Solicitor apprenticeships | Is it the right path for you?

In our fourth episode, Aadam Bhaijee and Ciara Redican discuss the solicitor apprenticeship route, drawing on their experience as apprentices to highlight the key considerations for those deciding whether it is the right path.

The episode covers:

• On-the-job learning and feedback
• The qualities and habits that support success in an apprenticeship
• Key considerations when assessing whether to pursue this route
• Common myths and misconceptions
• Practical next steps and questions to ask

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Visit the Bristows website for more information.

Note: All information was correct at the time of recording.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:12

Hi and welcome to another episode of the Ask an Apprentice podcast. I'm Kira, a first year solicitor apprentice, currently sitting in the employment department. In this episode, we thought we would discuss how you can determine whether an apprenticeship is the right route and look at some of the realities of the apprenticeship pathway. We aren't going to talk about the structure of the solicitor apprenticeship itself, as we covered that in our first episode when we gave a bit of a whistle stop tour.

SPEAKER_00 0:37

And hi, I'm Adam, the other solicitor apprentice, but I'm sitting in commercial IP, IT, and data, and we're going to be talking about how you can apply in a multitude of different ways. And just to let you know, you are not disadvantaged if you're on a gap year coming out of sixth form or anything else. Some colleges or sixth form may not recognise a pathway as equal or in some respects more beneficial than going to university. But as Kira mentioned, this episode is not about repeating the basics, but about helping listeners think through whether it actually suits them and advice for how to make a decision. So Kira, what kind of person is a solicitor apprenticeship and how would it work for them?

SPEAKER_01 1:17

Yeah, so I think that there's a lot of different skills and qualities that would help someone excel with a solicitor apprenticeship. And I think in deciding whether it's something that suits you, the way in which you learn is a really important factor. And so the root tends to suit people who understand things best once they see them in action and get feedback in real time. So there are huge benefits to that as it means learning can feel really motivating as it's connected to real work, clients, and deadlines. And this can be contrasted with more lecture-based learning or learning theory at university and building knowledge reserves before seeing it in action and applying it to real-world scenarios. But to flag early, we do still attend university on our study day, and our learning is just condensed to one day a week in this way. And then over the four days we work in this practical manner. So if that's something that sounds really exciting to you and you'd like to sort of get hands-on and experience as much as possible as early in your career, then I think an apprenticeship is definitely a good option. Overall, though, a huge portion of learning is on the job. So we learn by having a go at something, getting feedback and being exposed to as many opportunities as possible. And throughout that, we get a lot of good feedback, especially at Bristow's. It's something that's ingrained in all departments, sort of across the firm, that supervisors are really good at letting you know things that went well, what they might have done differently, and also keeping you looped into correspondence with clients. So you can really see how what you did at an early stage added value and learned from that, which is great.

SPEAKER_00 2:42

Yeah, I think off the back of that, with adding value and being able to get into real tasks from a real early point, apprentices are trusted with quite heavy responsibility. And that means that not meeting deadlines has like a direct impact. And while people at the firm will, of course, support you and be understanding, personal accountability and taking responsibility are really important skills to have. And of course, confidence is not required from day one. I remember my first day, I was shaking, I was really nervous. But there must be comfort with learning in a professional environment, always asking questions, getting things wrong from the start and correcting them. Success can truly only come from failure. So being able to work under pressure to the highest level you can is quite crucial, as it's easy to take advice and action it without incorporating the things you're already doing well, as you may become tunneled vision on one specific point of feedback.

SPEAKER_01 3:33

Yeah, I agree. I think that's really good advice. That while there are sort of those formal, structured training and learning opportunities at the firm, as Adam said, this must be something you're comfortable applying in practice and making mistakes like that is so integral to the apprenticeship. So yeah, definitely something to consider there.

SPEAKER_00 3:49

I think it's helped because there's a lot of structure and routine within your week. So you know when your uni day will be. For us, it's on a Monday. You know, for the rest of the days you're working from 9 to 5. My anchor day is on a Wednesday, so that's when everyone in the team's in for the team meeting. However, each day-to-day has more nuance and can often look very different depending on the workload, especially when you're a junior. Some people thrive when their time has shape and direction and are feeling more productive on those days, but for others that structure can feel restrictive. But it's about adapting to this new change and making it your own so you'll be able to do the best you can in this environment. And that's not to say it's easy. I'm still adapting and learning new things each day. But I think being comfortable with knowing that change will happen and learning will be perpetual will put you in the prime position to succeed.

