A Brilliant Evening at the Association of Apprentices Big Meet-Up in Bristol

On Thursday 13th November, we were delighted to host the Association of Apprentices’ Big Meet-Up at our home base, the Engine Shed. And what an evening it turned out to be!

We provided the venue, drinks, pizza, and a fantastic guest speaker, our very own Sam Hill, who delivered a brilliant CPD session on public speaking. The AoA team and the apprentices brought the energy, enthusiasm and community spirit that made the event truly special.

So why did we sponsor this Association of Apprentices meet up?

We believe that peer support is crucial to a great learning experience, we realise that apprentices could have missed the social and peer aspect of University and we know that the association do this great work so well, with 50,000 apprentice members (free to join), free resources and peer support to help apprentices get through and thrive in their apprenticeship. The organisation is really well regarded so we were delighted when a partnership event was discussed. Plus we really wanted apprentices to present in schools and on line with us, and were hoping to get some volunteers :)

A Buzzing Room of Apprentices from Across the Region

More than 50 apprentices, along with members of the AoA and the WTPN team, joined us for an evening focused on:

• Networking

• Sharing experiences

• Building confidence

• And supporting our Apprenticeships West programme

  
  

We were thrilled that so many apprentices came forward to volunteer to support our school outreach across the region at the end. Their enthusiasm to give back and inspire the next cohort of young people is really appreciated.

Inspiring Stories from Apprentices

Alongside Sam’s session, we heard from three apprentices who generously shared their own journeys:

• Noah Main

• Becky Ridler

• Samir Mazumder

  
  

Their honesty, insight, and practical advice were very well received. From navigating the early stages of their career to understanding the growing importance of networking, their stories really resonated with the audience at every stage of their journey.

Some travelled in groups with colleagues including a fantastic group from Bristol City Council while others braved the event alone. Two apprentices even travelled from Exeter and Swindon just to be part of the evening. That dedication speaks volumes.

What Apprentices Told Us

Feedback from the night was overwhelmingly positive:

• “Speakers were great.”

• “The apprentices who shared their stories had very interesting journeys it was good to hear these.”

• “Hearing from people nearing the end of their apprenticeship helped me understand the importance of networking and getting your name out there.”

• “A good mix of experiences from different sectors. Bristol has a lot of defence employers, so it was great to hear variety.”

• “Confident speakers who gave good, varied advice… I enjoyed the presentations and hearing about their journeys.”

  
  

One apprentice summed it up perfectly:

“The meet-ups are always enjoyable… great speakers, good knowledge and a brilliant chance to build my network with other apprentices. Keep doing what you’re doing!”

Another wrote:

“I would love to speak at schools and inspire other young people to be ambitious and chase after their goals. What you are doing is great!”

This is exactly why we sponsored the AoA to run this event to spark inspiration, confidence, connections and community.

A Night That Reinforced Why This Work Matters

The event wrapped up at 7pm, although you wouldn’t have known it people were still deep in conversation, making connections and sharing experiences. After many personal thankyou’s and a final round of goodbyes, we finally packed down the room.

It was a moment of real pride for us at the WTPN and Apprenticeships West. Evenings like this genuinely highlight the value of apprenticeships and the impact our work has across employers, schools, colleges, training providers, parents and, most importantly, young people.

A Huge Thank You — and What’s Next

A massive thank you to the Association of Apprentices for allowing us to sponsor their event and partner up with them. They were fantastic to work with, and we’d love to collaborate again soon.

If you're an apprentice and haven’t yet explored the AoA, we highly recommend checking out their free membership and brilliant support offer it’s a great resource for your career development and a network of peers.

Here’s to many more events like this, and to building a thriving, connected apprenticeship community in the West of England.