In this blog, Simon Flenley – Assistant Director of Research & External Engagement (Skills) at UWE Bristol – shares a unique perspective on apprenticeships, shaped by his dual experience. With years of strategic involvement in the skills landscape, Simon recently completed his own Level 7 apprenticeship, offering valuable insights from both sides of the journey.
In April 2023, I made the decision to enrol on the Senior Leader Level 7 apprenticeship through the University of Exeter. Having worked in the skills and vocational learning sector for several years, I had first-hand experience of how transformative these programmes – especially apprenticeships – can be.
It’s fair to say that after many internal ‘should I/shouldn’t I’ debates, I wasn’t entirely confident in my choice. My job is demanding, and as a parent to a six-year-old daughter, I questioned whether embarking on this journey was a form of self-punishment or a huge opportunity. After carefully scanning the module list and noting that the dreaded finance module came much later in the programme, I took the plunge.
As expected, imposter syndrome quickly reared its unhelpful head. Did I really belong in this cohort? What made me think I had the ability to succeed? Even if I did okay, wouldn’t that be luck rather than judgement? I hadn’t studied at university – or anywhere else for that matter – for over 20 years. How could I possibly cope?
Despite some early bafflement, I took a deep breath and settled into the learning – home office desk appropriately stocked with snacks.
What bolstered my decision to take the academic plunge was my career development. After all, apprenticeships are work-based learning programmes designed to equip us with the knowledge, skills and behaviours to grow and (hopefully) excel in the workplace. I’ve been a senior leader in education for some time – a sector that thrives on innovation, efficiency, with a need for pace in the face of complex external factors. I saw it as a genuine opportunity to grow and improve.
Fast forward to August 2025, and I passed both the apprenticeship and the MBA top-up with Distinction – a result I’m incredibly proud to share. Yes, my old friend Imposter Syndrome still pops up now and then to diminish the achievement, but for now, I’m learning to sit with it and own it. And it has certainly cemented my view that apprenticeships – at all ages and levels – are a critical part of our education and skills ecosystems in the UK.
Has this apprenticeship made me a more thoughtful leader? Am I more strategic? Have I improved? You’d have to ask the brilliant people I work with every day – but I’d like to think so. And I’d also like to think that one day, my daughter will see how hard work, even in the face of self-doubt, can truly pay off.