Edinburgh College

In this case study we hear from Nick Hooker, who is a Graphic Designer at our employer partner, Edinburgh College. Nick completed his Graduate Apprenticeship in Software Development for Business in 2024.

Please describe what you are employed to do in your current role

I work in the Marketing and Design team at Edinburgh College, a public sector further/higher education provider.

My role involves designing print and digital content, including graphic design, video/photo editing, animation and web design.

Where did you hear about Graduate Apprenticeships as an option to upskill/reskill?

I was in the same role as I am now. My manager sent our team an email saying Heriot-Watt had invited college staff to apply for them, and that they were a chance to get a degree while still working.

What was it about the Graduate Apprenticeship that appealed to you the most?

For many years I’d wanted to learn, and get a qualification in, software development. However, aside from doing a few web development modules with the Open University many years ago, I didn’t think I’d ever have the opportunity as it would mean not working and it would be too expensive to justify.

That the GA offered the chance to get a BSc without taking several years out of work and without any of the large costs associated with getting a degree seemed too good to be true – I wondered what the catch was!

Did you ever consider a traditional degree?

Not at my stage of life. I went to university when I left school and ended up with a Philosophy degree so I’d already gone down the traditional route - that was 20 years ago. I now have a family and I wouldn’t have been able to afford to leave my job to go down the traditional route to study software development. I never completed the Open University certificate, which the modules I mentioned above were part of, because my time/financial priorities changed when my daughter was born and I never felt I could justify the cost of resuming my OU studies after that.

During your degree, how did the Graduate Apprenticeship help you in your job (and your career)?

I was able to take on projects that I would previously not have been able to take on. For example, studying web development technologies early on enabled me/the department to take on a project redeveloping one of the college’s websites.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve been heavily involved in developing our team’s approaches and policies to improving the accessibility of our online content, and this has come from being able to pursue accessibility-related development projects for the GA. More generally, studying to degree level has boosted my self-confidence – I found I was more confident speaking up in meetings, discussions etc.

Since completing your Graduate Apprenticeship, how has your job role and /or career evolved?

I’ve continued to take a lead role in promoting/researching/training on how our team should implement accessibility best practices. I continue to work on projects where the skills I’ve learned through the GA are essential: both the technical skills and the research skills that degree level study has given me.

Looking back, how would you sum up your Graduate Apprenticeship experience?

Intense, but very rewarding.

Looking ahead, how do you think your Graduate Apprenticeship will impact your future career?

I’m hoping that it will enable me to continue taking on new responsibilities, and that doing so will allow my job role to keep on developing and expanding. I intend to undertake further training/study in accessibility with a view to getting professional certification, which will hopefully benefit me professionally, and also my employer.

If someone was considering a Graduate Apprenticeship, what advice would you give them?

I would encourage them to go for it if they’re able to do so - Graduate Apprenticeships are a fantastic opportunity! I would also advise them to think about whether they’re ready to make the required long-term commitment and whether they’re ready for working in the evenings and at weekends quite frequently, especially when the assessment deadlines are approaching.

I really enjoyed the different courses that were part of my GA and often looked forward to doing the work. One lecturer said they saw programming tasks as puzzles to solve and once I started seeing them that way I started looking forward to being able to start them. I saw them as an alternative to sitting down in the evening with a sudoku puzzle or crossword. So, I would advise them to consider whether they have enough interest in/motivation to learn about their chosen subject area to devote a significant part of their free time to studying and working on it.

Finally, I’d advise them to speak to their family, employer and others who may be affected by them committing to a GA. I relied on the support of family members and colleagues for practical and moral support throughout my studies.