The social and professional value of Apprenticeships - Ryan’s Story.
An SME founded in 2019, Faerfield is a leadership recruitment and development company, based in X+Why, Brindleyplace that has embraced both the growth of its people and its business through the apprenticeship model.
Ryan was their first apprentice, and his journey is a great example of how apprenticeships can be a win-win, benefiting both the individual and the company. His proactive approach to shaping his career within Faerfield and his ability to enhance the marketing side of their business speaks volumes about the value of creating an environment where talent can grow and evolve.
What really stands out is the blend of formal education and hands-on experience Ryan received. His apprenticeship not only equipped him with technical skills but also helped him develop confidence and a sense of ownership in his role. And with Faerfield backing him every step of the way, it’s clear that this kind of internal growth contributes to the company’s overall success.
Faerfield’s approach also demonstrates powerfully its practical commitment to social inclusion and value. Apprenticeships can be a powerful tool for creating diverse, dynamic workforces by creating opportunities for employment and career development.
Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of the apprenticeship is the opportunity for the apprentices to have a voice in a professional business environment and increasing their self-confidence. This in turn enables them to be more assertive, and to introduce and develop new ideas and better ways of doing things.
As Ryan himself describes the apprenticeship programme provided a genuine platform for professional and personal development.
“I started my apprenticeship in spring 2023, and it ran until summer 2024. It was a Level 3 Digital Marketing apprenticeship as I realised after joining the business in the admin function that marketing was what I wanted to do. There was an increasing need in Faerfield for someone to take control of our marketing and I wanted to be that person, however we all recognised while I had the interest and an instinct for it, I didn’t have the formal training to do it in an efficient manner. We contacted QA, an apprenticeships provider, who brought this one to our attention, and with the full support of the team, I enrolled.
“The apprenticeship covered a lot of ground, including basic marketing principles, understanding analytics, search engine optimisation, use of scheduling tools, campaign planning and management, and asset creation. It gave me the confidence to become more assertive in marketing meetings and to begin to present ideas from the team, becoming less reactive and more proactive.
“After passing my apprenticeship my job title was amended to Business Support & Marketing Executive to reflect my new status in the company and its marketing focus. I now work closely with our design team on a number of important company projects, including day to day job advertising and social media campaigns to a recent website and branding refresh. With the company’s support I am now about to embark on an accredited marketing course and join the Chartered Institute of Marketing.”
When asked if he would recommend apprenticeships to others, Ryan said:
“I’d completely recommend taking on an apprenticeship if you find one that will help you progress into a career path you want. I became an apprentice at 24, after completing a degree in English and Politics, and it was just as valuable to me as to other students on the course who had recently left college, as it enabled me to specialise in an area which I was interested in and had applicable transferable skills for. The skills I learned were also applicable to other parts of my role – organisation, planning, even more technical skills such as HTML coding have been really useful. The format of the apprenticeship was really useful – doing 6 hours a week of studying and applicable work was great as it allowed me to work and earn at the same time”.
