National Apprenticeship Week is an opportunity for the education sector to showcase the positive impact of apprentices across the country and the benefits they have to communities, businesses and the wider economy.

This year National Apprenticeship week takes place from the 6th to 12th of February.

The campaign #skillsforlife encourages employers, communities, and training providers to consider how apprenticeship programmes can help provide the much-needed skills for each industry.

At Sherrards we currently have 3 apprentices across 3 different departments, and we are hoping to expand this over the next few years. This is an introduction to them.

Our first Apprentice is our Front of House Apprentice, Harriet Lindo. Who most of our clients will be familiar with as she is the first port of call when clients knock on the St Albans office door, or phone or email us. She is currently completing her Level 3 Business Administration via Oaklands College, which allows her to study and gain practical experience in the workplace by working alongside our Front of House team.

“I have the opportunity to experience how Sherrards operates as a whole and am given time to learn, allowing me to further my education. During my apprenticeship, my line manager and colleagues within different departments have helped me to develop my knowledge of the firm and have supported me with my studies which have enabled me to maintain a good work-life balance.”

Rachael Drane is our Solicitor Apprentice, who started her apprenticeship with Sherrards in 2019, after working as an Admin Assistant in the company from 2017. Rachael’s apprenticeship programme includes study with University of Law and working at Sherrards, this offers an alternative and unique route to qualifying as a lawyer by combining part-time studying for a law degree and the completion of solicitor qualifying exams, with hands on experience in the workplace. During her time with Sherrards, she has worked alongside a variety of departments, including Litigation, Private Client, Residential Property, and she is now seated with the Employment Team.

“The Solicitor Apprenticeship programme is certainly gaining increasing popularity, and I hope it becomes an option that many more students consider, as it offers such an exciting and rewarding career path, with the opportunity to gain a sought-after set of skills to become the next generation of lawyers!”

Our last Apprentice is me! I am the Firm’s Marketing Apprentice (Click here to go to my profile). I am working alongside the Marketing team to gain practical hands-on experience whilst completing my Level 3 Business Administration course. I work and learn from the Head of Marketing and Business Development, Sophie Hudson and am starting to understand my specialised areas, helping the firm with its social media, events, and data management.

“The team has given me the opportunity to expand my skills, build on my strengths, and they have supported and helped me with my weaker areas. I am thankful for the amazing opportunities I have been given and look forward to where my future with the company takes me.”

We look forward to expanding our Apprentice team soon as part of The Sherrards Training Academy, look out for updates on our website and Instagram.