WLC Alum Writes Article on Apprenticeships

West London College alum Sharon Blyfield OBE, now Head of Early Careers at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, has written an article about apprenticeships for the One Million Futures Substack.

The One Million Futures Substack is a space curated by former Health Secretary Alan Milburn for the Young People and Work Review, examining why youth inactivity is rising in Britain and providing analysis, real-world insight and practical ideas for action.

In the article, Sharon reflects on her own journey from growing up in Shepherd’s Bush to studying Business and Finance at Hammersmith and Fulham College. A work experience placement arranged through her course led directly to her first full-time job as a finance administrator, an opportunity she says changed the course of her life and helped her build a career spanning finance, sales, HR and, ultimately, early careers.

She wrote: “Looking back, that relatively simple connection between college and an employer changed the course of my life.”

Drawing on that experience, Sharon argues that vocational and technical education should be valued alongside university as an equally credible route into employment. She highlights the importance of apprenticeships, T Levels and meaningful work experience, as well as stronger partnerships between employers, schools and colleges.

She also stresses that young people should not have to depend on chance to find the right route into work. “I am enormously grateful for that journey, but young people should not have to rely on luck to find their way into work,” she says.

Sharon calls for young people to have clearer access to opportunities that allow them to earn while they learn, develop practical skills and gain the workplace experience they need to build successful careers.

Read Sharon’s full article on the One Million Futures Substack or find out more about apprenticeships at West London College.