A photo of Darcie Parry, Care Coordinator Ambassador

Back to blog

Apprenticeship Case Study: Louise Woodward

Written by Louse Woodward, 25/03/2024

A little bit about you – your educational background, your current role etc?

I am the Operations and Liaison Manager at NATH which is a diverse role spanning marketing, business and project management. I have been in my role for over 3 years now and doing similar roles for over 6 years. At school after my GCSEs I did the International Baccalaureate (IB) focussing on my love for art and maths. I started my career off at NHS Nottingham City CCG doing a Level 3 Business and Administration apprenticeship which was a fantastic opportunity, and have been working my way up the ladder ever since!

What made you choose the apprenticeship route?

I was discussing my development interests in communications and marketing with my manager as part of my appraisal. I did some research and came across the CIM Digital Marketing course which I proposed. My manager then recommended the apprenticeship as it covered the CIM content and provided me with a degree.

Which apprenticeship you’re doing?

I am in my final year of the Level 6 Digital Marketer Degree Apprenticeship at Nottingham Trent University.

What do you enjoy about it?

I like having structured learning that I am interested in developing my knowledge, skills and experience in. There is a lot of practical teachings that I have been able to implement in work which helps me understand it better as I can directly apply it (rather than it just being theory). The blended style of online lectures and in-person workshops suits my learning style as I can be flexible with when I undertake the online lectures to meet my schedule. The cohort I am learning with are all really friendly and helpful, so although we only meet roughly once a month, I don’t feel like I am alone in the course.

Are there any downsides?

It is a lot of work and you need you have strong discipline and time management to focus on your uni work during the off the job hours. You may not like all the modules of a degree but it will give you a well-rounded knowledge of the area (and this will be compensated with modules you absolutely love!). The stress coming up to deadlines is not fun. You just need to focus on the finish line and the reward of completing!

Following your apprenticeship what would you like to do?

I would like to build on the areas of the course that have interested me most to understand if I have a speciality I want to go down to become an expert in, i.e. become a T or M shaped marketer. I have really enjoyed the digital analytics side of things and think I will really enjoy the current module on digital optimisation. The course has opened my eyes that there is a lot more to marketing than just creating nice looking websites/emails/posters, and I want to get involved in a test and learn culture of looking at analytics and continuously adapting to find the best methods to engage our audience.

Advice for anyone considering an apprenticeship?

Manage your time effectively, be realistic, enjoy and engage with it. You really will get as much out of it as you put in. Do your research on what you are interested in studying and how you best learn as there are lots of providers who will have different teaching methods. Also don’t forget you’ll get a student card and access to lots of discounts!