interesting to study in and what your options are after completing the course!

The theme for this year is ‘skills for life’, so we’d like to tell you a little bit about our own experiences with apprenticeships.

First we sat down with our Digital Marketing Assistant who started out here as an apprentice!

Jack’s Journey – Digital Marketing Apprenticeship

  • Why did you decide to study for an apprenticeship?

I knew that I wanted to pursue Digital Marketing as a career path but was fully aware that I would need extra training. I never felt that University was the path for me, so I wanted to find a role I could see myself in long term and could grow in. I completed my apprenticeship just over a year ago now and I’m so glad I chose that path; the combination of training & Skyhook Games work provided a great base from which to develop my skills!

  • Why Digital Marketing in particular? 

A member of my family has been in marketing for years. I was looking for a particular area of business to go into, they gave me a marketing task just to see if it was something I felt drawn to. It grabbed me straight away! I began a course in Digital Marketing that same day, started familiarising myself with the tasks involved and then began looking for apprenticeships.

  • What did your study/work split look like? 

80% of my time was dedicated to my job role with Skyhook Games, 20% was set aside for off the job training with my apprenticeship provider. This is the standard split for all apprenticeships.

  • What was the best part of your apprenticeship?

The time I spent on individual study was my favourite section of the training. I completed a number of certifications as part of the apprenticeship, but the time I was allocated to focus on what I wanted to was very useful for my development. I wasn’t going over topics I was already competent in, I was using these sessions to work on the areas I wasn’t picking up as quickly.

  • Why Skyhook Games?

Well I’ve always been a big gamer and had an interest in the craft. So when I was looking for apprenticeships in Digital Marketing and I saw that a game development studio just a train ride away was looking for such a person, I was never going to pass up on that opportunity! Around two and a half years have passed since I applied, I still can’t believe how well the stars seemed to align for me.

  • What ‘skills for life’ do you think you’ve built over your apprenticeship?

We’d be here for ages if you want the full answer, I’ll give you the short version. Personally, I’m still the same person I was before but I’ve grown up a lot! Even though I’m usually hard on myself, I look back on what I’ve accomplished so far and I’m proud of myself. As a result, my self confidence has grown substantially!

Professionally, this shift has been big. I’ve learned how to communicate, behave etc. in a work environment which was a bit of a shock to the system when I first joined but you get used to it.

Overall, learning how to fit into a new environment, going from minimal/no experience to completing the training, being kept on after certification, high job satisfaction etc. has taught me many life skills! Finishing the apprenticeship and progressing in my job role has marked a couple of years of huge development for me!

Beth’s Journey – Marketing Executive Apprenticeship 

Beth joined Skyhook in December as a temporary HR and Marketing administrator, she’s about to start her own apprenticeship journey after finding out about them through her time at Skyhook. Coincidentally, she starts her new role today! Let’s see where Beth’s new chapter is taking her.

“I’m now moving on from my temporary role as I’ve gained an offer to study a Level 4 Marketing Executive apprenticeship with Collinge & Co! My route into an apprenticeship was a little unconventional. I gained a degree in a field unrelated to marketing before applying for apprenticeships. But, through gaining work experience throughout University, I’ve now got a good foundational knowledge, which was why I decided to pursue a level 4.” 

Apprenticeships are a fantastic option for both students and employers! If you’d like to learn more about apprenticeship schemes, you can find out more here!

Or, if you want to find out more about Skyhook Games, take a look at our news page to get a look at all the latest!