This week we are marking National Apprenticeship Week 2026, with students across the school exploring what an apprenticeship pathway could look like for them.
Apprenticeships are a highly competitive post A Level route that allow students to earn while they learn, gaining valuable workplace experience alongside professional qualifications or even a degree. From accounting and consultancy to technology, engineering and Law, the range of opportunities continues to grow as does the popularity of the route among students.
On Monday, our Fifth Year students heard first hand what that journey looks like as we welcomed back two Trinity alumni to lead their assembly, alongside Mr Aldridge, Head of Futures.
Kai Patterson (Class of 2022) is completing a Service Delivery Consultancy Degree apprenticeship with EY in Newcastle and is on track to become a Chartered Manager. Ben Lowth, Class of 2023, is part of Deloitte’s BrightStart Apprenticeship scheme, studying for Masters degree-level accountancy qualifications while working full time.
Both spoke honestly about the transition from school to the workplace, how they balance studying with professional responsibilities and what they have learned along the way.
Fifth Year Seb, who attended the talk, said, “I learnt about the application process and how competitive apprenticeships can be. I’m now considering the apprenticeship route because it offers valuable experience of working in a professional environment. The advice they gave on building evidence of teamwork and leadership skills was also really helpful.”
Younger students have also been exploring apprenticeships in form time, learning about different sectors, the application process and the skills employers look for, before testing their knowledge in an interactive quiz.
Earlier this term, our Futures team ran a dedicated apprenticeship assessment centre workshop for Sixth Form students considering this route, helping them feel better prepared for the competitive application process.
After half term, National Careers Week 2026 runs from Monday 2 to Friday 6 March. We will be welcoming more alumni back to share their experiences, and the week culminates in our annual Futures Fair on Thursday 5 March, where students from Fourth Year to Lower Sixth can meet professionals across a range of industries, speak with leading universities – including overseas – and gap year providers, and begin shaping their next steps with confidence.
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We also celebrate Panashe Mbanje who works in data analysis in the Alumni and Development Team at Trinity. She initially joined the team through an apprenticeship scheme, which she felt would be a better option than studying at university. She says, “I spent a year in an entry-level data role and wanted to progress into data analysis without going to university. University is expensive, and you still need work experience when you finish, so I felt the best approach was to apply for an apprenticeship. Nothing beats getting hands-on experience while being paid to do the job.”
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