Apprenticeship Review - Molly

When I first started at Middle Child, I’d say my confidence levels were at a 4. I’m a very quiet and shy person naturally, and I get nervous very easily, so going headfirst into the unknown, into a job I had little to no experience in, with people I didn’t know, terrified me.

My confidence levels currently are at a 7–8. I’m still a quiet and shy person, but I’d like to think I’ve come out of my shell more. I feel a lot more confident in my role, I feel much more confident when speaking to new people, and my confidence is slowly growing regarding phone calls, etc.

My apprenticeship has genuinely helped with my confidence more than anything. It constantly pushes me out of my comfort zone, and I’ve done countless things in the past 5 months that absolutely terrify me, and now it all feels okay, and I feel silly for worrying so much.

Before my apprenticeship, I was very hopeful about a career in the arts, as that is what I have always wanted to do for as long as I can remember. Since nursery, I have always loved being creative, and it’s when I most feel myself. I have always excelled in creative subjects throughout school and focused on textiles specifically throughout college. However, as I got closer to leaving college, I began to lose a lot of that hope. I couldn’t find a job in a creative area, I didn’t want to attend university, and it felt like I had nowhere to go. My parents were no longer supportive of my creative aspirations and wanted me to get a ‘real job’.

Photo credit: Sergej Komkov

I decided to stay on for a foundation course at college, and as soon as it started to creep towards the end of that year, it felt as though I was back at stage one. Until the apprenticeship came up, I was extremely close to giving up on the creative route I have wanted my entire life. I am so incredibly grateful to have this headstart into the creative industry, and it feels like I can say I have finally achieved the one thing I have always wanted. This apprenticeship has made the creative industry more accessible to young people without contacts into the creative world.

I now feel that there will be a bigger creative future for Hull, especially with this apprenticeship scheme and with new people starting later this year. I think it has opened a new option to get experience and contacts within the field, and I hope it gives young people a newfound hope to keep on working towards their dream job.

A highlight for me so far has been working on Middle Child’s pantomime, as I was given the opportunity to work on building and painting the set, styling wigs, sourcing props and materials, altering and making costumes, etc. It was such a wonderful experience to work with a team of such talented and creative individuals that were all so supportive and uplifting to be around.

The biggest highlight was opening night of panto, with lastminute costume and set being finished right before opening. Being able to experience the feeling of sitting in a room full of a brilliant audience, observing costumes and props on stage that I had worked so hard on, made me quite emotional. It felt as though my dreams had come full circle and I’d finally done it.

I have learned so much from my apprenticeship so far. I have always been a creative person, so an apprenticeship in administration (in a creative field) seemed very out of my comfort zone, but now, I absolutely love learning the different aspects and skills within this role.

I have learned how to minute meetings, send professional emails, create spreadsheets, book travel, set up in-person and Zoom meetings, write articles, as well as edit for websites, etc. By the end of my apprenticeship, I am confident that I will be leaving with an endless amount of knowledge and skill that can be transferable throughout many job roles.

Photo credit: Jessy Zschorn

Working at Middle Child has been a dream so far! Working with a small team full of the loveliest people has been the best introduction to working in theatre, and they have all taught me so much about the industry. It has also brought me so many exciting new experiences, from working with costumes on pantomime, meeting new like-minded people, and upcoming trips to the National Theatre, where I will be lucky enough to have a tour of the theatre and watch a show there, to working on their Fresh Ink Festival in the upcoming months. I’m so grateful for Middle Child taking me on and having the patience to teach me things I have never done before.

If I were to describe this apprenticeship to other people, I would describe it as an unmissable opportunity for anyone who wants to break into the creative industry, especially within Hull. It gives you so much knowledge about the industry you want to get into, helps you meet like-minded people who share the same ambitions, teaches you about the world of business, gives you a chance to learn valuable administration skills that are widely transferable, etc. It is a brilliant chance to learn and of course, you get to earn while you learn!

Over the next three months, I would like to strengthen my administration skills, especially in terms of learning the ins and outs of how the website runs, so I can better support Middle Child during the upcoming Fresh Ink Festival. I want to continue learning new things, meeting new people, and doing things that scare me to grow my confidence.

One thing I think people should know about this role is to have confidence in themselves and the push to just go for it and apply. It will be the best thing you could do for yourself, and it opens so many doors for future career opportunities.