‘Positivity, creativity and fresh ideas’: Bringing apprentices into your business 

We meet people in publishing who are keen to champion apprenticeships in their organisation; who have been on their own journey establishing a scheme and working with apprentices at their publishers.  

What motivated your organisation to choose to take on apprentices? 

Julia, Bloomsbury: At Bloomsbury we wanted to offer an alternative route into publishing, especially given how competitive the publishing industry can be to break into. Traditional pathways often require prior work experience and a degree, which can be barriers for many talented individuals. The Publishing Professional Apprenticeship allows candidates to enter the industry without needing any publishing experience or a related degree, making it accessible to a much wider range of people with an array of transferable skills and experience. The programme is now a key part of our ongoing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, helping to diversify our workforce. 

Siobhan & David, Pearson: As a large employer we are committed to offering apprenticeships as a way to grow our pipeline of early career talent. We were part of the trailblazer group for the Publishing Professional level four apprenticeship standard and really value the learning content as it highlights how the elements of the publishing process fit together and allows apprentices to perform in their role much better. 

Kaya, Cambridge University Press & Assessment: At Cambridge University Press & Assessment, we are committed to supporting equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging, and ensuring that our workforce is reflective of the markets that we serve. We see apprenticeships as a key driver in supporting talented people from all backgrounds into our business.

What about having apprentices in the team/in your organisation did you not expect?  

J: I don’t think we expected what a great motivator the scheme would be for everyone involved. Our apprentices bring positivity, creative ideas and a fresh outlook to Bloomsbury. The scheme has also brought us a valuable talent pipeline of knowledgeable and engaged candidates who are well-prepared to step into entry-level roles at Bloomsbury as they advance their careers. 

S&D: We have supported apprentices into our business for many years so we have great experience in this area. For the publishing apprentices, we have noticed that we are getting applicants from diverse backgrounds and also career changers, it is not so much of a surprise, but it’s a massive benefit. 

What hurdles did you overcome getting an apprentice placed in your team? 

K: Changing mindsets surrounding apprenticeships was a priority; we worked to promote a wide range of apprenticeships internally to demonstrate the various levels of skills and learning available and showcase the different fields of learning. By promoting apprenticeships in this way, we were able to show our colleagues that apprenticeships aren’t just for young people joining the business but applicable to people at all levels, who are interested in a range of topics, from management to data.  

S&D: Although the new standard has been designed to be inclusive of all publishing sectors and all roles we were really aware that our publishing apprentice roles needed to be well-planned to ensure that the apprenticeship knowledge, skills and behaviours can be applied. The training provider is able to help with this! 

What would you say to anyone who would like to set up an apprenticeship scheme at their publishing house? 

J: My advice would be to go for it! Be prepared for a learning curve, take the time to continuously develop a program that truly supports both the apprentices and your organisation, but also know that the rewards are significant. The apprenticeship is an excellent way to build talent from the ground up, and it’s very rewarding to see apprentices grow into full-time employees. 

K: Apprenticeships offer an invaluable opportunity to grow your own talent, helping diverse talent to pursue their potential through knowledge building and real-time applicable learning, supporting employee development. In my experience, apprenticeships both benefit the learner and the organisation through the provision of career pathways, improved retention, enhanced productivity and, in the best cases, return on investment through the growth of diverse talent and contribution to innovation within the business.  

What would you say to anyone thinking about taking up an apprenticeship in the publishing sector? 

J: It’s a fantastic way to break into the industry and gain real, hands-on experience whilst learning about every aspect of the publishing process. It’s a brilliant way to start building a publishing career and we’ve seen many apprentices grow into full-time, permanent employees at Bloomsbury and other top publishing houses. 

K: There are so many roles within a publishing organisation that can align with apprenticeships, and therefore apprenticeships can contribute to cost-effective talent development for employees across the business – not just in publishing roles. There are also a range of apprenticeship standards that can directly impact the productivity of a business, at the same time as helping talent build confidence, knowledge, and transferable skills.  

S&D: There are many different roles in publishing and many different processes and tasks. This can be overwhelming if you are new to publishing or are not sure which area of it you would like to specialise in. The apprenticeship is a great way to learn about the publishing industry which can help you both in short term, by developing useful skills and knowledge that can be applied to day-to-day work, and in the long term with regards to forging a career in publishing. 

Answers have been edited for clarity and length