When Digital apprentice Habiba Aden got promoted to PR and Events Officer earlier this year it was part of a fantastic apprenticeship journey – it was the first time Catch22 have had an apprentice in their comms/marketing team and Habiba has really shown the value of the apprenticeship process within PR. Habiba shares her story with us on the Women in PR blog.
Choosing an apprenticeship
University was heavily encouraged when I was in sixth form and after I finished school, I went directly there. But after a couple of months, I wasn’t enjoying it and still didn’t know what I wanted to pursue as a career. I searched for work experience to learn more about what I did like and what I did not like on the job. This was valuable as after a few traineeships, I decided to look for marketing apprenticeships. The short-term placements weren’t sustainable, and I wanted long-term responsibility, real experience and to develop my skills. I chose an apprenticeship because it was the perfect way to bridge the gap between leaving school and starting my career. It’s quite scary to do it on your own, but with my Multiverse coach and team at Catch22, they knew I was learning on the job, and they supported me.
Hiring an apprentice and the apprenticeship levy
Catch22 is an apprenticeship provider and strong advocate of apprenticeships. I was the first apprentice to join the Communications team. My manager, Communications and Marketing Manager Josie Cochrane at Catch22, says that as advocates of apprenticeships, the team wanted an apprentice in the Communications team:
“We needed to walk the talk. While we were promoting the benefits of apprenticeships across the UK, it seemed appropriate to try having an apprentice in our own team. Particularly as we advertised the role just midway through the pandemic, it helped that we could use the apprenticeship levy to fund part of the role too.
“It worked out brilliantly for us – for me, it meant reflecting on how we can train up our new starters efficiently, and the ongoing training Habiba went through meant both her and I could see really tangible development.”
Balancing apprenticeships
Doing an apprenticeship and working at the same time was sometimes challenging. I had to manage course work, attend monthly classes and meet with my coach. To keep a good balance, I set up time dedicated to my apprenticeship in my calendar, communicated regularly with my team, and they supported my course work.
At the start, I struggled with balancing assignments and Catch22 work but with the advice of my line manager, Josie, she explained how intertwined both my assignments and my role at Catch22 were supposed to be. So, we adapted my role to match coursework requirements so that I was consistently basing my learning on real projects – all the while producing work for Catch22. It did not feel like two separate commitments, but a very connected apprenticeship.
From apprentice to full time employee
I went through a competitive interview process to get the role of PR and Events Officer. This role was quite different from my Digital Marketing Apprenticeship, but I had developed a real interest in writing and working on events, so I went for it and secured the role!
Transitioning into the new role has increased my confidence, given me clearer career aspirations, and cemented the great relationships I have within Catch22. At the start of my apprenticeship, I was quite shy and quiet, and now I feel confident in my skills, although the learning and development never stops! I am also more confident in presenting ideas and networking. The confidence I have built is also a credit to the support of my team as the training and advice I received was so helpful. Another difference in the new role is the time I have to focus on how I want to grow this new PR and Events role. I am still interested in expanding my knowledge but now I can focus on how I can contribute to the team.
PR and the future
As a result of my apprenticeship, I have a clearer vision of my career prospects and I am in a role focussed on the communication skills I really want to develop. I am excited about my role because it is a more independent role, with more responsibilities. I have progressed a long way from starting my apprenticeship and, being just over a year into my career, it makes me so excited to find out how the rest of my career will go.
Habiba is the PR and Events Officer for Catch22, a social business that designs and delivers services to build resilience in communities across the UK. She has recently completed a Level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship with Multiverse, while working for Catch22. Here, she shares the journey of her apprenticeship and her next steps.
