What inspired you to choose the apprenticeship route?
I dropped out of sixth form halfway through Year 12 because I realised pretty quickly that school just wasn’t the right path for me. It felt like everything was focused on getting people into university, and it was being pushed as the only option. I’d never been interested in going to university, and after a few weeks, I knew sixth form wasn’t where I wanted to be.
I started looking into apprenticeships. At first, it was a bit confusing trying to figure out where to apply, what kind of roles were out there, and which qualification would suit me, but once I got into it, I found that a Business Administration apprenticeship made the most sense. It’s a broad qualification that can lead to loads of different opportunities, and I’d always enjoyed business studies at school.
"I liked the idea of learning the theory while actually getting stuck into the job and putting it into practice."
Can you remember a moment when you felt trusted with real responsibility? What did that involve?
About 18 months after wrapping up my apprenticeship, I was given the opportunity to take the lead on hiring a new apprentice for our team at Visionpath. I handled everything—from posting the job ad and running the insight and assessment day, right through to onboarding. Being trusted with something as important as bringing new talent into the team was such a proud moment. In the end, we hired two brilliant apprentices, and knowing I managed the whole process from start to finish felt like a real full-circle moment.
What stands out as the most rewarding part of your apprenticeship experience?
I think the most rewarding part has to of been when I received my results. I vividly remember sitting in the office, it was quiet and we were all getting on with things. I knew that my results would be coming soon as a colleague of mine had got hers a few days before. I had tried to push it out of my mind and forget about it. The second I saw the email come through saying that I had passed I literally jumped out of my seat and shouted I PASSED!
"It was such a great feeling to know all my hard work was worth it and I had a new qualification."
What challenges did you face during your apprenticeship, and how did you grow from them?
One of my biggest challenges throughout my apprenticeship was trying to juggle my apprenticeship work with all of my other work. I remember feeling as though I was always trying to catch up with one or the other and wasn't sure how to get back on track. I've always been the type of person who says yes to everything, whenever someone needed something I would say yes, but as time went on, I started to learn that I did in fact need to be able to say no if I had too much on or not enough time to do something. In the end I dedicated Thursday and Friday afternoons to doing my apprenticeship work. This worked really well for me as anything I missed on Thursday I could catch up with on Friday morning and it got a lot easier to balance everything.
What moment made you realise you’d made the right decision choosing an apprenticeship?
A few months after starting my apprenticeship I remember thinking how much I preferred what I was doing now compared to when I was at school. Yes the hours were longer, I wasn't surrounded by my friends as I was used to at school, and of course the work was harder, but I actually felt like I had a purpose, and the work I was doing made a difference. I also liked that my evenings and weekends were now mine to do with what I want, I could leave work at work and I was no longer spending hours of my evenings doing homework!
Can you tell us about what life at work has been like since you finished your apprenticeship?
After finishing my apprenticeship, I was lucky enough to be offered a permanent role at Visionpath as a Talent Programmes Officer. It was a great step up and gave me the chance to get involved in new areas, build on everything I’d learned during my apprenticeship, and keep growing. I stayed in that role for just over two years, and I like to think I developed a lot during that time. I really enjoyed having more responsibility and being trusted to take on new tasks—it definitely helped me grow both professionally and personally.
More recently, I’ve moved into a new role as Programme Coordinator (still at Visionpath!), which is quite different from what I’ve done before.
"It’s been exciting getting stuck into fresh challenges and learning new things, and I’m really enjoying the opportunity to keep developing."
Connect with Sienna!
Here at Visionpath, our Ambassador Community is more than just a network, it’s a movement. Our ambassadors are current and former apprentices who are passionate about making a difference by sharing their real-life journeys to inspire the next generation.
Are you a current or former apprentice who wants to get involved in the movement? Email ambassadors@visionpath.co.uk to get started.