SPEAKER_01 4:38

So on that point, being organized and planning your time is imperative. But so is being flexible and being able to meet unexpected demands from the team whilst managing workload and university. And this is something that you might have had experience doing at college, if you've had a part-time job on the side or other responsibilities. So if that's something that you think is a challenge that you definitely be ready for, then apprenticeship pathway is something to consider.

SPEAKER_00 5:03

Yeah, I think another positive of this fruit is that it also offers the stability of a training contract. It can be quite daunting going to university and being unsure whether you'll get one or not, as like they're quite like gold dust, some may say. But for some people, the freedom of going to university and having the option to choose is a positive. And so an apprenticeship might not suit everyone. So if someone really wants a traditional university experience with more flexibility and a study-first focus, they may find an apprenticeship very different and quite difficult.

SPEAKER_01 5:37

Yeah, definitely. And I think if juggling exams alongside full-time work might sound quite overwhelming, then that's worth paying attention to. And if you have any prior experience, as I said, of balancing work, responsibilities, or work experience with studying, then that can be a good indicator of whether this is something manageable and for you.

SPEAKER_00 5:56

I think that's a very good point, especially since the apprenticeship pathway for us, especially, is six years. It's quite a big commitment. So ensuring that you're 100% ready is the most important thing.

SPEAKER_01 6:08

Yeah, and there are other apprenticeships, such as the paralegal apprenticeship out there that are shorter versions. So it's also an option. I know some people that started with that and then progressed onto a solicitor apprenticeship, or a lot of our business services apprentices started on shorter apprenticeships, which were then extended. So it is definitely something to look into. If six years in one go sounds like a lot, then there are other ways to do an apprenticeship. So then sort of building from that, we thought we'd have a look at some of the common misconceptions about the apprentice role and apprenticeships more generally. So a big one is the assumption that apprentices miss out on a social life.

SPEAKER_00 6:45

Oh, because I think this is a massive misconception. I would say that it's different, but definitely not absent. Firms and wider networks provide opportunities for apprentices to have social lives, to meet up with other apprentices. People move away too, the same as university. At Bristol's is an additional fund to support this. And being paid and being debt-free can support a social life. You still have your weekends, you still have your nights, and you still have an ample amount of annual leave to take. So there's definitely not a lack of social life in that regard.

SPEAKER_01 7:19

Yeah, and I think another one that can sort of sometimes be in people's mind when they're considering an apprenticeship is this idea that young apprentices might not be taken seriously in the business. And while it can sound quite intimidating, joining a big organization when you're straight out of school or maybe you've had a couple years out, I mean we can both speak from our experience, and I know every other apprentice at our firm can that that is just not the case whatsoever. And while you sort of do need some consistency and willingness to learn, everyone really, really wants to help you and see you succeed and give you as much responsibility as possible in a manageable way from day one. So yeah, I think we're definitely given a lot of opportunity.

SPEAKER_00 7:58

I think that no matter what people tell you, the first few days will always be daunting and intimidating. So just being able to overcome that hurdle is quite important. But trying back to my earlier point, when I said you take annual leave, that's another misconception that some people don't know. There isn't a holiday for our university or work. There are no set holidays apart from Christmas. So you need to take annual leave, which, while it's less than a typical university holiday, it grants you the flexibility to have time off whenever you want, as it's pretty much always approved as long as it's appropriate, so you can't use it all in one long stretch between March and April. But you of course have to space it out. But yeah, it's quite good.

SPEAKER_01 8:38

Yeah, I think we also sort of get study leave as well. So if we've got exams coming up, then we get to use a bit of time there to make sure that we've revised, which means that there's that really nice sort of window, as Adam said, where we get our annual leave to spend how we like. So there is definitely again that opportunity for a bit of a rest.

SPEAKER_00 8:55

And now instead of listening to us like blabbering on, there may be some questions you should think about yourself before deciding whether to apply or on how you're going to apply. I think the first one would be am I recognising that this route still involves university? It still involves a degree passing the SQE rather than just avoiding university altogether.

SPEAKER_01 9:17

Yeah, so as we fly it earlier, we still do go to university and through the same hoops of getting our degree and sitting the SQE is just in addition to working at the firm.

SPEAKER_00 9:26

Yeah, and am I being honest with myself regarding the responsibility of it and how do I cope with pressure and deadlines? I think that's definitely something that if you think now, I'm not really good with responsibility, I'm not sure if I cope with pressure, then that's definitely something you can improve on before applying and before starting your apprenticeship. And I think with a lot of this, if you find that you're not suited to something, being able to build up those skills now is quite a good thing that you can do because you have time.

