UK 
United States
The UK government has recently unveiled a major package of skills and apprenticeship reforms aimed at boosting youth employment and closing critical skills gaps across the economy.
The reforms, backed by £725 million in funding, are designed to make apprenticeships more accessible to young people and help employers develop the workforce they need. The government says the changes could enable up to 50,000 more young people to access high-quality training opportunities, supporting its wider goal of “getting Britain working” and strengthening the country’s skills pipeline.
While the reforms focus on the future, many young professionals are already demonstrating how apprenticeships can provide a powerful alternative to traditional university routes.
Two apprentices studying HR qualifications through Reed Business School, a professional qualifications and apprenticeships provider – Bebe Gould and Isabelle Saunders – have shared their experiences of combining study with real workplace responsibilities and how apprenticeships have accelerated their careers.
I recently used the research and reporting skills I learned during the course to compile a recruitment survey and present the data to senior managers. Being able to apply what I learned directly in my job really reinforced the value of the apprenticeship
From teaching assistant to HR professional: Bebe Gould’s journey
Before starting her apprenticeship, Bebe Gould worked as a teaching assistant in a school. While she enjoyed supporting students and helping people, she quickly realised that progressing in education would likely require a university degree, a path she had already tried but found wasn’t the right fit.
Bebe Gould
HR apprentice
“I enjoyed working with people and supporting others, but there wasn’t much career progression without going to university,” she explains. “I had attended university previously but dropped out because it just wasn’t what I wanted.”
Instead, Gould chose a Human Resources apprenticeship with Gravesham Borough Council, completing her qualification through Reed Business School. The decision allowed her to gain a recognised qualification while developing practical experience in the workplace.
“The apprenticeship gave me the opportunity to build my career while learning on the job,” she says. “It opened up career options that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.”
Gould discovered that HR suited her strengths, particularly communication and problem-solving. Previously working in retail and customer-facing roles, she realised that understanding people and helping resolve issues was something she enjoyed.
During the apprenticeship she developed a much deeper understanding of employment legislation, workplace policy and data analysis, skills she now applies in her day-to-day work.
