Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2025
Scottish Apprenticeship Week is a nationwide celebration of apprenticeships. As part of the week, we asked some of our current and past apprentices to share their experiences.
We offer a range of apprenticeships with work-based learning across Scotland, including Foundation Apprenticeships, Modern Apprenticeships and Graduate Apprenticeships.
Foundation Apprenticeship
Foundation Apprenticeships are a work-based learning opportunity for senior-phase secondary school pupils. Foundation Apprenticeships are recognised as entry qualifications by all Scottish colleges and universities, with completion leading to a qualification at the same level of learning as a Higher. Ruari and Skye tell us more from our Edinburgh office.
What made you apply?
Ruari - The reason that I applied for the Business Foundation Apprenticeship course is because I believe it would be very beneficial for me to receive real work experience and to understand the details of how a office works.
What does your role as an apprentice involve?
Ruari - I am part of the Administration team in Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) and I am involved in a project which will help make the office a more accessible place for everyone. Through this I will be interacting with people in the office to understand changes that could be made around the workplace. I have also completed many e-learning tasks (online learning) which will help improve my understanding of workplaces.
What are the parts of the apprenticeship you enjoy the most? Any favourite moments?
Skye - The main thing I love about my apprenticeship is how welcoming and helpful the team are, if I need any help they are always there. My favourite moment was when I had cupcakes on my desk when it was my birthday, which I thought was nice considering the time I have been part of the HR team.
Where do you hope the apprenticeship will take you?
Skye - I hope that it will give me an extra qualification and it will give me the experience of working in an office environment which will prepare me for the future. I also hope that I can get more people to do a Foundation Apprenticeship at school, as it’s a great opportunity.
Modern Apprenticeship
Modern Apprenticeships combine a qualification with on-the-job experience. This means our apprentices can work, learn and earn at the same time. Jamie, Hannah and Cameron share their experiences.
Hannah
What made you apply?
Jamie - Recently I volunteered at an estate in Perthshire that involved lots of outdoor/estate maintenance work. We did fencing, planting, path building etc. I loved being outside, working with my hands, and learning many different skills. I wanted to carry this sort of activity on and the apprenticeship at FLS seemed the perfect place to do this.
Hannah - I have always wanted a career working with trees, but I thought I would have to go through university to do so. After my college course being defunded and not having enough experience to go straight into a job role in forestry I found FLS had an apprenticeship course and it felt like the perfect fit.
Cameron - My main two jobs before this were army officer and accountant. Neither of these jobs really made me happy. In the army I had fun but had no autonomy over my own time. In accounting I was miserable, but I could choose where to live, what to do with my time.
I spent a lot of time trying to shortlist what made me happy, the simpler the better. I like trees. I like being active. I like the west coast. Okay, so what’s a job where I can be around trees, be active and live in the west coast? Forestry sounds good.
Cameron
What does your role as an apprentice involve?
Jamie - The apprentice role is varied, involving so many different things. We do chainsawing, vegetation control (roadsides), we do a lot of deliveries around the diverse landscapes up north. There are always fences that need to be fixed, signs that need to be put up, visitor pathways and structures that need built and repaired. There is a wide range of tasks and I’m picking up so many skills throughout.
How have you found it so far? Any favourite moments?
Hannah - The opportunities and learning have been incredible and so valuable in building the foundations to my career in forestry. I have been supported and encouraged every step of the way, and I have built wonderful relationships through my work. I have had so many hands-on learning opportunities that I don’t believe I would have gained elsewhere which I really value.
My whole year in the apprenticeship has been amazing, but I have to say that visiting the Flow Country has been the highlight of my apprenticeship. It was so uplifting seeing the amazing work the peatland folk have been doing surrounding the world’s most extensive blanket bog. And seeing the fields of bog cotton blowing in the wind and the scarce dwarf birch trees was like something out of a book. It truly felt wonderful to be a part of such a special time in history.
Where do you hope the apprenticeship will take you?
Jamie - The role of the Craftsperson seems like a great job and one I am really enjoying so far, so I am hoping to carry that on in the future. I can see myself doing this for a while. Further down the line, I can see myself staying in Forest Management and maybe go up to supervisor looking at the silvicultural/ground cultivation side of the organisation.