SPEAKER_01 9:54

Yeah, and I think another sort of question that you might ask yourself is if you're comfortable learning by making mistakes, because a lot of what the apprenticeship is is that we're new and we're inexperienced in a very professional setting. And so with that is this amazing opportunity to try things and learn from people who are really, really great at what they do. But it does mean that you're not going to get everything right the first time. But if that's something that actually sounds quite exciting to you, then the apprenticeship pathway mirrors that quite well.

SPEAKER_00 10:20

Yeah, no, Kira, I think that's a great point. I mean, for me, when I came into it, I was really looking forward to the constructive feedback. But I know if it was a few years before, I was a bit more avoidant of the constructive feedback, maybe I'd be a bit more defensive to it. Whereas here, being able to get the feedback allows me to jump through hoops I wouldn't be able to before and learn different things. And I definitely think that being comfortable with, as you said, making new mistakes is probably the most important thing you can do as a year one apprentice.

SPEAKER_01 10:51

Yeah, and it might also help to imagine what a normal weekday would look like on each route and consider what feels more realistic or what appeals more to you. So for university, you might have more of lectures and that sort of theory-based learning, whereas for us, four days are spent in the office working on real things. So have a think about what that would look like and which one you'd prefer. We thought we'd also have a quick look at some things we'd wish we'd known before starting. And I think one that's definitely rings through for me is that there's sort of different things that you've learned from school or part-time jobs that will help you a lot when you start. So while it sounds like you're starting from a point of complete freshness and newness, and in some ways you are, there are skills that you'll bring forward with you from part-time jobs or college that will really help with feeling comfortable.

SPEAKER_00 11:35

Transferable skills are probably one of the most important things you can bring. So while the firm will support you with building your soft skills, and our HR team have set up a really good string of training sessions for us apprentices, it's important to have developed them to a certain basic standard that you see maybe some current apprentices have. So networking from an early point, going to different firms, going to different like young professionals events to figure out what the standards are for you is integral. And no one has it all. So I I think going back to the overarching theme of being willing to learn, being open to feedback if these aren't yet established, is quite important. And when reflecting on whether this is the correct decision, think about what you've learned from your experiences, whether that be volunteering, whether that be having a part-time job, or just helping out at school and what you enjoyed, not just what you've done and what you've learned from each experience. Yeah, except that you you all make mistakes and are starting from a point of limited knowledge. Both the law and the university systems, they both have routines, and the personal environment itself comes with a lot of challenges that you'll be able to overcome if you always keep a positive mindset on the fact that you're still learning as an apprentice.

SPEAKER_01 12:48

Yeah, I think that's really good advice, and I think some practical steps that you can take if you're still not quite sure whether university or the apprenticeship route is right for you would be to speak to people on different routes. So maybe you might know some university students or someone that's been to your sixth form that's gone on to university, or as Adam mentioned, there's lots of opportunities to meet apprentices. Knowing what you don't want to do and why can be just as helpful as knowing what you do want to do. And so you can attend lots of open days or virtual events. I know that we've hosted them in the past. I came to one at Bristows, it was super helpful. And you can also follow firms on social media and ask questions. So we've got an Instagram account and LinkedIn where you can sort of try and find out as much as possible that way as well.

SPEAKER_00 13:30

Yeah, I unfortunately managed to miss the insight event at Bristol's. But I think there are definitely a multitude of more ways how you could get your foot in the door and practical next steps. Having hobbies, completing extracurricular activities, having a part-time job is extremely important. And if you haven't got any of those now, that's not to worry. There's still months before the application opens. So being able to start now, so you're able to build up some transferable skills before then is quite important.

SPEAKER_01 14:02

So thank you for discussing this with me, Adam, and for everyone for listening. I hope you can begin to think about whether an apprenticeship or university might be the right path to qualify for you. And if a career in law but not as a lawyer is attractive, then also have a listen to some of our business services podcast episodes where they discuss their experiences. If you would like to find out more or ask any questions, then follow our Instagram page at Bristos Apprenticeships.

SPEAKER_00 14:28

Feel free to reach out to either of us on LinkedIn if you have any questions, and we'll try our best to help you, as we know better than anyone else what you must be going through when thinking about and applying for apprenticeships.

SPEAKER_01 14:38

Thanks again for listening.