Fresh perspectives, real results: Why your team should bid for an apprentice
Thinking of bidding for a Government Communications apprentice? Ellen shares how welcoming an apprentice to her team brought fresh perspectives and helped her grow as a line manager.
I’m Ellen, part of the Strategy and Campaigns team in the Government Communication Service. Our team co-ordinate cross-government campaigns, ensuring all communications are audience-first and aligned to the government’s key priorities.
This past year I’ve really enjoyed working on the Emergency Alerts campaign, where we significantly increased public awareness of the test alert on 7 September 2025. I have also worked on the health mission campaigns (to build ‘an NHS fit for the future’ and ‘a fairer Britain’) that encourage behaviour change in adults with unhealthy habits to make healthier choices.
Welcoming an apprentice to the team
Over summer, we had an apprentice called Ellie from the award-winning Government Communications Advance Apprenticeship programme in the team for 3 months.
Ellie was vital to the success of the Emergency Alerts campaign – from producing high-quality comms products at rapid speed, to organising the weekly cross-government working group.
She was a brilliant team member, stepping into a fast-paced role helping to deliver a high priority project, and getting to grips with it straight away.
During her time with us, Ellie gained experience across a number of communications disciplines, and gained experience in producing digital and print assets which were shared with stakeholders across the public, private, and charity sectors.
A range of digital and print assets used for the Emergency Alerts campaign which Ellie helped to produce.
What I learned as a line manager
Having Ellie in our team was a total joy, and I would encourage any line managers to make the most of an opportunity to have an apprentice join them, even for a short time.
As a line manager, it helped me develop my managerial skills. Explaining briefs and tasks to someone who has more of a beginner’s comms skillset meant I had to really think about the purpose and outcome of the task at hand, which helped to improve my own understanding of the main priorities for the campaign.
Ellie also brought a wealth of new experience to the team – her knowledge of emerging channels and experiences outside of government meant she offered a welcome fresh perspective that helped improve our overall approach.
Ellie reflected on her experience in the Strategy and Campaigns team and said:
“I felt genuinely supported throughout my placement. Ellen’s approach not only facilitated my professional development but also made me feel welcomed and valued as a team member. I learned a lot through working on the Emergency Alerts campaign, and gained valuable insight and skills in stakeholder engagement and large-scale campaign strategy and planning.”
A rewarding experience
Working with Ellie over summer was a really rewarding experience. I was impressed by her proactivity, her excellent written communication skills, and her collaborative working style.
It’s been great to hear about what she has gone on to do after her stint in our team (now working with the New Media Unit on audience-first digital campaigns), and I feel proud that I played a small part in helping build the career of a future Government Communications star! I look forward to working with another apprentice in the future!
Are you a line manager who has hosted an apprentice? We’d love to hear your story. Whether it’s lessons learned, proud moments, or tips for others, your experience could help inspire more teams across government to get involved.
Email: gcs-apprenticeship@cabinetoffice.gov.uk