Jude Spencer knew one thing for certain: university wasn’t for him. What he didn’t know was that an apprenticeship would not only give him a career in data protection – a field he’d never even heard of – but also transform his confidence and set him on a path he genuinely loves.
Finding his way: From college uncertainty to career clarity
“About a year before I got my apprenticeship, I was in college just not really knowing what to do after,” Jude recalls. He’d kept his options open with three completely different A-Level subjects, hoping something would click. The traditional university route never attracted him, so he found himself caught between going straight into employment or finding an apprenticeship, though he wasn’t entirely sure what that would look like.
It was a careers advisor at college who changed everything. “She was really switched on,” Jude says. “She asked me what kind of stuff I enjoyed, what I could see myself doing, and then mentioned there was an apprenticeship fair happening locally.”
At the apprenticeship fair, Jude spoke to several employers, but one conversation stood out. “I spoke to my now manager who explained data protection and information governance; to be honest, when I’d first seen it, I didn’t even know what information governance was.”
Starting from scratch: Overcoming the technical hurdle
What Jude didn’t anticipate was just how much of a learning curve awaited him. “I didn’t have any sort of computer skills really,” he admits. “The only thing I’d used before was Teams during school lockdown. Even just the basics, like sending emails in a professional way, I’d never done before.”
Those first few weeks were daunting. The apprenticeship was delivered online, and Jude found himself grappling with unfamiliar systems and platforms. “At first, I was really stressed. I didn’t know how to record my work, how to do any of it.” For someone who’d only just turned 18 and had limited exposure to professional technology, it felt overwhelming.
The solution: The support that made the difference
What transformed Jude’s experience was the support structure around him. His manager took a proactive approach from day one, meeting with him to discuss how to balance study and work effectively with off-the-job hours. “We agreed I’d take a day off from any work in the inbox or general tasks and just solely focus on my apprenticeship work.”
His team also played a crucial role. “The big thing for me was them being as approachable as possible,” Jude reflects. “They took time out of their day to help me with tasks and they covered for me while I was doing my apprenticeship work. I wouldn’t come back to a pile of FOI (Freedom of Information) requests or work that had been building up over the day I was studying.”
Then there was Louise Morley, his apprenticeship coach. “The support I had from Louise was really good,” Jude says. “Especially in those first couple of weeks when I was stressed about the online platform. My team had never had an apprentice before, so Louise was the only person I could go to for advice about the apprenticeship itself. She definitely helped me get over the line with my end-point assessment.”
Jude also benefited from connecting with other apprentices at the council. “I’d chat to apprentices who’d just finished their qualification, and they gave me brilliant advice: just block out your calendar. Put yourself as busy for the full day. It’s such a simple thing, but it helped me smash through my work because I get a lot of emails and Teams calls asking for advice or responses.”
Learning that flows: Theory meets practice
One of the most striking aspects of Jude’s apprenticeship was how seamlessly his learning integrated with his day-to-day work. “My manager actually spoke to my coach at the start to get a rough work plan for me, so everything would flow together,” he explains. “I’d learn something online through my modules, build up my knowledge and then it would flow into my workload. I’d be doing it day-to-day, then pick up a new bit of knowledge and apply it straight back to work.”
This organic approach meant Jude never felt like he was learning in isolation. Whether it was understanding what an FOI was, or learning how to investigate a data breach, the theory and practice reinforced each other. “It felt like I started this apprenticeship a couple of weeks ago, and suddenly I’m at the end of it. Everything just flowed from one module to the next.”
The transformation became particularly evident during his annual appraisal. “I was speaking to my manager about how the past year had gone and we went through my apprenticeship profile. At the start, I didn’t even know what some of the questions meant. By the time I’d finished, all my scores had to be above 80 and I was confident in all of it. That’s when I really realised how much I’d learned.”
Jude’s responsibilities grew in tandem with his knowledge. “At the start, in our bi-weekly team meetings, I was given the role of reporting on new legislation updates or anything in the news about data protection, just to build my confidence a bit.” It was a gentle introduction, but as his expertise developed, so did his workload. “By the start of this year, I’d gained more individual projects that I could run myself. That progression happened gradually, but those milestones made me realise how far I’d come.”
From nervous to natural: The confidence transformation
Perhaps the most profound change Jude experienced wasn’t technical, it was personal. “Going back a few years, when I was around 16, I was very social. I had a job as a waiter so I spoke to loads of people. Then throughout college, I just went totally quiet.” Coming into his apprenticeship role, Jude found himself struggling with something that had once come naturally: speaking up.
“Having to present or speak in meetings made me really nervous,” he admits. “One of my first tasks was presenting in front of my team and I remember thinking it was horrendous. I wasn’t looking forward to it at all.”
The transformation didn’t happen overnight – but it did happen.
“By my end-point assessment, I was presenting in front of an assessor and answering questions for 25 minutes, and I felt so much more comfortable. I’m definitely a lot more confident than I was at the start.”
Building a career: From apprentice to professional
Jude’s hard work paid off in the most tangible way possible. “After my apprenticeship, I got offered a permanent position, which I was really happy about.”
Interestingly, Jude’s perspective on further learning has evolved too. “I’m not looking to do a higher level apprenticeship right now, but it’s not something I’d rule out in the future. When I went into my first apprenticeship session, I thought there would be a lot more people my age. There was one other person around 18 or 19, but a lot of people were around 30. That made me realise I don’t need to rush into another apprenticeship straight away. I can leave it a couple of years if I need to.”
Advice for future apprentices: Just go for it
When asked what advice he’d give to someone considering an apprenticeship, Jude doesn’t hesitate. “The main thing is to just go for it, really. There’s no point sitting back on it. I was very cautious about making decisions in college. At some point, I even considered university because I still didn’t know what I wanted to do in employment. But you don’t know until you try.”
Jude also emphasises the importance of giving it time. “At first, data protection probably wasn’t something I expected to become my bread and butter. But I gave it those first few months, and it became a lot more interesting to me. Making that initial leap and giving it that bit of time is vital.”
The result: A journey worth taking
Looking back on his apprenticeship journey, Jude sees a clear before and after. He arrived as an 18 year old with no computer skills, no knowledge of data protection and a level of anxiety about his professional capabilities. He leaves as a confident professional with a permanent role, individual projects and genuine passion for his field.
“The apprenticeship gave me more than just technical knowledge,” Jude reflects. “It gave me the foundation I needed at that point in my life. I was only 18, I still had a lot of learning to do. Having that qualification now shows I know what I’m talking about. But more than that, it’s given me confidence, direction, and a career I actually enjoy. I wouldn’t change a thing.”