Education Today Education Today Magazine
A legal firm is doing its bit to offer opportunities to young scholars by taking on two school leavers for the first time as part of its apprenticeship programme. NAHL Group, which is based in Kettering, launched its Learning Academy scheme in March last year but that initiative was only open to employees that were already part of the personal injury division.
Those apprentices are now almost 12 months into the programme, which offers staff at National Accident Helpline and National Accident Law a chance to develop a wider range of skills and explore different fields within the industry.
And now, paralegal apprentices Becky Harvey and Faye Wright are the first school leavers to be inducted into the scheme, joining National Accident Law as NAHL Group looks to expand its reach and help those who are taking the first steps in their chosen careers.
“The idea of learning a job while doing it every day appealed to me, so when I saw this role, I thought it was ideal,” said Faye, 19. “We will be learning about a broad range of law, both civil and criminal, and a lot of the learnings can be applied in our day jobs.
“I wanted to start a law career because I found it really interesting and because law is in all parts of everyday life, without you necessarily realising it.”
NAHL Group specialises in helping those who have suffered a personal injury through no fault of their own – perhaps at work or on the road – and are seeking compensation for the damages done, with claims being made on a no win no fee basis.
As 18-year-old Becky explains, embarking on a legal career does not necessarily mean a lifetime of dramatic court cases and verdicts, and she’s thoroughly enjoying the chance to learn on the job.
“People associate the law with courtrooms and people in robes and wigs, but law careers are not always like that,” she said. “We’re working with different teams who handle the various stages of a claim – preparation, settlement and litigation – and I’m enjoying developing my knowledge in an office environment.”
And Samantha Warner, NAHL Group’s Learning and Development Manager, hopes the expansion of the programme will continue to benefit all parties.
“We launched our first apprenticeships last year to offer new opportunities to existing members of our team, and that has been really successful,” she said.
“Our apprentices continue to learn new skills and develop confidence which they are able to call upon in their jobs every day, and it’s been great to watch them learn and grow in their roles.
“Extending the apprenticeship programme to people joining our team was the logical next step, and we’re looking forward to continuing to nurture the careers of our apprentices over the year ahead.”
