National Apprenticeship Week, meet Bobby Jo

National Apprenticeship Week 2022 takes place this week, from 7-13 February 2022. It brings together everyone passionate about apprenticeships to celebrate the value, benefit, and opportunity that apprenticeships bring.

At Carpenters Group, we feel passionately about creating opportunities for our people whilst at the same time supporting their development and career paths.

This week we have asked some of our apprentices to talk about their apprenticeship journeys and future career plans and aspirations...

Bobby Jo Doherty – Level 7 Solicitor Apprenticeship

"Following the successful completion of the Level 3 CILEX Paralegal apprenticeship at Carpenters Group, I started the Level 7 Solicitor Apprenticeship in September 2021. I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to learn and earn as an apprentice at Carpenters. I have always enjoyed academic studying and was initially unsure if an apprenticeship was for me (when I began looking whilst studying for my A-Levels). After starting at Carpenters Serious Injury Department, I quickly realised the invaluable experience I was gaining from on-the-job learning and the professional relationships I was developing alongside studying. The team and firm have always encouraged my learning and development both practically and academically.

The role entails studying one day per week (20% off the job learning) via the online university platform at BPP Law School. This is alongside my role assisting Nicola, a solicitor in the Serious Injury team, on the remaining four days of the week. Throughout the apprenticeship, I will work towards gaining a LLB Honours degree in Law and Legal Practice and sit the Solicitor Qualifying Examination (SQE) in the final year. Apprenticeships are considered a non-traditional route into law however they are growing in popularity and availability. I would highly recommend anyone thinking about pursuing a legal career to consider the apprenticeship route to qualification."