Apprenticeship has shown universities in new light

The University has launched its 2015 apprenticeship campaign to encourage managers across the organisation to consider hiring apprentices when suitable vacancies arise; it has set a target of at least 100 apprentices in post by the end of the year. Here, we talk to Knewly, the third of our featured apprentices: Nineteen-year-old business administration apprentice Knewly McGuigan never considered working at a university, as she imagined them to be scary, intimidating places. "Nothing could be further from the truth,” she says now, having been employed in the School of Arts, Languages and Culture. "My work colleagues are really friendly and helpful, even protective of me, perhaps because I'm the youngest. "Before I started, I thought that if I did anything wrong I'd be yelled at, but people are very supportive of each other, even if you make a mistake. We're allowed to wear what we like, within reason, and the atmosphere in the office is friendly and relaxed. Knewly, who lives with her parents, brother and three sisters in Openshaw and attended Fairfield High School for Girls and Loreto College, says her mum and dad, a security guard, find it funny she's working at the University.