When Jennifer Biduaya finished her A-levels, she chose to pursue an apprenticeship, which gave her the opportunity to combine earning with learning and practical experience. Her journey from school leaver to confident legal professional at Farrer & Co demonstrates how the right apprenticeship can transform a career trajectory.
Why apprenticeship over university
Jennifer discovered Farrer & Co’s apprenticeship scheme during a gap year after A-levels.
“What I like was that there was an external apprenticeship programme that I could do,” Jennifer explained. The rotation opportunities also appealed particularly because Jennifer had no experience in law and “knew that it would be a learning curve.”
Jennifer also valued the practical rewards of the apprenticeship: “I liked the work aspect because you’re earning at the same time.” More fundamentally, “you’re actually in the environment that you’re going to work in. So it’s more realistic.”
Building confidence
“At the start I questioning myself, was this really the right decision for me?” Jennifer admitted. But something fundamental shifted over the course of her apprenticeship.
“My confidence has grown and flourished a lot,” she said. “I also know myself better.” She developed the ability to advocate for herself professionally.
Mia Holdsworth-Norman, HR Manager at Farrer & Co, witnessed this transformation: “From the outset, she impressed with her strong work ethic, punctuality, and eagerness to learn. She quickly adapted to the demands of a busy role, even when faced with unfamiliar practice areas or tasks, showing confidence and resilience.”
Day-to-day excellence
Jennifer’s daily responsibilities are demanding and varied – handling client emails, managing complex diarising, booking meetings, preparing client care letters, creating invoices during billing periods and arranging travel itineraries for fee earners.
What distinguishes Jennifer is her systematic approach. She maintains clear ‘to-do’ lists and anticipates priorities, ensures nothing falls off her or her fee earners’ radar, contributing to smooth and efficient workflows and this proactive organisation has made her indispensable to her teams.
Innovation
For her apprenticeship project, Jennifer identified a problem that affected both apprentices and trainees at Farrer & Co. When someone rotated into a new team, the receiving team had no systematic way of understanding that person’s capabilities.
Her solution was practical: a rotation review feedback form that travels with the apprentice or trainee. The process works in stages – the apprentice completes it themselves, their buddy reviews it and the outgoing manager sends it to the incoming manager. This simple innovation transformed the rotation experience: “it made the work run more smoothly and more efficient as opposed to trying to gauge throughout the weeks of what this person can do, you can just see it on the form itself.”
It’s the kind of innovative thinking that comes from experiencing the problem and having the initiative to solve it.
Stepping up
Nothing demonstrates Jennifer’s growth more powerfully than an event that occurred just a few months into her apprenticeship. When Farrer & Co organised a major event for prospective trainees and apprentices, Jennifer volunteered to serve as a panel member. Despite the scale of the event and her initial nerves, she excelled – speaking confidently, representing the firm brilliantly so effectively that attendees sought her out afterward for further advice. As Mia reflected: “This reflects her professionalism, communication skills, and ability to inspire others.”
Beyond individual achievements, Jennifer has proven herself an excellent team player. Colleagues and fee earners consistently describe her as reliable, approachable, and an asset to the firm, with her collaborative nature enhancing team dynamics wherever she works.
Balancing work and study
Managing the apprenticeship meant balancing full-time work with coursework, but Jennifer found the Damar Training approach particularly effective. She appreciated content that felt relatable: “seeing how the theory could relate to my own life and role.”
Jennifer’s coach at Damar, Sarah Barnes, said: “Jennifer worked methodically throughout the apprenticeship, demonstrating a good understanding of the learning and how it applied to her job role and the different departments. You could see how Jennifer settled within the company as her confidence built and she showed good organisational and planning skills throughout which was noted in her EPA. Jennifer was excited about her project and was able to use the coaching skills she has developed in how to support apprentices throughout the rotation and identify skills gap and relevant support.”
Looking forward
The transformation in Jennifer over the course of her apprenticeship has been remarkable. She has developed not only technical and organisational skills but also the interpersonal abilities that make someone truly effective in professional services.
Now permanently placed in the private client tax team, Jennifer takes a measured approach to her future. “I’d like to find my footing first and then progress from there,” she explained. As Mia concluded: “Jennifer’s progression reflects her determination, adaptability, and professionalism – qualities that will serve her well as she continues her career.”
Jennifer Biduaya’s journey from A-levels to accomplished practice assistant demonstrates the transformative potential of apprenticeships for school leavers. With her strong work ethic, approachable nature, and willingness to go above and beyond, Jennifer is someone who has made a lasting impact on her teams and the wider business. For young people weighing their options after school, Jennifer’s experience shows that the apprenticeship pathway can deliver not just a job, but genuine professional growth, confidence and the foundation for a thriving career.