Meet Tina: Apprentice after 34 years at LBG
Apprenticeships at Lloyd’s Banking Group are open to anyone, at any age. Find out what inspired Tina to start her apprenticeship journey and the exciting next step it’s led to.
Find out moreFrom apprentice to Associate Director
Dan completed an LBG higher apprenticeship because he wasn’t sure university was the best way for him to start his career.
So what advice does he have for people deciding what to do after school?
Embrace every opportunity
I heard about the apprenticeship scheme purely by chance. I was working part-time at a tech store during my AS-levels and I impressed a customer so much that he told me about apprenticeships at Lloyds Banking Group. Even though I did well at school and college, I knew university wasn’t for me, so I applied and got an interview.
Learn from your part-time jobs
I had several part-time jobs which helped me develop confidence in talking to people and problem-solving skills, too. I did a lot of fundraising and volunteering for local charities, including a kennel where I learned how to create websites and media content. Then there were my jobs at a pizza restaurant and later at a tech store, where good customer service led me here.
Choose an apprenticeship that interests you
I chose the project management path because I thought it suited my skills best. As a project manager you’re responsible for jobs where big changes are involved, so every day looks different. I like managing uncertainty and I don’t like doing things that are repetitive – so it was perfect for me. I learned everything from leading small projects to helping two different parts of the bank merge.
Paid to learn and qualify at the same time
The higher apprenticeship in project management led to a Level 4 qualification. The two-year course had two exams and several coursework modules, and I was financially supported by LBG throughout.
An apprenticeship gives you fundamental skills
that can be applied to lots of different job roles.
Discover your transferable skills
Project management gave me transferable skills that can be applied to lots of different job roles. For example, I started working in Commercial Banking Insight, which looks at the needs of clients and how we can adapt our products and services to suit them. By the end of my apprenticeship I was offered an associate director role in Commercial Banking for companies with a turnover of more than £1m. I was pretty excited about that.
Be open to all your options
If you know you want to become a doctor, lawyer or any job that requires a specific degree, go to university. If that’s not you, an apprenticeship might be a good option for you – you’ll gain qualifications, contacts and hopefully, a nice salary.
