Lucy Marshall, Community Engagement Intern at Workplus

Pursuing my passion for personal development and learning from others, I am excited to have just joined the WIB network at this early stage of my career.

Monday 31 January 2022

Lucy Marshall, Community Engagement Intern at Workplus

Pursuing my passion for personal development and learning from others, I am excited to have just joined the Women in Business, Young Women's Network at this early stage of my career.

I graduated from the University of Liverpool in July 2020 with a 2:1 Honours degree in Law, but during my degree I had realised that practising Law was not the right next step for me. Being fascinated by the stories of people I encountered through studying case-law, I was eager to hear from others about their career choices and so participated in a career mentoring programme at university where I was paired with a mentor who supports and advises business leaders. His experience and guidance helped me to explore other opportunities outside Law that included working with and helping others. He was the first person to encourage me to create a LinkedIn profile and connected me with others which led to some inspiring first impressions of the business world.

Enjoying the relational side of my degree, I decided to intern with a charity, UCCF, on their year-long graduate programme. This year included helping and supporting university students in Liverpool, and leading individuals within the Christian Union society. Being part of a national organisation, I learnt a lot from their local, regional and national events, and had significant opportunities to invest in my own personal development through training, studying and mentoring.

Following this, I secured a place on Ulster University’s Graduate Leadership Programme which I began in October 2021. This programme combines a Postgraduate Certificate in Graduate Leadership with a 6-month internship opportunity. I have appreciated learning and developing through the module content that is directly applicable to my everyday work, in my case, interning with Workplus.

Workplus is changing how our culture views apprenticeships. A Workplus Apprenticeship is the easier way for employers to develop local talent, closing the skills gap. Workplus apprentices put learning into practice as they fast-track their career where they can earn as they learn.

As Workplus’ Community Engagement Intern, I focus on building relationships with schools across Northern Ireland, helping young people find their perfect apprenticeship. I also help Workplus member companies explore apprenticeship opportunities, attend careers conferences, organise events for current Workplus apprentices, and I am spearheading a work experience pilot – all of which have given me the opportunity to develop my communication and organisation skills.

I am looking forward to seeing what the next few years hold as I seek professional opportunities for helping and inspiring others to make decisions that deliver value and purpose. I also hope the next few years are filled with opportunities for walks, parkrun, singing and baking!

You can read more about Workplus through their website here, or contact me on lucy@workplus.app.

I would love to connect with you on LinkedIn – please do send me a message!

Monday 31 January 2022