Recruiting for potential: how the University of Bristol’s Global Engagement team grew its own events talent

When Jo Friend, Head of Strategic Events in the University of Bristol’s Global Engagement division, needed to grow her team, she didn’t go looking for someone “oven-ready.” She took on an apprentice instead.

Why an apprentice, not a ready-made hire

At the University of Bristol, apprenticeships aren’t treated as simply a recruitment route, they’re a way of investing in the workforce the team will need in future, not just the one it needs right now. Rather than bringing in someone who already had all the experience, Jo’s team chose to bring in someone with potential and build the skills, knowledge and behaviours the role needed from the ground up.

An apprentice really has the opportunity to learn our systems, understand our culture, and develop within the university environment right from the start.

That’s proved especially valuable in areas where recruiting experienced staff is difficult, helping build a pipeline of skilled colleagues for the future, while also supporting the university’s wider commitments to social mobility and accessible career routes into the sector.

The benefits, in practice

Having them on the team, in Jo’s words, has been a joy. She’s brought real enthusiasm, fresh perspective and a genuine willingness to learn, something that has lifted the whole team, not just her own development.

Because the apprenticeship combines structured learning with day-to-day practical work, the apprentice has been able to put what she’s learning into practice immediately, contributing meaningfully while she trains rather than learning in isolation. It’s also changed how the team operates day to day: anything she picks up on her course now gets shared back at the team’s weekly meeting.

Anything that they’ve been learning, we’ve been asking her to bring that back to our weekly team meetings, so that we can learn things too as a team, and grow while she’s learning as well.

Zooming out, Jo also sees the apprenticeship as part of a longer-term retention and succession strategy. As an apprentice develops, they become a colleague who already understands the culture, the processes and the ways of working.

Addressing the capacity question

It’s the concern Jo hears most often from other organisational leads considering an apprentice: do we have the internal capacity to take someone on and mentor them properly? Her answer is honest rather than glib: there is a real investment of time, particularly at the start, in building someone’s confidence and understanding of the role.

But that investment pays off, and it isn’t shouldered alone. Apprentices are supported by their manager, their colleagues and their training provider throughout the programme. Off-the-job learning time is protected, but it’s closely tied to the work already happening day to day. Nothing extra had to be built around the apprentice for this to work.

We haven’t built anything new for her. She’s doing what we’re already doing within the job.

Why this applies beyond a university

The University of Bristol is a large, complex institution, a very different beast, on paper, to a small creative or cultural organisation. But Jo argues the underlying challenges are shared by almost every employer: developing skills, planning for the future, attracting and keeping good people. The logic of apprenticeships holds regardless of organisational size: a chance to recruit for potential, shape someone’s development around your own needs, and build a genuinely sustainable workforce.

They’re not just about filling a vacancy. They’re about investing in people, building capability, and creating opportunities for people to develop meaningful careers.

Would she recommend it?

Without hesitation. Jo’s advice to any leader who’s curious but hesitant: give it a go. As she puts it, what their apprentice brings to the team is a fair match for what the team gives back to her. She’s contributing a lot, and getting a lot in return. Definitely worthwhile.

Events Apprenticeship

An events apprentice gives your team reliable, on-the-ground support while building the skills, knowledge and confidence to grow into a fully-fledged member of your events function.