1. Did you go straight into your Apprenticeship from school?
I studied Musicology and Psychology and after completing my Master’s at Oxford, I applied for the upcoming role at the Music Faculty.
2. Why did you choose to do an Apprenticeship?
After studying for about 5 years, I realised how little experience I had in Events and PR – a sector that, as a music graduate, I wanted to build my career in. Over the course of this Apprenticeship, I have received a wide range of training courses and knowledge essential to any job in events, e.g. project management, social media marketing and other useful trainings. I also liked the idea of studying for a diploma whilst being in full-time employment.
3. How did you find out about your Apprenticeship?
I found it in the vacancy section of the Music Faculty website.
4. What have you gained from your Apprenticeship - skills, experience etc.?
I have definitely become much more resilient and can manage my time much better, especially when I am working on many projects at once.
5. What has been your proudest moment so far from doing your Apprenticeship?
As part of our Faculty event series on Electronic Music Recording and Production, my own sound art installation was shown at Modern Art Oxford as part of the EMPRES Art of Noises II event in 2018.
6. What do you plan to do next? / What are you doing now?
I am thinking about pursuing a PhD, with a project based on transnational music making and the way marketing and the music industry at large contribute to the way we think about musicians of a non-Western origin.
7. How will your/has your Apprenticeship helped you to achieve this?
Being “behind the scenes” of the marketing world certainly helped improving my understanding on issues that can arise. Other crucial skills that can help me are time and stress management and the way I carry out a project which my research will certainly benefit from.
8. What advice would you give to a young person who might be thinking about an Apprenticeship?
I would encourage everyone, at any level or age, to apply for an Apprenticeship. It is an incredibly valuable experience and I can really see that, even over 8 months, I've developed a range of key skills I can use in my professional and personal life. I would advise any apprentice to never be scared to ask questions and remember that both your college and your workplace are a very supportive learning environment.
9. What advice would you give an employer who is considering employing an apprentice?
It is a fantastic opportunity to give a young person the chance to develop and grow in a working environment, especially when support in more than one department is needed as apprenticeships allow a very flexible range of tasks and responsibilities.
