Learner Testimonial — Network Engineer Apprenticeship

A university degree in Computer Science used to be the way most people entered tech. However, attending uni isn’t necessarily for everyone as, nowadays, they can break into tech after taking an Apprenticeship or Skills Bootcamp, which certifies them much faster. James Christley recently finished his Network Engineer Apprenticeship with the University of Cambridge. Here is his story.

“Like a lot of young people, when I was doing A-Levels, they asked ‘What are you planning?’ and I had no idea. I was interested in IT, Computing; I’d explored going to uni and gone to Open Days. I was also interested in Maths and Physics, but these subjects were taught in quite a broad way, with no work experience. Plus, there was the financial aspect; it just didn’t work for me.”

James initially applied through UCAS, like everyone did, but, on second thought, he cancelled to take a year out and decide what to do. He updated his CV and set up alerts on Indeed and LinkedIn. In October, an interesting opportunity arose. “I saw an alert for a Network Engineer Apprenticeship, Level 4, at the University of Cambridge. I had GCSEs in Computer Science, but not A-Levels; my school didn’t offer them.” 

James had known about Apprenticeships from an info session in 6th Form; however, “I certainly didn’t realize you could get degrees from Apps. I thought they were suited to construction jobs, not IT; despite attending that info session, I had the preconception that Apprenticeships weren’t as good as uni. It’s a shame that they weren’t advertised as well as they should have been.”

James found the process very similar to applying for a job and less complex than UCAS. His family was supportive throughout.

“They wanted to know that, regardless what I wanted to do, I’d be happy and comfortable with it. Even though they took me to Open Days and helped me apply, they weren’t too fussed about dropping uni. After all this, it’s so ironic I ended up at the super-famous University of Cambridge!”

Even though James just had A-Levels in English, Maths, and Physics – as he says, “no qualifications to speak of” – he interviewed for the Apprenticeship and got it. He started the 18-month programme in January, three months later.

When he started, he found out that Firebrand Apprenticeships include certifications from well-known companies in the tech industry. Upon programme completion, learners receive a certificate for the programme, as well as separate certificates for each of their study units. In James’ case, during the programme he took two certificates from the British Computer Society (BCS), as well as Cisco CCNA (Implementing & Administering Cisco Solutions) and the well-known Network+ from CompTIA. As a learner, he received free Associate Membership with BCS, which is an important tool for networking and professional support. “Doing these certifications was one of the best bits about the App,” James told us.

James also really enjoyed the weekly residential courses. “They were better than a day release because you had that week dedicated to exams and studying. It was a lot of work! I’d go in on a Sunday and by Friday I was exam-ready!

“I really liked the Wyboston layout and structure… the group seemed big enough, but not too big! Really nice and friendly instructors.” He was part of a mixed cohort with learners from other employers and industries – “It was helpful to get to know them.”

Managing work and study was at times challenging, but being employed was a key factor that attracted James to the programme. It reminded him of uni placements, which had he gone, he’d have taken full advantage of. “My employer was very understanding; I could take as much time as I needed. My Line Manager was also my In-work Mentor; we had regular catch-ups and he made sure I was getting as much work exposure as I could. My Firebrand Mentor changed during the programme, but the new one picked up very quickly.”

After completing his Apprenticeship, James stayed within the same team; he progressed to Network Technician and then Network Specialist. “I've used a lot of skills learnt throughout my Apprenticeship – they’ve helped me have a foundation to start my career in networking. Some of the work I'm doing goes beyond what was learnt in the App, but that is really due to progress I’ve made since!”

Now, James works for the central IT team at Cambridge University, the Internet and Data Centre at the University Information Services, the backbone that connects all 150 colleges and departments. As part of the Network Systems Team, he works on day-to-day operations that keep the massive system running, dealing with tickets, and refining this system for the future. “We’re running a project to rationalise networks – cabling, network deployment, security… very interesting!”

His favourite part of the Apprenticeship?

“The fact that I had both job exposure and training – I was given tasks and projects as a normal employee and, on top of that, I did specific training.”

James continues to pursue certifications whenever he can. He recently attended a Cisco conference and is training to take the Cisco Enterprise Core Assessment (ENCOR) exam. Depending on the qualifications he could gain, degree-level Apprenticeships in Networking are also of interest.

So, would James recommend Apprenticeships?

“Definitely. Uni works really well for lots of people, but Apprenticeships are a great alternative. At least take a look at Apprenticeships and see if you can choose something that interests you. Work experience can be challenging to young people; the fact that it helps you build it is invaluable! You should definitely consider Apprenticeships.”

Thank you for your feedback, James!