Mary Coleman
“When I left Holy Trinity school in Halifax, I didn’t know about Apprenticeships and so I had enrolled on a one-year course at Calderdale College to study for a Progression Award and NVQ level 2 in Sport and Leisure. When I completed it, I saw an advert for a traineeship as a Modern Apprentice in Sports with Kirklees Council. As part of that training, I went to Dewsbury College to study Activity Leadership.

It was Sandra Burnhill, the programme manager at the College, who encouraged me to apply for a place at university.”

Mary enjoyed working with children and wanted to become a primary school teacher, specialising in sports, so she applied for relevant courses through UCAS. Normally colleges and universities expect GCE A levels as entry to a teaching course, and Mary was rejected by three of those that she had applied to. Fortunately, Trinity and All Saints College in Horsforth did invite her to an interview. Mary felt that it was due to her personal statement, which reflected the range of experience and personal qualities that had resulted from gaining an Apprenticeship. At the interview she had to do a number of tests, including one on English, a group discussion and a joint presentation with another candidate. She was successful, winning a place on a full-time BA course in Primary Education with Physical Education. She did not know it at the time, but a friend, Alicia, who trained with her as a Modern Apprentice, had also won a place there to study for a combined honours course in Sports, Health and Leisure with Management. So they were able to share a flat in their first year.

She’s now completed the degree course, gaining a II(i) in her finals this year (2007), and has accepted the offer of a position to teach English in Japan for a year. So Mary has shown how far you can go – both academically and geographically – by training as an Apprentice.