National Apprenticeship Week 2025

Over the years, I have worked for Portsmouth City Council in many roles. This includes being a pastoral manager in a secondary school and a home/family link worker in a primary school.

I currently work in the early help and prevention team as a family support worker while I undertake my apprenticeship.

I have always had an interest in being a social worker. I currently case hold for families at a tier three level but wanted to further my knowledge, understanding and skill set to work at tier four level. I wanted to obtain a nationally recognised qualification too.

I did go to university when I was 19 years old. I started a diploma in social work but decided I did not have the life experience to enable me to be an effective social worker. I planned to return but life got in the way!

Take the leap!

During my training, I have found the cohort of students I work with to be very supportive, as well as my university lecturers. It has also been insightful to link my current practice to the theory. 

I have needed to be very organised to ensure my work/home/university life is balanced. 

In recent times, my career has seen me working with children and families as well as vulnerable adults. I have worked with Homestart and the Pre-School Learning Alliance as well as pastoral outreach in deprived areas of West London.

I moved to Portsmouth and worked with a local charity called the EC Roberts Centre. This experience inspired me to consider the apprenticeship route as the best fit for me. It is a continuation of my work with the most vulnerable members of our society.

It is progressing well. I'm glad I applied for the Stronger Futures ASYE position. I ended up returning to the family support and safeguarding team I worked with during my university placement. This helped me settle into the ASYE programme more quickly as I was already an employee of Portsmouth City Council, this also made the transition into the ASYE programme far easier.

I was already familiar with using the computer systems that are in place within the service and my knowledge working with families before.  

While I was already working with Portsmouth City Council, the apprenticeship route to become a social worker was the best option for me.

I attended an information session set up internally to ask questions. It was during this session, where I was advised that I needed to have completed a level three or above qualification within the last few years, to apply for the programme.

I sought out an online level three mentoring course. I completed the qualification and could now move forward with the degree apprenticeship. There was also a requirement that I met the minimum threshold for maths and English qualifications.

My other recommendation would be to consider what experience you already have to work with children and families. If you can demonstrate this experience on your application and in interviews, you will likely succeed.