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National Apprenticeship Week 2024: Lucy’s Story – One Year On

Lucy Luck recently completed a Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship with CMN while working as a Marine Project Apprentice with Cornwall Wildlife Trust. A year since Lucy spoke to CMN about their apprenticeship journey, CMN’s Dean Hodge catches up on Lucy’s progress since and their future plans.

This time last year, you were undertaking your Marine Project apprenticeship with Cornwall Wildlife Trust. How valuable were the skills/experience you gained from this apprenticeship, in terms of progressing to your current role today?

My time at Cornwall Wildlife Trust as a Marine Project Apprentice provided me with a wide range of skills and experiences. As a Level 3 Business Administration apprentice, it offered me opportunities to develop my administration skills and gain on the job experiences working for a charity organisation.

During my apprenticeship, I had the opportunity to complete an additional qualification in OCNLR Education and Training (Level 3), where I learned the valuable skills on lesson-planning which I was able to directly utilise into my role.

After my apprenticeship ended last August, I travelled across South East Asia on a solo trip for 3 months, which means I have returned home with a fresh slate and I’m currently in the process of job seeking for my next career opportunity, where I can transfer these valuable skills and experiences into future roles.

As well as the skills you gained, do you see a difference in your confidence now compared to when you started your apprenticeship?

Absolutely! At the beginning of my apprenticeship I lacked confidence. I knew by completing my apprenticeship at Cornwall Wildlife Trust with Cornwall Marine Network, it would push me out of my comfort zone. By the end I was leading public events and projects, running Wildlife Club sessions at a local school and generally holding more confidence in myself and my work.

I now actively present educational talks as part of a duo partnership called Grampus Campus at schools, home education groups and W.I meetings. Educating about the marine world and environment using our shared collection of natural history (held with the appropriate licences). After the success of my apprenticeship project, where I was involved in the creation of Cornwall Wildlife Trusts podcast The Wild Cornwall Podcast, I have continued this work on my own and have created my own podcast platform called Buccaneer for Wildlife Podcast.

“It taught me a lot of new essential skills that I will carry with me for life as I move forward into future jobs.”

As someone who had already done an university degree (BSc Honours in Applied Zoology), what appealed to you about doing an apprenticeship?

I graduated with a BSc Honours in Applied Zoology in 2021. That summer I was actively seeking jobs in the conservation and environmental sector to kick start my career. Unfortunately, I was not fully equipped with the specific skills and experience required leading to a lot of rejections. An unfortunate reality of environmental and conservation jobs is that there just aren’t enough opportunities out there for young people.

When the apprenticeship role was advertised with Cornwall Wildlife Trust, to be totally honest I was unsure if it would be right for me. I had no prior experience for business administration and didn’t think it would offer me what I desired in a job role. However, with the conservation field of work being quite competitive and difficult to get into, I couldn’t turn down opportunities and so I took the plunge and applied.

As it turned out, my apprenticeship taught me a lot of new essential skills that I will carry with me for life as I move forward into future jobs. It has helped me grow as an individual and has offered many opportunities and alternative career paths, within the world of green jobs, including environmental education which was something I hadn’t considered before.

What were the main challenges you faced initially during your apprenticeship?

The main challenges I faced was adjusting to this new world I had entered. Transitioning from studying as a student to becoming part of a professional team of marine biologists and conservationists was a bit of a shock to the system, it was a big jump! But, it was a jump that I had to take to start my journey in the conservation field of work. I was lucky enough to have a fellow apprentice to share this new journey with, as we both came from university prior to the apprenticeship and both at a similar age, we had each other to support which was a huge help.

“If you need to take that first professional career step into the field of work you want, an apprenticeship is a great path to take.”

How valuable was the support you received from your apprenticeship supervisor Kit Williams and from CMN?

Kit was an absolute hero! He would support me in every way possible and I am very grateful for it. There would be times I struggled and he would be there to support me as I learnt how to navigate this new experience. As a mentor and guide, Kit was brilliant in adjusting his teaching style to cater to me, creating a highly personal and effective way of learning, which led to me passing my exams! Kit would go above and beyond and always offer me opportunities available at Cornwall Marine Network that I would benefit from to enhance my professional skill set and knowledge.

What advice would you give to those thinking of doing an apprenticeship?

Like I mentioned before, there aren’t enough opportunities out there for young people to get a job within the conservation or environmental field. Typically, the only route is by volunteering or further academia. If you are in a situation like I was and need to take that first professional career step into the field of work you want, an apprenticeship is a great path to take.

You’ll not only get yourself into the right rooms with the right people and make important connections, but you’ll have endless amounts of opportunities to develop and grow your personal and professional skills

At this moment in time, what do you see as your future career?

In the future I see my career path taking several potential routes. I see myself either working as a community or engagement coordinator, where I play a vital role in public outreach to raise awareness on current conservation issues, being involved in campaign work and generally connecting people from coastal communities to their coastal environment.

Alternatively, and this is a path that I keep circling back to since completing my apprenticeship, is becoming a teacher to educate young people about the natural world as part of schools’ future ambition to include Natural History GCSE into the curriculum.

“This has grown from a shared passion between two friends who have a great appreciation and admiration for the natural world here in Cornwall.”

What is your current role?

I currently work for Surfers Against Sewage as Campaigns and Policy Coordinator, which involves supporting the delivery of campaigns and activations on all four of the SAS main campaigning areas – Water Quality, The Ocean and Climate Emergency, Plastic Pollution and Ocean Recovery.

How pivotal were the skills you gained throughout your apprenticeship with CMN / Cornwall Marine Academy in securing this role?

The skills I gained during my CMN apprenticeship and with Cornwall Marine Academy has helped me flourish in my new role here at Surfers Against Sewage. The vital administration, businesses development and project management skills have been incredible valuable in the role I have now as part of the SAS Campaigns and Policy team.

Alongside your new role, can you tell us more about new project, Grampus Campus, and how this came about?

Grampus Campus is a Community Interest Company (CIC) that is dedicated to raising awareness on the natural history of Cornwall and the marine environment. This has grown from a shared passion between two friends who have a great appreciation and admiration for the natural world here in Cornwall.

With an impressive joint collection of a variety of bones and specimens (all ethically sourced) from a Grey Seal Skull to the Baleen Plates of a Minke Whale, Constance Morris and I go to schools, colleges and community events to provide an interactive educational talks and workshops all about the incredibly wildlife we have here along the Cornish coast.

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