In the jobs I was doing before my apprenticeship, I was always drawn back to music in some shape or form.  Even in the part-time jobs, I looked to try to keep music going on in my life.  It was always there, but it never seemed realistic to bank on it as a long-term thing.

However, after considering what I wanted to do with my life, I settled again on music.  Only thing was I wanted to find work close to home to save some money.   After emailing and handing out my CV to some music businesses, looking to get close to somewhere with a music set-up, with no luck, Nimbus records responded with a link to this apprenticeship which was part of the DiVA/BPI BRITs Apprenticeship scheme.  Two interviews and a few stressful nights later, I was picked for the scheme.

So far, it’s been eye-opening. I’ve been getting insight into all parts of the industry, from production to marketing, and have been trying hard to keep up.  DiVA and the BPI have been great and have gained a lot so far during my apprenticeship.  The workshops organised by DiVA up in London have helped me to make the most of this opportunity and getting to go to the BRIT Awards was like nothing I’ve ever experienced.

So far, I’ve gained advice from them on writing press releases, planning a marketing campaign and how companies deal with public criticism.  DiVA has been kind and attentive throughout all of this.

I have been working on giving Nimbus Records a stronger presence online.

From manning cameras for clips of interviews and performances to working on re-jigging their website, I have had to learn things I was unfamiliar with quickly.  Interviews have been shaky but luckily have been given the job of editing them too so can cut as much of myself out as I can get away with.

I would like to use this year to make the most of the contacts and the facilities available. Over the last few months, my communication skills have improved because I want to talk to people more than ever.

Hopefully, I can use what I learn and who I’ve met to try to build a career out of this opportunity and gain some freedom to put forward what I see as the future of music.

For future applicants, don’t be arrogant about what you might have or afraid of what you don’t, and prepare well beforehand because I’ve found out recently that it shows if you don’t have a clue what you’re talking about!

Music has always been a big part of who I see myself as. To get to work in the industry is the best situation I could hope for at this point in my life.