As an 18-year-old doing my A Levels at a school in the leafy suburbs of London, I found myself being shoehorned into the degree route. University, apprenticeship, or otherwise - it was happening. In a country where there are often more than one hundred applicants for just one job I decided that a piece of paper with BA or BSc on would be essential at some point or another. A little bit more research also revealed that experience is also key. So, I’m expected to be a 23-year-old with half a decade of experience - how on earth does that work? It is mathematically impossible.
I discovered the Degree Apprenticeship route. Being one of the first to have the opportunity of gaining both experience and getting a plethora of qualifications under my belt, it was certainly an attractive proposition as £60,000 of debt was hardly enticing; according to The Independent, even after 30 years of loan repayments this is the average amount still owed by students. Although a handful of companies have cottoned on to the huge benefit of this innovative way of investing in their staff, there are many young people wanting to take the leap resulting in very few openings. I reluctantly ended up applying to Royal Holloway, University of London; to study Business Management and Marketing and kept looking for the route for me. This is where Applegate slotted in.
Some would say it was a match made in heaven, some would say fate, others would probably just put it down to a slightly obsessive routine of online searches every evening. I was absolutely terrified when offered the job. Going from studying Business, Geography & Sociology and coming home to my mum’s hot dinners to being on the rental market 180 miles away where I knew nobody was quite a change. I called it my adventure and, for the next five years, I am absolutely determined that this is exactly what it will be.
With a week under my belt I still feel exactly the same way. How else will I reach senior management by the time I’m 30? So, here I am, sitting in the Marketing Department of Applegate Marketplace, taking the first steps along my chosen career path. I say that Marketing is a blend of both art and science, discovering what works and why; then implementing it successfully. In Applegate’s efforts to maximise growth and innovation, I already know that I will be in an environment that nurtures its employees in a way that also encourages them to broaden their skill set and, in turn, their future horizons.
My degree is paid for, I’m living in sunny North Devon and on my way to gaining a whole five years’ experience in the field I’ve always wanted to be employed in. Having already worked at Applegate for 2 weeks over the summer, it felt like jumping straight back in where I left off. But, at the same time, things have definitely gone up a gear for me. I am excited to develop my knowledge, not only in marketing, but also in the discipline of management itself as I hope to be in a position to need these skills in the not too distant future. Admittedly, in places it isn’t as amazing as it may seem. It turns out there isn’t a magic laundry fairy. Apparently your house doesn’t automatically come with heating and electricity either - you have to pay for things like that; neither does a hot meal appear on your table at 18:30 every night. I think that the most important thing I’ve learnt in this first week has nothing to do with Applegate; it is actually how amazing my mum is and how hard she must work. Here’s to the next five years, and hopefully many more both in the South West and here at Applegate, my new home. Here’s to new adventures…