Leadership, development and real-world routes: Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week
February’s Focus of the Month is Leadership and Development, and few pathways develop confidence, capability and career readiness quite like a high-quality STEM apprenticeship.
National Apprenticeship Week is a brilliant moment to spotlight the practical, employer-led routes that help young people step into meaningful STEM careers while learning on the job. Apprenticeships don’t just build technical knowledge; they grow communication skills, resilience, teamwork and professional identity, some of the attributes we talk about so often in leadership development.
Whether you’re supporting learners to explore their next steps or working directly with students considering their future, we’ve got two free, bite-sized webinars this week to help you connect with employers and apprentices first-hand.
Understanding & Supporting STEM Apprenticeship Pathways
Join us to hear directly from MBDA and BAM Nuttall about their apprenticeship opportunities in STEM. You’ll gain up-to-date, employer-led insights and practical knowledge to help you guide young people towards high-quality, future-focused career routes.
This session is designed to strengthen the people who influence decisions every day — giving you the language, confidence and current industry understanding to have informed, impactful conversations with learners.
Tuesday 10th February - 16:00–16:30
https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/stem-ambassadors-webinars-for-schools-2578059
Meet the Apprentices - A webinar for students aged 14–18
Sometimes the most powerful advice comes from someone just a few steps ahead.
In this student-focused session, hear directly from apprentices at MBDA, BAM Nuttall, BT and Thales UK about:
- why they chose the apprenticeship pathway
- what their typical week looks like
- the skills they’re building
- and practical tips for successfully securing an apprenticeship
It’s an honest, relatable look at what early careers in STEM really feel like — perfect for helping students see themselves in these roles and understand that there’s more than one route into engineering, technology and innovation.
Thursday 12th February 16:00–16:30
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/meet-the-stem-apprentices-for-students-14-18-tickets-1979223967165
Apprenticeships and leadership: why this matters now
At STEM Learning, we often talk about leadership as something that grows through doing, taking responsibility, solving problems, collaborating with others and learning from real challenges. Apprenticeships create exactly these opportunities from day one.
They:
- build independence and workplace confidence
- develop technical and professional skills simultaneously
- connect learning directly to real-world impact
- and open doors for students who may not see university as their only option
For many young people, this route is not a “plan B”, it’s a fast track to meaningful, skilled careers in some of the UK’s most exciting industries.
Keep exploring
If you’re looking for more inspiration, you might also enjoy our recent feature:
Virgin Atlantic – Apprenticeships with Altitude: Discover Engineering Featuring
https://community.stem.org.uk/blogs/tim-bradbury1/2026/01/16/apprenticeships-with-altitude-discover-engineering?CommunityKey=0f32484b-dc5a-4266-8526-01a09365a63a
National Apprenticeship Week is all about opening doors and broadening horizons. Whether you’re guiding choices or making them yourself, we hope these sessions help you feel informed, confident and excited about what’s possible.