My apprenticeship journey: from insurance to communications

27 Apr 2021 03:28 PM

Kyra Crossley, GCS Apprentice – News Desk, BEIS, 27 April 2021.

After graduating from university in 2017, I started working in the insurance industry. While the job was rewarding in its own way, I felt it wasn’t the right fit for me. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was supposed to be doing something else. I longed for a career where I felt passionate about and connected to my work.

Kyra Crossley, GCS Apprentice

I was drawn towards working in communications, as I knew I liked writing, and wanted to move to a field that involved a bit of creativity, something I felt was lacking in my previous job.

However, I was at a bit of a loss as to how to make that career change, as I hadn’t previously studied communications, and didn’t have any experience working in the communications field. The idea of an apprenticeship therefore appealed to me as an ideal opportunity to gain a qualification in communications while at the same time developing practical, on the job, experience.

I also had a keen interest in politics and current affairs, having studied law and politics at university, so when I found the GCS apprenticeship, I knew it was something I had to apply for, as it provided an almost unique opportunity to combine both my interest in politics and desire to work in communications.

I started my apprenticeship on the Newsdesk at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in October 2020, during the pandemic. Handling media queries that require a quick turnaround means working at an incredibly fast pace, so my skills have had to get up to speed quickly. I’ve found this experience to be incredibly valuable, as it means my professional and personal development has come a long way in a short space of time.

I’ve been trusted with the responsibility of representing the department to members of the media, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see communications content that I’ve helped to develop in high-profile national publications –something I could never have imagined this time last year!

For anyone considering the GCS apprenticeship, or any apprenticeship, as part of a career change, I’d definitely recommend applying. This apprenticeship has given me an amazing opportunity to not only earn a salary while learning, but also to work within the heart of government – one thing I particularly enjoy is finishing work and then hearing my friends and family discussing the very news story I’ve been working on that day!

While it may seem daunting to change career, especially doing something completely new, I feel that it’s a risk worth taking. I was looking to do work I am passionate about, and this apprenticeship has already done that, as well as provided the foundation for me to start a fulfilling career in government communications.

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