News & Media

Ladder of opportunity.

Apprenticeships are gaining popularity among young people and employers – offering the opportunity to earn as you learn and with a very high chance of employment when you successfully complete your placement.

This week is National Apprenticeship Week 2017, and the theme is “Ladder of Opportunity” – a theme which Titania apprentices are no stranger to.

Two years after we launched Titania, we took on our first apprentice Edwin.

Edwin successfully completed an Advanced ICT Professional Apprenticeship and secured a permanent position here. He is now a team leader and forms part of the team that develop our industry leading security software. He’s been sharing his thoughts on how doing an apprenticeship helped his career:

“After I’d gone to university and tried a couple of different courses, I realised that I didn’t really know what it was that I wanted to do for a career. After a couple of years working in retail, doing some soul searching, I landed on computing as an area that I could really see myself in. An apprenticeship was an ideal option for me, as I didn’t really want to have to go to university; I wanted to be working straight away. It’s helped my career by giving me practical experience that, having personally interviewed graduates, just isn’t attained from doing a university course. That’s not to say that the University route is the wrong path, it just wasn’t the right one for me and having reached the level of Development Team Lead hopefully proves that.”

To date, we have taken on 8 apprentices and currently have 3 working in our testing team, development team and in business administration.

Current apprentices Shannon and Josh have been sharing their thoughts about their experience and how it’s helped them with their future plans:

What made you want to do an apprenticeship?

Josh: My apprenticeship is an excellent opportunity to start my IT career. Being able to work and learn simultaneously gives me the experience and knowledge I need to progress in my career.

Shannon: I was already working in my role as Office Assistant at Titania, but I decided to do my apprenticeship to gain more skills that will help me in my role and future career. It’s a great opportunity to study while I work and put my new knowledge to use right away!

What is the best thing about your apprenticeship?

Josh: Definitely the people! I never feel unsupported or that I can’t ask anyone for help. My co-workers are always willing to give their time to help me learn or tackle any tricky problems I come across.

Shannon: The course is really detailed and covers everything I need to know. It’s giving me valuable skills for the future too.

What would be your advice for anyone considering an apprenticeship?

Josh: An apprenticeship is a great way of gaining the skills and hands-on experience you need to start your career. The practical experience you gain through doing one is invaluable, teaching you so much more than only reading would.

Shannon: Go for it! I’m so glad I started mine and I’d encourage anyone thinking about it to go ahead.

Proud to support.

Apprenticeships are available in more than 170 industries in the UK and employers say that qualified apprentices are 15% more employable than those with other qualifications.

At Titania we’re proud supporters of National Apprenticeship Week and the opportunities that apprenticeships provide in the IT sector and beyond. We were also proud to sponsor the Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards 2016 and celebrate some of the emerging talent in the region.