Meet our apprentices at RNN Group
Apprenticeships aren’t just for one type of person or one type of career.
From customer service and business admin to engineering and healthcare, apprenticeships are opening doors to real careers, real qualifications and real opportunities across every industry.
To celebrate National Apprenticeship Week 2026 this February, we’re proud to share the stories of some of our past and current apprentices who have studied with the RNN Group who share their top tips for anyone thinking of doing an apprenticeship.
Maisey – Customer Service Apprentice
Sector: Customer Service and Office Skills
Level: Level 2 Customer Service Practitioner
Employer: South Yorkshire Pension Authority
Maisey chose an apprenticeship because she wanted to continue learning while earning. She also valued the apprenticeship’s flexibility around her busy job in the pensions service.
During her training, Maisey developed key office skills, improved her time management and organisation, and became confident working in a professional environment.
Her dedication paid off when she achieved a distinction in her End Point Assessment and secured a permanent role as a Pensions Officer at SYPA where she plans to progress her career further.
Maisey’s advice to future apprentices:
“If you’re not sure university is right for you after finishing school, an apprenticeship is always a very good option.”
Cerys – Teaching Assistant Apprentice
Sector: Education and SEND support
Level: Level 3 Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship
Having been encouraged to consider a career in education by family, and with prior volunteering experience working with children in a library, Cerys opted to do a teaching assistant apprenticeship to expand her skills in a school setting.
The apprenticeship gave Cerys the opportunity to learn on the job while deepening her understanding of how to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). She particularly valued the flexible learning delivery and the mix of practical school-based work with online learning which allowed her to directly apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations.
Throughout her apprenticeship, Cerys developed confidence in planning interventions and supporting with pupils of all ages. She says it also enhanced her non-verbal communication skills.
Now employed at the same school where she trained, she’s considering university study to become a language teacher, a goal she feels well prepared for thanks to her apprenticeship experience.
Cerys’s tip for future apprentices:
“Plan your week carefully to focus on updating your off-the-job (OTJ) hours. Carry a journal to keep a log of OTJ activities which you can then refer to when updating your timesheet. Note down all the little things you do in a day.”
Ellie – Business Administration Apprentice
Sector: Business & Administration
Level: Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship
Employer: Mears Group PLC
Ellie chose an apprenticeship because she wanted to earn a wage while learning in a practical workplace setting which suited her preference for hands-on learning. Her training blended monthly online sessions, quarterly college attendance and daily workplace tasks of between 30 minutes and one hour.
She learned how to prioritise tasks, work with different teams and present confidently in professional situations. The apprenticeship also enhanced Ellie’s organisational and communication skills, boosting her confidence and understanding of how work operates in general.
She is now aiming to secure a role with her employer and progress her career further.
Ellie’s advice:
“Keep on top of tasks, make sure everything is submitted on time, and speak up if you are struggling or don’t have enough time to complete things. An apprenticeship gives you a lot of experience, so don’t take it for granted.”
Bethany – Teaching Assistant Apprentice
Sector: Education
Level: Level 3 Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship
Employer: Beech Academy
As a learner with SEN needs, Bethany found the apprenticeship route to be a really flexible and accessible option for her. She received tailored tutor support for her individual needs and was allowed things like extended deadlines and recorded sessions to assist her off-the-job lessons and tasks.
Throughout the apprenticeship, Bethany built her confidence in key teaching terms, policy understanding and classroom support skills.
The support and flexibility on offer also meant Bethany completed her apprenticeship early with a distinction. She was also proud to pass her functional skills in maths alongside the level 3 course.
Bethany now hopes to become a grade 4 teaching assistant and complete further qualifications in emotional literacy to enhance her pastoral-focused role.
Beth’s tip for future apprentices
“Get your assignments done as early as possible to stay on track. Stay in regular contact with your tutor — they can push you to achieve your best.”
Kornelia – Business Administration Apprentice
Sector: Business and Sales
Level: Levle 3 Business Administrator Apprenticeship
Employer: Straaltechniek UK
After completing A-levels in business, psychology and sociology, Kornelia decided university wasn’t for her, but she still wanted to keep learning and developing her skills.
An apprenticeship gave her hands-on experience in employment skills like communication, mentoring, presenting and business analysis. She liked how the apprenticeship focused on a different topic each month, with the flexibility to complete her work when it suited her.
Over time, she saw major improvements in her confidence, particularly speaking on the phone, and her ability to work independently.
Kornelia now works as an internal sales administrator within the same company and she hopes to progress within the sales team to grow her account management skills.
Kornelia’s advice:
“Create revision cards or mind maps after each topic instead of leaving all revision until the end of the apprenticeship. It will give you more time to prepare for your presentation and interview.”
Daisy – Higher Level Healthcare Apprenticeship
Sector: Health and Social Care
Level: Level 5 Foundation Degree in Assistant Healthcare Practitioner (Higher Apprenticeship)
Employer: Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
After doing a level 3 healthcare apprenticeship, Daisy wanted to study further to help climb the career ladder within the NHS. With support from her employer, she studied at level 5, undertaking the assistant healthcare practitioner HTQ which combined on-the-job training with a day release for lectures at our higher education centre, University Centre Rotherham.
The higher apprenticeship helped Daisy gain real leadership skills. Her confidence grew significantly and she now manages shifts, allocates tasks and even teaches other staff clinical skills like cannulation.
With her higher education qualification in hand, Daisy has moved into a higher position and continues to thrive in a supportive team.
Daisy’s tip for future apprentices:
“Keep on top of your work by doing it a bit at a time rather than letting it mount up. Ask for help when you need it and link theory to practice.”
Spencer – Higher Level Engineering Apprentice
Sector: Engineering and Technical
Level: Level 5 HND in Electrical Engineering (Higher Apprenticeship)
Employer: Eaton
Spencer’s apprenticeship journey began at level 2 after realising that practical, hands-on learning suited him better than traditional classroom settings. Since then, Spencer has been supported by his employer to continue learning right up to level 5 with the HND. He currently works full-time work as a maintenance technician with day-release study at University Centre Rotherham.
Spencer credits the apprenticeship with giving him real engineering experience and deeper technical knowledge that can’t be taught in the classroom such as project planning, leadership, communication, and critical thinking – skills he applies every day that have accelerated his professional development at work.
Once completing his higher education qualification, Spencer’s long-term goal is to move into leadership roles within engineering and the mix of work and study has set him up well for that next step.
Spencer’s advice:
“If you’re motivated and want a hands-on route into engineering, an apprenticeship is the best of both worlds. You build experience, gain a degree and develop skills that are in demand across the industry.”
Toni – Senior Leader Apprenticeship
Sector: Management and Leadership
Level: Level 7 Senior Leader Apprenticeship
Toni’s apprenticeship stands out as an example of how apprenticeships support experienced professionals too. Doing a degree apprenticeship has helped HR manager Toni grow her professional impact and confidence in leading teams.
As a participant in the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Senior Leader programme, Toni found the learning to be highly practical and directly applicable to her role. The shared experiences within her cohort helped deepen her leadership thinking and gave her structured frameworks to refine her existing management skills.
Toni’s reflection:
“While many of the models and practices were familiar to me, the program has helped me understand them in a more structured and formal way. It’s stretched my thinking and given me a clearer framework to work within, which has definitely strengthened my leadership approach.”