Meet our apprentices: Leah Mason, Policy

What encouraged you to apply for an apprenticeship? 

After I finished my A levels, I applied for an apprenticeship as I was keen to learn while working in a professional setting. Some of my peers took a route into university, but it just made sense to me to earn money while gaining a qualification and taking the first steps into my career. 

How would you describe your experience at the Arts Council so far?

 I have truly loved working at the Arts Council. Everyone is so kind and supportive! The opportunities and experiences I’ve had and the people I’ve met have been so insightful. I’ve loved meeting people outside the organisation and understanding the impact the Arts Council’s work has on the country. It’s inspiring to see what we can all achieve through being creative and ambitious. 

So far, this is my second apprenticeship at the Arts Council and I’m so grateful to have been offered another opportunity - not only to grow as an individual, but also to keep learning and progressing while gaining another higher-level qualification.  

What have you learned since starting your apprenticeship?  

 I’ve gained invaluable skills, all of which apply to my everyday work. I’ve also learnt so much about local and national government, and how my team, along with our stakeholders from different organisations, work towards achieving shared goals to support the national public library sector. For example, we are working on an assessment strategy to understand how we can promote the value of libraries. I’m also the lead for gathering our annual data collection. 

What would you say to others thinking about applying for an apprenticeship?  

Do it! Joining the Arts Council as an apprentice was the best decision I’ve made. It can sometimes be hard to start a career within the creative and cultural sector without years of experience, but the apprenticeship programme is a perfect stepping-stone. 

I’ve also gained skills and experience that you don’t get in other routes of education. For example, one project I’m supporting has real national significance, which has built my confidence and given me the opportunity to work with leadership bodies – both within the sector and in government departments. I’ve also been involved in policy-making to support the national library sector, with the opportunity to implement that policy and regularly meet with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to update on my work.