To mark National Apprenticeship Week, Lyons Davidson’s legal apprentices share their experiences of apprenticeship:
Many people are left unsure of what career path they would like to pursue when they leave secondary education. A lot of people feel obliged to study at university, this being the most popular next step. However, many are intimidated by the thought of some of the possible consequences of studying, especially the debt.
Apprenticeships are a great alternative to university, as you can earn and learn at the same time. University graduates, including law graduates, often struggle to find employment in the competitive legal sector, because of lack of actual work experience – something that is requested in a lot of job applications.
An apprenticeship provides a ‘foot in the door’ that means a person can gain the required experience alongside the qualifications needed to achieve their career goals. In the future, we apprentices could become Chartered Legal Executives or even Solicitors, simply by taking a slightly different approach and not obtaining a university degree.
As apprentices, we can provide a different perspective on the legal sector and the service that is provided to our clients. We bring enthusiasm, different ideas and a new way of thinking.
Why did we apply?
“I knew when I left school that I wanted to work in the legal sector, but I did not know the type of jobs that were available to people who didn’t have any legal qualifications or experience. I completed an internship at Lyons Davidson, which introduced me to Claimant Personal Injury Work. Through the six-week internship I was told about the apprenticeships available at Lyons Davidson and it sounded so appealing. I have never looked back.”
Eden Vaknin, LD Legal Apprentice
“I didn’t get along well with college and I decided that I achieved better results when I was actually able to put what I was learning into practice. I knew that an apprenticeship would be ideal for me because it has allowed me to do just that. Working in the legal sector has always been my dream job and before I realised there were legal apprenticeships available, I didn’t think I would be able to do my dream job without having to complete another three years of solid education at university”.
Kirsty McKenzie, LD Legal Apprentice
“I decided an apprenticeship was better for me as I have different a learning style to others who prefer the traditional route of being in full-time education. Like Kirsty, I’ve always found that I learn best through practice. I am able to study, and still do exams, but I have the additional benefit of actually applying what I learn in the workplace. This helps me gain a better understanding of what I am learning. Without this, I feel that I wouldn’t achieve as much. There is also the bonus of earning money while you’re learning!”
LD Legal Apprentice
If you, or someone you know, are interested in apprenticeship opportunities, we are keen to hear from you! We will be advertising our apprenticeship vacancies to start in September 2017 over the next few weeks – please visit Lyons Davidson’s careers pages for further information or to sign up to receive job alerts by email.
