Learning beyond the classroom: bringing education and industry together
Democracy PR is this week celebrating National Apprenticeship Week, alongside more than 75,000 employers, and 760,000 apprentices.
While apprenticeships are often talked about in numbers and stats, their true value for companies, and students developing their careers, is impossible to measure.
I am proud to be part of a team of seven brilliant degree apprentices here at Democracy, each bringing unique strengths to the team, alongside gaining invaluable industry experience and launching our careers.
What’s more, the agency pays apprentices the National Living Wage and upwards as roles diversify, giving us the opportunity to earn whilst we learn.
So... what is it like to be a degree apprentice in a fast paced, creatively-driven, PR agency?
Education beyond the classroom
Learning never stays theoretical for long. One day I will be in a lecture, being taught by industry experts with fascinating experience, and the next I will be applying those concepts to a live client brief.
I recently completed a module on ‘understanding customer engagement’. I outlined a campaign for one of my clients, We Are Adventurers, in an assignment. The focus was promoting their birthday party offering, and my research helped pinpoint the best times and ways to reach the target audience. Now my campaign idea is being brought to life, a perfect example of education and industry coming together.
It becomes a continuous cycle of learning something new and putting it into practice with clients, seeing how it works in the real world.
In the whirlwind of PR and digital marketing, that blend of study and hands on experience makes the learning ‘stick’ differently, ultimately shaping us into more capable professionals.
Investing in talent
For Democracy, taking on a cohort of degree apprentices each year is a way of investing in long-term talent. The programme creates a pipeline of original thinking that flows into the delivery of work on behalf of clients.
The agency receives more than 300 applications for the two places on offer each year, demonstrative of the demand and immeasurable value of apprenticeship schemes.
Ben Vause, whose appointment marked the start of the degree apprentice scheme at Democracy in 2022, is predicted to graduate this year with a first and has now accepted a role as AI visibility strategist in the agency.
Jen O’Grady, CEO at Democracy, said: “The skills exchange works both ways. At Democracy, the challenges businesses and brands bring to us are constantly evolving.
“They’re not looking for outdated ideas - they need solutions that are ready for the world we’re operating in right now and in the future.
“Who better to help shape those solutions than young people who are learning directly from leading academics, while already immersed in the realities of modern industry?”
Graduating with more than just a degree
The landscape of further education is evolving rapidly, driven by the need for real-world experiences.
Graduating with years of experience, not just a qualification, gives us an advantage in the job market, while not have to experience the disconnect that our peers face of moving from full-time education to full-time work.
I would recommend the apprenticeship pathway to college and sixth form leavers who feel like they could thrive in the workplace and are driven to continue learning about an industry that excites them.
To find out more about degree apprenticeships at Democracy PR, and to apply for 2026, visit our website: https://wearedemocracy.co.uk/degree-apprenticeships
References
https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships/2024-25
