‘I hadn’t even considered publishing before’: Former apprentices on building their careers 

We hear from three former apprentices from across different roles and sectors of the publishing industry on how an apprenticeship helped them progress in their careers, and the ways in which the experience they have gained has shaped how they work now.  

What role are you in now, and where and when did you complete an apprenticeship? 

Gabriella, Bloomsbury: I finished my apprenticeship in July 2022, whilst working with the I.B Tauris and politics editorial team at Bloomsbury Academic. Since then, I have moved over to the history team. I am now an assistant editor and have begun commissioning my own history titles.  

Alex, Pearson: I’m a senior content and learning specialist and I completed my apprenticeship with LDN Apprenticeships in October 2022.  

Kaya, Cambridge University Press & Assessment: I am now a learning and development specialist, but I was previously a project manager and held the role of employee experience specialist.  
I completed my apprenticeship in 2022, following four years of study on the Chartered Management Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA).  

Had you thought about working in publishing before you came across the apprenticeship route?  

A: No, it was a completely new field for me. As English isn’t my first, even my second language as a Deaf person, I hadn’t even considered publishing before, but I was interested in learning the background of publishing and the amount of knowledge and skills required.  

K: I hadn’t thought about publishing and hadn’t imagined working in a world-renowned organisation such as Cambridge University Press & Assessment. It wouldn’t have occurred to me to apply without the role being advertised as an apprenticeship. 

Why did you choose to do an apprenticeship? 

G: At the time, I was living in Lincolnshire and had little to no professional publishing experience. Entry level roles in publishing can be competitive and almost always based in London or the south of England. Without a route to paid experience, I knew landing a dream editorial assistant job would be difficult. The apprenticeship found me at crossroads. It was my ticket to learning about the industry as a whole, gain valuable experience working within a busy editorial team, and a means to support my move to London. 

K: I initially joined Cambridge University Press as an entry apprentice in 2015 and have worked in a range of roles since then. In 2019, I started the CMDA as a route to gain a higher qualification, having only been to college and not university, I felt this was a brilliant opportunity for me to gain a degree whilst directly contributing to my professional development.  

What did you find out about publishing on your apprenticeship that you didn’t expect? 

A: The number of skills required to go through the publishing process and the knowledge you needed to possess to understand each stage of publishing and how and why they all tie in together to make the end product work.  

G: The apprenticeship covered the need-to-know basics of different publishing careers, but it was also access to a wonderful network of fellow learners and professionals working in every iteration of publishing. I loved the opportunity to learn about bookazines, booktok, digital first publishing, boardgames and Marvel IP. Watching my fellow apprentices take the next steps in their career has been so interesting, we are making our way into every nook of the publishing industry! 

How did the classroom learning support what you were doing day-to-day in the office? 

G: I was very keen to get stuck in with the day-to-day tasks of supporting the team, but the wider industry knowledge and points of comparison were a great starting point for discussion with my colleagues. It helped me build an understanding of why certain processes and decisions were adopted by my team and company. 

K: My experience was interesting as we had just gone into lockdown – The Open University ran all their tutorials online; these were recorded for ease of access later, which meant that learning was very flexible. We had access to our online tutor by emails and I found them to be really responsive. I also got to interact with other students on my course who were from different industries, which only added to the richness of diverse perspectives.  My tutor, Tracey Goold (OU), was incredibly patient and supportive throughout the four years that I worked with her; she was a very positive influence on my learner experience. 

What was something you learnt on your apprenticeship that helps you now?  

G: The apprenticeship takes a holistic approach to the publishing industry, which has really helped me join the dots of how different elements of the publishing process come together to create books, and get them into readers’ hands. I think the opportunity to dip my toe and learn the basics of sales, marketing and production at this stage in my career has been a huge help in developing me as an editor who is conscious of the publishing landscape as a whole. 

A: Time-management and being able to run projects more efficiently and to be able to utilise each component together – like conducting an orchestra!    

Answers have been edited for clarity and length