Former Student Sophie Inspires Year 12 student with Apprenticeship Talk

This week, we were delighted to welcome back Churchill alumna Sophie, who visited to speak with our Year 12 students about apprenticeships — what they are, how they work and the incredible opportunities they can offer.

Sophie, who attended the Academy from 2016 to 2024, is now a Project Manager Apprentice at Jacobs Engineering. From early on, she knew university wasn’t the right path for her, and she’s since found success and fulfilment through the apprenticeship route.

Currently, Sophie is working on a major project with the Submarine Delivery Agency (SSNA), contributing to the development of the next fleet of submarines, set to launch in the late 2030s.

In her words: “An apprenticeship is a paid job with training and a qualification… Paid to learn!”

Her talk was both informative and inspirational, leaving our Year 12 students with a clearer understanding of alternative career pathways and the confidence to explore all their post-18 options.

A huge thank you to Sophie for taking time out of her working day to visit us.