To close our NAW celebrations, Apprenticeship Friday focuses on another personal journey, how people from all backgrounds find their way into Defence and discover careers they may never have imagined.
Below, one of our apprentices shares his experience transitioning from hospitality into Defence, and how hands‑on learning, early career support and new opportunities have helped shape the start of his career.
My Experience Transitioning from Hospitality to Becoming an DNE Apprentice
After graduating from university with a degree in History and International Relations, I found myself unsure of my next steps. While I tried to work out what direction I wanted to take, I took on a role at a local pub and restaurant. What began as a temporary job became a valuable experience, helping me develop communication skills, teamwork, and resilience.
Two years later, an opportunity came up that felt like the perfect turning point: a Business Administration Apprenticeship with the Ministry of Defence within the Defence Nuclear Enterprise. The chance to join such a large Enterprise, gain structured training, and explore different areas of work was exactly what I needed to kickstart my career.
I’m still early in the scheme, but I’ve already learned so much. I’ve been trying to absorb everything I can, meeting new people, getting involved across teams, and collecting experiences that will help build my apprenticeship portfolio. Every conversation and task teaches me something new.
This transition hasn’t come without challenges. After years of working late hospitality shifts, often 4pm to 1am, my sleep pattern was completely out of sync. Shifting to early mornings in a structured office environment was a real shock to the system! Adjusting to office life itself has been a learning curve too: rows of desks, people chatting, taking calls, grabbing coffees. It’s very different from being a front of House team leader, where the pressure of being constantly visible to the customers kept me on alert. In contrast, the office has allowed me to relax into my work and focus more clearly.
Applying for the apprenticeship felt surprisingly natural. The Civil Service behaviours aligned with the skills I’d built in hospitality, leadership, communication, working together and the interview panel put me immediately at ease. The follow‑up questions asked during the interview helped me think more deeply and clearly about my examples and the impact I made.
Even though I’m only at the beginning of my journey, I’m already proud of how far I’ve come. Changing industries isn’t always easy, but this apprenticeship has opened a door I never expected. I’m excited to see where it leads next in my career.
If you’ve been inspired by our DNE apprentice journeys featured this week, why not explore what opportunities could be next for you? Take a look here Civil Service job search – Civil Service Jobs – GOV.UK and search “MoD” to discover the apprenticeship schemes we currently have available. Your next step in shaping your career could be just around the corner!
