You really brought your A-game for Skills Fest at the iconic BT Tower in London (those views were something else!). As a member of the Apprentice Nation team, I had the best time meeting everyone there and joining the journey to getting work ready.

Getting work ready not only means gaining key skills like working in a team or interviewing well, but having core confidence to take you far, wellbeing practices to boost your resilience, and tools to tap into your creativity. 

This day of workshops was something else, with next-level energy to help shape futures. 

Missed it this time? No worries. Read on to get the inside scoop on everything I learned. Plus, we’ll be bringing Skills Fest to Birmingham 12 February! Sign up here to secure your place ✨

I chatted with attendee Ronnie, who thanks to BT won a brand new iPhone 13 on the day as a reward for his hard work! Ronnie shared his highlights with me which I’ve summarised below.

“I can’t believe I won an iPhone 13, definitely something I’ll never forget and the whole experience in general was great.”

Meeting and networking with like-minded people

We kicked things off by working together to solve a social action challenge from Lucozade. We’re all connected by the change we want to see in the world, and this was no different here with the collective community collaborating on creative solutions for minimising plastic waste. 

Get some of your own ideas for social action in this quick set with Jess

We met BT apprentices Mohammed and Louis, as well as professionals across many different roles.

Unlocking your confidence by building confidence session

This session was incredibly impactful. Having confidence to the core is a long-journey, we’re all working on it. Louis and Jonas shared how to make that journey easier for yourself, and I loved Suprina’s tips on body language! 

You can catch more on confidence boosting in this Webinar replay and Quick Set 🙌

Mock interviews with industry professionals

They say practice makes perfect. In the case of interviews, practice makes the process so much less scary. 

Industry professionals sat down with all our attendees to tackle some of the hardest questions you can face in an interview. Everyone aced it on the day and left ready to take on any interview!

You can take your interview prep to the next level with your own mock interview right now! Check out the list of amazing mentors waiting to meet you. You’ll have a friendly member of the Apprentice Nation team with you every step of the way. 

The meditation at the top of the BT Tower 

We rounded things off by giving some attention to our wellbeing. Having a positive mindset sets us up to shape our futures. 

My top tips for anyone looking to explore mindfulness is to practise gratitude. Have a go at writing 5 things you are grateful for, no matter how big or small. You can try this monthly, weekly, or daily. 

There are also plenty of resources on the Skills Hub. Simply explore the Wellbeing and Awareness section. A favourite of mine is Create Inner Peace with Mindfulness featuring the wonderful IAMDDB. 

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