Is an apprenticeship right for you? Here's what our apprentice Hannah has to say

Hannah completed her Level 2 Bar and Waiting apprenticeship at the Crown & Anchor – a Sizzling Pub in Birmingham. Sizzling is one of the 13 brands here at Mitchells & Butlers and we’re proud to share Hannah’s experience working there. No matter whether you’re fresh out of school or want to retrain in the hospitality industry, Hannah explains why an apprenticeship could be right for you:

“I wanted to learn and gain qualifications so I could progress for the future”

For Hannah, getting on-the-job experience and a qualification under her belt was the main motivation to do an apprenticeship. Our programmes are designed to put you straight to work and give you valuable experiences from the very first day. Not to mention you’ll have fun and enjoy the support of your new work family – one of the five reasons you’ll love an apprenticeship with M&B.

“I don’t like being in classrooms, they get me really frustrated”

Our apprenticeship programmes recognise that every person learns differently and for a lot of people classrooms learning comes with its challenges. Each of our three apprenticeships are split between coursework and practical learning – so all the information you read you’ll then get to apply on your next shift. If you know that you learn best by doing, this is experiential learning and means an apprenticeship is made for you!

“After my apprenticeship, I can go on to do level 3 which is more of the management side”

Hannah tells us that one of the best bits about her apprenticeship was knowing that there was a higher qualification available after. Clearly, Hannah’s very career driven and if you too then an apprenticeship is the perfect opportunity to pick up some transferrable skills and earn while you learn.

“Managing my own pub is my dream job”

At M&B, we love to hear that our colleagues have big dreams and we’re beyond happy that our apprenticeship programmes will help them reach their long-term goals. We’ll invest in your training and development right from the beginning and you’ll have a trainer to guide you every step of the way. And if you don’t know what your dream job is or have a clue where you want to be in five years, don’t worry. We’ll help you figure out what your strengths are, which pub and restaurant job is right for you and show you how you can carve out a rewarding career at M&B. 

“At my age, I didn’t think I could do [an apprenticeship]”

Hannah is 22-years-old but her preconception of an apprenticeship is that you have to be fresh out of school to do one. If you thought the same as Hannah you’re not alone, many people believe these programmes are made for young people and they wouldn’t gain as much from it if they’ve already started working. So, we’re setting the record straight right here – apprenticeships are for people of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels. And, with around 75% of apprentices remaining in employment after completing the programme, it’s a great way to kick-start your career.

Begin your apprenticeship journey with M&B

We’re looking for more ambitious people like Hannah to join our apprenticeship programmes and with over 1,600 businesses around the UK M&B are sure to have the local job you’re looking for. Join us an apprentice and you’ll gain a qualification and a second family too! View our apprenticeships here or to hear more stories like Hannah’s, check our apprenticeship experiences.