Recruitment and Careers News

I knew that if I didn’t secure an apprenticeship, I would ultimately have to go to university to pursue my goal of qualifying as a solicitor. That being said, university was very much my ‘back up’ option. Rather than the other way around, which can be a common misconception.

My plan essentially was that I would apply to apprenticeships and aim to secure an apprenticeship within the first application cycle. If I was unsuccessful, I was prepared to wait and reapply the following year. At the time, I remember being heavily encouraged to apply to university. At Sixth Form the focus was very much upon university applications. I don’t recall being encouraged at all (never mind quite as heavily) to consider degree apprenticeships. Despite this, I knew that the apprenticeship was the route that I wanted to pursue. Furthermore, that it was the route that would help me get that ‘head-start’ on my career, which would, in turn, assist in fulfilling my long-term career ambitions.

I initially applied to the North East Solicitor Apprenticeship (NESA) Scheme, which we have discussed previously. NESA follow a group recruitment process, and I think when I applied in 2020 there were around eight firms recruiting. As I mention applying in 2020, you might have suspected that things did not run quite as smoothly as they would usually. Unfortunately you would be right!

I progressed through the application process, and attended a group assessment centre in February 2020. I was successful at the group assessment with six firms and was invited to attend the final stage of selection. This entailed a final interview and work placement with each of the six. Unfortunately, the last stage was set to go ahead from March onwards, which, as you can imagine wasn’t possible due to the pandemic and it was initially postponed. As the first lockdown continued, it became less and less likely that it would be possible for the selection process to continue due to wonderful implications of the pandemic. As a result, the NESA recruitment process was ultimately withdrawn for the 2020 application cycle.

At this point, despite understanding the circumstances in which NESA could not go ahead as it usually would for that year – I couldn’t help but feel the disappointment. That the biggest, most important opportunity I had ever had at that time, had been taken out of my reach for reasons beyond my control. I had essentially gone from being in a great position and having a real chance of receiving apprenticeship offers. To, ultimately, not really having a chance at all. 

I decided at this point, that I wasn’t quite ready to accept this outcome just yet. That ‘not really having a chance’ is not the same as not having any chance at all, and that that was good enough for me!  The apprenticeship was something I was very, very set on. There was no doubt in my mind that it was the right route for me. Equally, having spent almost six months in what felt like a stationary position (with my A-levels cancelled, and being in limbo within the application cycle), I wanted to get started as soon as possible. My prospects of securing the apprenticeship were something that had helped me navigate the uncertainty that the first lockdown brought. Fundamentally, in that time I had become more determined than ever to achieve what I had set out to. 

I initially checked that Northumbria University were still offering the apprenticeship programme with a 2020 start. Luckily they were. So, then I contacted each firm that I had reached the final stage of selection with directly. I essentially explained the position, and my aim of securing an apprenticeship despite the circumstance. I enquired as to whether there was any scope to continue with the apprenticeship. Or if any alternative opportunities might be available. It was in response to my email, that BHP Law invited me to meet with their managing partner. Following this, they excitingly offered me the apprenticeship.

No one at the time knew what Covid was going to mean for businesses, law firms and apprenticeships in general. I’m not sure exactly what made BHP Law take that chance. Particularly given that Jack and I (who also approached BHP Law following the recruitment process with NESA) were the first Solicitor Apprentices that they recruited. However, I do think that our perseverance and persistence demonstrated our commitment to pursue the apprenticeship route made the difference. That this assisted in our ability to secure an apprenticeship where the odds were very much against us.

I can’t say for certain, but I think that the actions which we took really demonstrated just how driven we were. Perhaps that in showing this drive through action, rather than just, for example, holding yourself as having these kinds of traits in a written application. It had much more conviction, and that this was ultimately enough to take that chance on us.

Yes. We currently have a total of 5 Solicitor Apprentices. This year we are involved in the NESA recruitment application cycle.

It’s certainly a challenge. However, the key to being able to juggle both for me comes with organisation and communication. Being organised both in the workplace and with your studies is really important. It is just as important to communicate with your workplace (and current team/supervisor) as to your workload in each area. So, that the balance remains manageable. Exam periods are often where it becomes most challenging. However, again through communication and organisation the challenge remains manageable. We do receive exam leave allocated prior to our exams, which really helps.  

I do think that protecting your 20% study time is also important. It can be difficult where you want to progress as much as possible at work. This can make it tempting at times to give up your study day in order to do so. But the reality is that you just can’t afford to do that consistently. As the study day really is essential for succeeding academically. The apprenticeship relies on successful in both areas.

For me, I don’t feel that it does. I’m now past the halfway point, and it has really flown by. It’s strange because although development / progression wise I feel worlds away from when I started. It feels like the time has passed really quickly. I suppose that’s the kind of accelerated progression that you can expect when you are, or when you recruit a Solicitor Apprentice!  

Six years is around the minimum length of time that it takes to qualify through the traditional route anyway. That of course is reliant upon securing a training contract in the first application cycle, which is not always the case.

The honest answer is not yet! My first seat was in Court of Protection (Health and Welfare). My second was Family (public law) and my current seat is in Civil Dispute Resolution. I have enjoyed each and have found each area has assisted me in developing different skills and competencies. As I still have three years to go, I’m remaining open minded and taking everything in along the way.

What I can say now, is that I think my passion probably lies with people-focused areas of law, rather than more transactional areas. For me, the more personal side of law is what I enjoy. As it brings that element of making a difference and seeing the real value in the work that you do.

I volunteer with the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN). This is a national network split up into regional divisions. So, I work directly with the North-East network predominantly. The AAN have various initiatives, but one aim is to increase apprenticeship awareness and assist potential apprentices in making an informed decision in their career pursuits. Things like careers fairs, presentations and mock interview / CV workshops are ways in which the AAN look to achieve this. Something which the AAN do which I think is really important particularly for younger people, is that they also attend events that include parents. There has been stigma surrounding apprenticeships for quite some time. I think as with most things, this can come from lack of education and information available. So, greater the reach of these kinds of initiatives, the better.

This year, I proposed the idea of a year 12/13 work experience programme to BHP Law. Subsequently, we designed and delivered a programme which was a real success over the summer. We were able to welcome two successful candidates to our Darlington Office. They experienced a mixture of hands-on experience and workshops. Some of which were focused upon pathways into law, including the apprenticeship route. This is something that is really important to me, as I myself had struggled to obtain work experience at that age due to lack of connections within the profession. Consequently, I wanted to do something that can begin to change that narrative of ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’ at a local level. So, the programme was very much tailored to that, all the way down to the application which included a cover letter which gave all candidates the same opportunity. Rather than it being based upon personal connections, or past work experience. I am grateful to have been supported to implement something at BHP Law that I am passionate about. I am looking forward to continuing with and developing this programme further. 

Additionally, I do think there is some work to be done in the North-East in terms of creating more legal apprenticeship opportunities. So that aspiring legal apprentices don’t have to move out of the area if they don’t want to. I would love to see more North-East based firms begin to recruit Solicitor Apprentices, and if there is anything I can do to assist with that I will be more than willing. Even if it is comes down to carrying on the conversation on Solicitor Apprenticeships in the North-East.

I think a real key thing that BHP Law have done, is that they’ve been willing to listen and adapt alongside their apprentices. A small example of this, is with our exam leave, we’ve been able to have open conversations about what we need in order to achieve success academically – which has included increasing our exam leave as we have progressed through our degree.