Apprenticeships: The New Way for Young Adults to Change Career - Heather Tasker
Heather Tasker is a DF apprentice at Unilever, writing for the Community Blogging Team.
After an array of different careers, Heather is now undertaking a data analyst apprenticeship with Unilever and is living proof that apprenticeships are for all ages and all walks of life. Heather is also an #IamRemarkable facilitator with Google and is dedicated to helping others find their voice.
These articles are Heather’s voice. Full of experiences, good, bad and everything in between. Every article will hopefully resonate with many of you and offer help in times of uncertainty.
We’ve all felt it. The dreaded “what will you do with your life?” feeling. Possibly multiple times. For myself, I can recall this haunting topic following me throughout my education. What GCSEs? A-Levels? Degree? It’s a minefield. And let’s be honest those of us at 18 that knew exactly what they wanted to do were blessed. Throughout the following years, I jumped from career to career – from flipping burgers, to a paramedic student, carer, even a research scientist!
Now, I will not bore you and delve into how each career attempt panned out – but I will say I was forever left with the same question – “Is this it?” Fulfilment for me was few and far between but when you have stumbled so far down a path it isn’t easy to just turn around one day and choose another. At this point I was 24, renting my own place, financing a car, and having 2 geckos to think of (they are surprisingly expensive, weird I know). I needed to figure out what was my next step while also being able to support myself. The ultimate challenge.
Enter Multiverse, a little glimpse of hope upon the never-ending google job search. When reading the description of the advertisement the role of “data analyst” sounded appealing, mainly playing with numbers and data – a (slightly nerdy) introvert’s dream. However, noticing it was an apprenticeship did worry me due to the old myths of these opportunities being for school leavers and being notoriously known for being low paying roles. But that’s just it. If there is one thing you take from this article it's that these are myths.
Fast forward to now, I’m 25, working with Unilever – a huge global company - and have learnt so many more skills than any other role I have done, with endless support from not only the apprenticeship provider but from my employer too. Financially I’m supported and stable. I have had endless extra opportunities (such as writing this article) and honestly for the first time feel as if I’ve finally achieved the “adult career” I’ve always searched for. I am learning and growing every day and given the flexibility to work in the best way that suits me. My CV is glowing. Apprenticeships are not for school leavers or unsustainable – they are a door just waiting for you to open, to get to wherever it is you want to go. It’s motivating to think of everything I’ve achieved this far after so many doubts, and that this is only the start of my new path.
My advice? It’s a jump, a leap of faith, but it’s also an opportunity for yourself and a chance to find a career that fulfils you. Take another look next time you see an apprenticeship – it might just be your new path.
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