For National Apprenticeship Week 2026, Erin reflects on how her apprenticeship has helped her develop confidence, resilience and real-world skills while shaping her future career.
“My name is Erin Jayne Gray, and I am an Apprentice Youth Support Worker at Service Six. I had always thought I was going to go to university, but when I saw this position advertised, I was extremely interested. I loved the idea of learning and putting this into practice within my job role, and six months into my journey I can already see how positive this framework has been for me.
Throughout my apprenticeship, I have developed my confidence and resilience. Delivering workshops, having one-to-one sessions with young people, and beginning to lead activities made me realise how far I had come and how capable I was. The structure of gaining experience through discussions, essays and hands-on learning, while working practically, has helped me build skills and take on responsibility supporting young people’s safety and wellbeing.
Learning while earning has positively impacted my confidence, independence and transition into adulthood, and I feel proud of how quickly I adapted to working full time. This apprenticeship has made me realise that this is the sector in which I want to work, and it has emphasised how much I would love to become a counsellor. I would say to anyone who thinks an apprenticeship is not for them: reconsider your options — there is always another way to help shape what works best for you.”
