You’ve likely heard the whole ‘left-brained vs right-brained’ conversation before – if you’re left-brained you’re more logical, whereas being right-brained means you’re more creative. Although psychological research has since shown that this isn’t strictly true, the concept still stands – some people enjoy logical tasks and others feel that their creativity is their top skill.
If you’re the type of person who prefers a paintbrush over a protractor or a camera over a calculator, here are some apprenticeships you could pursue in creative industries and companies that offer them.
Jump straight to your dream job:
Fashion and textiles
Throughout history, fashion has been considered one of the ultimate forms of creativity. When you hear ‘fashion’, maybe you think of clothing designers – the Guccis and Versaces of the world. But designers aren’t the only ones holding this industry up. Other jobs include fashion buyers, tailors, costume designers, pattern designers and studio assistants.
Watchlist: The British Fashion Council and ASOS. Plus, take a look at Fashion Enter – they’re a top training provider of fashion apprenticeships in England.
Photography
What if your job had the potential to take you all over the world? If that isn’t enough to intrigue you, photography cover an exciting range of fields, including fashion, nature, fitness and medical. Plus, those pictures in magazines and newspapers didn’t snap themselves – working for the press can be a rewarding career, as can freelancing.
The media industry has a long relationship with apprenticeships, and often the fastest way to the top is to start straight away, rather than getting a university degree.
Watchlist: The JGA Group. Their 18-month Assistant Photographer Level 3 Apprenticeship gives you the opportunity to learn from a top photographer who’s shot images for Aston Martin, Google and the MoD.
Art
A career in art can help you discover your unique artistic expression and can be very rewarding. Gaining enough traction to sell your own artwork might be your dream, but you could always use your artistic skills in other areas of this field – check out apprenticeships in art therapy, curation, illustration and restoration.
If you prefer working with digital art, an apprenticeship in graphic design or content creation might be the way to go.
Watchlist: The Arts Council, Artswork and Creative Alliance.
Hair and beauty
Apprentices in the hair and beauty industry usually gain a mix of practical experience – like giving manicures, washing hair and applying make-up – as well as customer-facing experience such as reception duties and greeting clients. Many beauty apprentices choose to work in the entertainment industry too, assisting with TV, film and theatre sets.
How about training to become a barber? Creative barbering apprenticeships offers a direct way into the hair and beauty industry, working towards a recognised qualification while also getting paid.
Watchlist: Toni & Guy and the Halls of Ivy training academy. Plus, most local salons in your area will take on apprentices.
Writing
If you have a way with words, why not try an apprenticeship as a writer? Writers are needed across all sectors, and the medical, tech and retail industries are particularly big hirers of professional writers. Plus, don’t forget that writing isn’t just writing – you could be a copywriter, a novelist, a journalist, a playwright or a screenwriter, to name a few specialties.
Watchlist: The BBC (journalism), Channel 4 (screenwriting) and QA (copywriting/Content writing).
Get involved – and make it happen
A great thing to remember about creative apprenticeships is that they could be right on your doorstep – don’t be afraid to email/write to local businesses in your chosen field.
Most creative apprenticeships will ask to see your portfolio as well as your academic grades, so make use of easy access to social media. Your Instagram feed could be a fantastic way to show off your capabilities and creativity when applying for apprenticeships. It’s your future, so make it happen!
