HOW NTU BECAME THE GO-TO VOICE FOR MODERN APPRENTICESHIPS

CHALLENGE

Nottingham Trent University (NTU) wanted to shake up perceptions and take ownership of the conversation around graduate-level apprenticeships — not just in higher education, but across the business world.

The mission:
Raise awareness. Build credibility. And drive high-intent traffic to NTU’s apprenticeships hub — turning curiosity into conversion.

HOLY INSIGHT

Millions of Brits are dreaming about a career change — but fear’s are getting in the way. Too old. Too risky. Too expensive to start again.

We spotted a cultural truth: apprenticeships had an image problem. They were still seen as a fallback, not a fast track. And NTU, with its future-focused mindset, was perfectly placed to flip that narrative.

SMALL-POWERFUL IDEAS

We set out to bust the biggest myths and show employers that apprenticeships aren’t a “Plan B” — they’re a smarter, more cost-effective Plan A for closing skills gaps and future-proofing teams.

To fuel the story, we commissioned national research that revealed:

• 4 in 10 millennials want to change jobs but feel too old to start over.

• 43% of Brits fear leaving their roles because of money or skill worries.

• 3 in 10 have never received career advice.

Our headline insight?  Britain’s ready for a reboot — and apprenticeships are the upgrade.

Armed with that insight, we built a multi-channel PR campaign designed to start conversations and shift perceptions:

• A bold national news story challenging outdated views of apprenticeships.

• “Top 10 Jobs You Never Knew You Could Do with an Apprenticeship” — a listicle designed for shareability and debate.

• Real apprentice stories — bringing the data to life with human voices that landed across broadcast, business, and HR media.

The tone was fearless, forward-thinking, and full of proof points — perfectly reflecting NTU’s leadership in higher-level apprenticeships.