National Apprenticeship Week, often abbreviated as "NAW" is running from 14th-18th March this year.

The purpose of National Apprenticeship Week is to celebrate apprenticeships and the positive impact they have, not just on the apprentices themselves, but the businesses who take them in to train them.

As the apprentice here at thebestoflichfield, I feel it's only necessary to write a blog about my experiences as an apprentice.

My apprenticeship started in late September. As part of it, I had to go on a two-week training course in Cardiff, which was not only insightful, but taught me a lot about what I was getting into. I was able to implement a lot of what I had learned into the business.

I remember coming back from my first day being completely exhausted. Not because I had been working furiously, but because I was having even more information pumped into my head. The past several days were also like this, but I was fine with it. This was so new and exciting for me, that I was eager to learn as much as possible.

The last working day of my first week was a nice change of pace. We went around Lichfield and visited several of the businesses that were putting on a Macmillan coffee morning. So not only did I get to eat a lot of cake, but it was also my first of many introductions to come.

The next week followed with three days of extensive training at thebestof head office - I can't remember being taught that much since high school!

It's now seven months on and I'm still learning new and exciting things about the business, and I'm still enjoying it.

I spent quite a bit of time looking for work and could have very nearly ended up in a completely different line of work. That's something I think about a lot, and I'm very grateful I got this apprenticeship. In fact, the week I found out I got the apprenticeship, I got a call from CeX saying I've got an interview. I had to politely tell them that I already had a job.

Honestly though, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Hopefully my story has influenced you to go for an apprenticeship or even take on an apprentice in your business.