National Apprenticeship Week is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of apprentices around the UK, and the positive impact they make to organisations and communities.

Here at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS), we offer apprenticeships as an alternative route into the environmental science sector. We spoke to two of our current apprentices – Orlane Martinez, Inclusive Recruitment Support Officer, and Ed Andrews, Project Manager for the Midlife Upgrade Programme at the FAAM Airborne Laboratory.

Orlane has been doing an apprenticeship in associate project management where she is developing skills in stakeholder management, events, resource management and budgeting, among others. “I chose to do an apprenticeship, because I wanted to learn skills on the job rather than going back and doing full time training or studies. I was keen to learn while working with professionals. And this apprenticeship seemed perfect because I had a bit of background in project management, but I was nowhere near properly qualified,” she says.

Ed has just started his apprenticeship in the field of aviation safety, risk management and regulation: “I’ve chosen to do an apprenticeship because it offers a great opportunity to do learning on the job, developing skills that I can use for my future and current career, and learning from industry and research experts – not something that I could have done in my normal day job, and something that I will definitely take the opportunity to make the most out of.”

Both Orlane and Ed admit that they were surprised to learn about the breadth of the world of apprenticeships. “Until about a year ago I wouldn’t have known that they did apprenticeships all the way up to Level 7 which is the Master’s level that I’m doing. So it’s been eye-opening to me to understand the broader world of apprenticeships and how organisations work to support their current and future staff,” explains Ed.

And what does the future hold? Orlane and Ed hope to take the skills they learn from their apprenticeships and apply them in their work within NCAS. As Orlane says, “Right now, my role is very focused on inclusive recruitment and EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion). I hope I’ll be able to keep working on these projects and support NCAS to make environmental science more accessible and inclusive.”

For more information regarding apprenticeships at NCAS please contact Lisa Banton, our Head of People, EDI and Workforce Development.

To keep up to date with National Apprenticeship Week 2025, follow Apprenticeships on LinkedIn.