As part of National Apprenticeship Week, Alder Hey Children’s Charity is celebrating the fantastic staff members who are also enrolled in Apprenticeship Training.

Here at Alder Hey Children’s Charity, introducing apprenticeships within the Marketing team has been integral to our success over the last year. From developing design and content, to planning effective social media campaigns and quality copywriting, our digital marketing is really flourishing. Our apprentices have been a huge asset supporting with fundraising events and strengthening our relationships with our inspirational community of donors.

Our current Marketing Executive apprentice, Dan Smith, has taken the reins in planning our social media posts as well as growing our blog archive; this brings more supporters to our website to read about the amazing impact of their generous donations.

Apprentices bring a fresh outlook, valuable experience and a new angle to our work, allowing us to problem-solve and grow creatively. Dan, who previously studied English Literature, brings first rate written skills to the team and a well organised, logical approach to his work. The ideas that our apprentices have brought forward have helped us to grow our income so we can reach more babies, children and young people who need us here at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

Dan reflected on the first four months of his apprenticeship and told us:

“I decided to choose an apprenticeship as I saw it as a great opportunity to specialise in an area that I was interested in but hadn’t been able to experience before. By learning on the job and working alongside a passionate and experienced team, I have been able to see myself progress at a rate that I couldn’t foresee happening whilst sat in a classroom five days a week.

By combining work and study, I have been given the opportunity to put what I learn into action and see my confidence and ability grow in a considerably short time. I would encourage anybody who is considering an apprenticeship to go for it, as the skills that you can gain from an apprenticeship scheme is irreplicable to any other form of traditional education. I’m so glad that I took the risk as I’ve had nothing but positive experiences from it.”