Apprenticeships: this is my story video transcript

Video transcript for the apprenticeships: this is my story video.

Nana: My name is Nana-Yaw Badu and I'm a sports youth worker.

Daisy: I'm Daisy, I'm a fundraiser and events officer.

Esme: My name is Esme. I'm doing a level 2 production cheffing apprenticeship.

Connell: I'm Connell Scholar. I'm a personal trainer apprentice at Therapy Gyms in Colchester.

Maisie: I'm Maisie and I'm working at Hertfordshire FA as a football development officer for equality and inclusion.

James: I'm James. I am a software engineering apprentice working in the audience data team at the BBC in London.

Daisy: I work for a charity called Abberton Rural Training. We help vulnerable and isolated people in Essex.

I'm doing a fundraising apprenticeship which I got through Essex County Council and Targeted Employment.

I mainly write bids and grants to raise money for the charity. I'll have weekly meetings with the CEO, my line manager. They're very flexible within my role. I can work from home and in the office, which suits me and my disabilities.

Through Access to Work, I got a programme called Dragon, which is a voice dictation app and headset. If I want to walk around and write the bids, I just talk through the headset. I don't have to be stuck at the desk and that's been really helpful.

I like being able to help people and seeing the good that we do. It's very rewarding and makes you feel warm inside. It’s lovely.

Nana: Future Youth Zone is a charity where they offer a fun, safe place for young people to become active, live healthier. Young people come in here to make friends, they come here for someone to talk to, to do something they like.

The way I became an apprentice was I went for a recruitment event day. They were telling me about how the sports apprenticeship works, how the set up was. When I first started I was a bit nervous, but since I settled in with this job, I knew that the kids were gonna love me.

My line manager, my employer, they supported me so well. They have made adjustments to meet my needs.

My colleagues, they're really really nice people and they're also very funny people. We love to have a laugh together.

Esme: I work in the Army base, and I serve lots and lots of people. My favourite part of the day is where I follow my recipes. It makes me proud when I have a caring team. They help me every day with my chopping skills, cooking skills, serving skills.

When I finish my apprenticeship I’d like to become a chef and follow more recipes.

I’d choose to describe my apprenticeship as outstanding.

James: I have always been interested in software engineering and coding, but I also have an interest in television and radio production. Working at the BBC it's great to be able to combine those interests together and see various aspects of the company.

I really like my team. I think they're such a fantastic bunch of people and I've learned a lot from them. The BBC have a lot of support for neurodiverse individuals. As somebody who has Asperger’s Syndrome, I find that the environment is nice. I enjoy my current setup.

Working at the BBC is something that I never imagined that I'd be able to get into. I feel really privileged to be working here, because it's really cool to be a part of it really.

Maisie: I've always kind of had a football background. So I knew I always wanted to work in the football industry when I was older.

I’m doing a sports business management degree apprenticeship. I do my actual degree learning at Hertfordshire Uni. I'm there once a week on a Monday for lectures, seminars.

At Hertfordshire FA we look after and oversee all the football that happens in Hertfordshire.

I'm looking at how we can make football in Hertfordshire more inclusive, more diverse.

Being deaf myself, equality, diversity, inclusion, is something that I've been around for quite a long time. I've been around people who maybe have similar opportunities to me, been through similar things to me. If I can be in a position where I can change those experiences, then that's what I'd like to do.

I quite enjoy being in the office, being around the other people. It's also a very friendly environment to be around.

I have had people asking me if there's anything they can do to make my life easier, which is really nice to know that there are people thinking about how they can make it the best opportunity and the best experience for me.

Connell: I am doing a personal trainer apprenticeship at Therapy Gyms. How I became an apprentice - my job coach Jonathan Smith, who works at Essex County Council, he sent me a link to the apprenticeship at Therapy Gyms and I thought it looked really interesting. It was inclusive exercise, it's helping clients with different conditions and needs.

My colleagues are pretty supportive. It's a very welcoming, inclusive, friendly environment. One of the highlights for me is being able to be more hands-on in my role because I know more. I want to be that personal trainer that can train everyone.

What I would say to my younger self is that ‘You're gonna go on to do so many incredible things’.