BLAZE a Trail is the theme for this year's National Apprenticeship Week which runs from March 4 to 8.

Encouraging people of all ages and backgrounds to choose an apprenticeship as a pathway to a great career, it's the route Melanie Nicholson took and has never looked back on.

Echo:

Melanie is Seetec’s executive director for excellence, apprenticeships and skills, which has its headquarters in Hockley and centres across the county.

Starting her career as a dental nursing apprentice at the age of 18, she is now blazing a trail for women in leadership.

The skills she gained during three years working in surgical environments - and the distinction she was awarded on completion of her apprenticeship programme - immediately led to a job offer to teach the next generation of dental nurse apprentices.

That was the start of a rapid rise to director in the skills industry. By the age of 25 she was a senior manager and became a director at 31.

Melanie said: “I absolutely loved my apprenticeship from day one. My friends who had gone to college had the same knowledge and qualifications at the end of three years’ study, but they did not have the same hands-on experience of working in a surgical or theatre environment. In addition to all of this experience I was gaining, I was also being paid a salary.”

Melanie progressed from tutoring and assessing dental nurse apprentices to quality-assurance roles and then onto national management roles with large training providers. She was then promoted to director roles, heading up training and apprenticeships divisions within large corporate employers, most of which were in quite male-dominated sectors.

She's encountered sexism in the workplace and faced pressures as a single mum but during her career Melanie has successfully trained, quality-assured or managed the training for tens of thousands of apprentices.

Her son, now 23, also chose the apprenticeship route, signing up for an IT apprenticeship and progressing into a role within the training sector.

“When I was at school, our career guidance was limited and pushed the girls towards apprenticeships in hair and beauty and the boys into construction,” Melanie said. “Those who wanted to go on to university saw apprenticeships as a lower class of education.

“Thankfully people’s attitudes towards apprenticeships have become much more positive, especially with the recent reforms. Apprenticeships have been aligned to specific job roles with an emphasis on the skills, knowledge and behaviours required to do the job.

“Apprenticeships are now seen as a serious career path, especially with the introduction of degree apprenticeships which enable individuals to progress their learning while being employed.”

Melanie joined national employment and skills specialist Seetec two years ago, with national responsibility for apprenticeships and skills across the group.

She said: “When I am working with young women, I really encourage them to think about being independent, what career they want for themselves, what they will enjoy doing.

“My message is don’t get up every morning just to do a job, get up to do something you really enjoy. Be yourself, believe in yourself and aspire to be the best you can be.”

For more information about apprenticeship opportunities, contact apprenticeships@seetec.co.uk, telephone 01702 208270. To learn more about National Apprenticeship Week, see www.seetec.co.uk/apprenticeships/insights/national-apprenticeship-week-2019 or follow #NAW2019.