18 year old Amy Underwood from Bury St Edmunds won the West Suffolk College business apprentices of the year. The Portable Space Ltd employee said: “I tried A levels first but knew they weren’t for me. It took a lot of confidence to change to an apprenticeship as when I was at school, they weren’t promoted on the same scale as A levels
“I’m glad I changed. Apprenticeships have been so much more than I could have ever anticipated. They are a great way to learn new skills in a hands-on environment and it’s really boosted my self- confidence.
“I’d say to others in terms of apprenticeships that they provide the opportunity to have hands on learning in a field of your interest and you’re being paid to gain experience. I believe apprenticeships provide a head start and begin developing a person’s working life right from the start.
“I would say winning the award has urged me to keep aiming for more. I strongly believe it’s important to remain ambitious and never become too comfortable no matter what stage you are in a career, and winning the award has really allowed me to solidify this mindset.
“Long term, I would like to keep aiming for the highest and my career ambition would be to one day achieve a senior leadership role, perhaps being a managing director one day.”
