Lodders’ first marketing apprentice relishing workplace learning

Combining on-the-job digital marketing work with boosting experience of the ‘real, everyday life’ in a busy professional services firm are what Will Elson says he loves most about being an apprentice at law firm Lodders.

Nineteen-year-old Will, who lives in Warwick and is based at Lodders’ Stratford upon Avon office, became the firm’s first-ever marketing apprentice when he joined the in-house marketing team in November last year (2021).

“The idea of getting experience, knowledge, a qualification, and earning a salary, really appealed to me,” he says.

“Apprenticeships are known to be a great route to ‘earn while you learn’, and for me, this is definitely the case.

“I am really enjoying gaining everyday real-life workplace experience. An apprenticeship gives the opportunity to really understand how a workplace works day-to-day, which is quite different to only studying at university,”  he says.

As Marketing Apprentice, Will works with Lodders’ marketing manager Angela Howard and marketing director Hilary Campton, to deliver the firm’s comprehensive marketing and events programme, which supports the growing firm’s 170 staff, including 28 partners, across its offices in the West Midlands and South West.

“Every day is different, and brings new challenges to solve and conquer,” says Will.

“I’ve always been really interested in digital marketing – I’m not sure most people realise how much content you see online comes from a business promoting its services or products. I like the fact that one social media post is cost-free and could be 100-times more effective than an expensive billboard.

“The role at Lodders gives me the opportunity to develop and feed this passion, with lots of duties that are all things digital, from digital marketing, website maintenance, assisting with social media management and content creation, as well as helping to market and manage Lodders’ online and in-person events programme,” explains Will. “The combination and variety mean I am able to practice putting my current skills into practice, at the same time as learning new ones and improving my knowledge.”

Will says that the apprenticeship is also ideal for him to crystalise his career path:

“I wanted an apprenticeship that would enable me to learn more to give me knowledge and experience for the next level-up, such as a marketing assistant or executive role. At Lodders, I am combining this with working for a professional services firm, which is adding to my previous experience of working for a business where I was helping to market its products.

“I am really enjoying working in-house as part of the marketing team at Lodders, and one day I would like to have my own marketing agency or work as a freelance marketing or digital marketing specialist.”

Will began his personal digital marketing journey before taking the marketing apprentice role at Lodders, having created a website that shares gluten-free recipes and UK restaurants offering a gluten-free menu.