Hannah - I hope that I can pursue a career in Forestry with FLS and go on to explore the ecological and environment side of things, as the work that FLS do with expanding ancient scots pine woodlands, caring for temperate rainforests and peatland restoration has inspired me to want to do great things. I would love to work alongside the people who are at the forefront of these projects in the future.
Cameron - I’m planning to spend another year or two as a Craftsperson, then I want to move up to site supervisor for a couple of years and the 5-year plan is forester. Hopefully all in Oban.
Graduate Apprenticeship
Graduate Apprenticeships provide work-based learning opportunities up to Master’s degree level - this enables our apprentices to combine academic knowledge in the further and higher education sector with skills development. Andrew is currently studying while working with our Civil Engineering team.
Andrew
What made you apply?
I initially planned to apply for full-time undergraduate courses, but when I discovered FLS's Graduate Degree programme, I knew it was the ideal path for me. The opportunity to gain hands-on work experience while studying greatly appealed to me, as I believe practical learning is essential for a successful career in civil engineering.
What does your role as an apprentice involve?
Over the past two years, my role as a graduate apprentice has developed significantly. My responsibilities range from applying for development approvals with local councils to designing and drafting contracts for projects. Once these stages are complete, I manage contractors on-site to ensure smooth project execution. Alongside these duties, I also balance my university studies, which complement my practical experience in the field.
What are the parts of the apprenticeship you enjoy the most? Any favourite moments?
One of the aspects I enjoy most about my apprenticeship is the variety it offers—I get to work in different forests across Moray and Aberdeenshire each week. Every day presents new challenges, which keeps the job exciting and allows me to continuously develop my skills. My favourite moment so far was repairing a bridge that had been damaged by recent floods. I was responsible for organising every aspect of the project while also taking a hands-on role in implementing the plan, making it a particularly rewarding experience.
Where do you hope the apprenticeship will take you?
I hope to use the work experience gained through my apprenticeship, alongside my degree qualification, to apply for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) status with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). Achieving this would place me in a strong position when applying for future roles, giving me a competitive edge among fellow graduates.
After the apprenticeship
Many of our apprentices go on to work with us after completing their apprenticeship. We spoke to Kyle and Rachel who are now in full time roles.
Kyle
What are you doing now you have finished your apprenticeship?
Kyle - I’ve now got a full-time job as a mechanic continuing at the Longman Workshop, Inverness.
Rachel - I completed my apprenticeship at the end of 2023 and transitioned into the Procurement Support Officer role. Recently, I have moved into a new position as a Procurement Specialist.
What did your role as an apprentice involve?
Kyle - The job involves, servicing and completing any repairs across the fleet. This also includes recoveries, fabrication work and the modification of equipment to suit specific needs.
Rachel - During my apprenticeship, I gained hands-on experience in public sector procurement, working on a wide range of tasks. I completed my SVQ qualification, which provided me with a strong foundation in procurement processes.
A key part of my role involved supporting the Procurement Specialists with tender and contract documents—assisting with formatting, reviewing, and preparing them to meet the required standards. I also compiled management reports and analysed data to help inform decision-making.
Did you find the apprenticeship helpful?
Kyle - Yes it was a good step into the industry and allowed me to get a good knowledge of the equipment and area I am working in.
Rachel - Definitely! It was a great way to get real experience while learning at the same time. The mix of practical work and studying helped me build confidence in my role, and it made moving into a full-time position much easier.
What did you enjoy the most about your apprenticeship?
Kyle - Personally I enjoy the recovery aspect the most, I enjoy the challenge that can be faced to retrieve a vehicle from a certain place and the problem solving involved to recover it. It also allows me to see all of the different areas across the region and takes me to places I may not normally go. The team that I work with have been very supportive to ensure that I completed my apprenticeship and given me suitable challenges to push my development and improve my skills as a mechanic.
Rachel - I really enjoyed working with a wide range of colleagues across FLS and learning from experienced team members. Every day was different, and I liked being involved in real projects where I could see the impact of my work. It was also a great opportunity to build my skills and get a proper understanding of how procurement works in the public sector.