MDX students reflect on benefits of degree apprenticeships

MDX apprentices reveal how courses transformed their careers during National Apprenticeship Week 2026

Degree apprentices in General Management, Primary Teaching, Digital Design and Social Work at Middlesex University have spoken about how their choice to learn and earn at the same time has boosted their confidence and transformed their career prospects.

Anna Karniadaki is preparing to qualify as a primary school teacher this year after being inspired to go into education by supporting her autistic son. She is on Middlesex’s Postgraduate Certificate Apprenticeship in Primary Education, a one-year route into teaching for graduates which allows apprentices to do a paid role while studying to become a teacher. 

Anna, who lives in Mill Hill, volunteered to help pupils with special educational needs (SEN) when her son, who was non-verbal until age four, started at a primary school in Edgware. She became a teaching assistant, then joined the apprenticeship programme.

Anna studies at the University’s Hendon campus one day a week and works as a trainee teacher in school four days a week. She leads lessons for 10 pupils with special educational needs and will complete a placement in mainstream classes. Colleagues at school observe her lessons while her university tutors and fellow students are “very supportive and focused”. 

She said: “Degree apprenticeships suit mature students like me as they combine academic study with paid employment. You earn to pay the bills while putting into practice what you study in a real job situation, developing your confidence.” 

Anna is immensely proud of her son, now 13, who attends a leading grammar school and is fully independent. She credits early intervention for much of his amazing progress. “Teaching SEN children is my passion. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how the children respond and develop.”

Josh Holloway is on track for career success after joining a Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship at Middlesex University with Transport for London that encompasses his passion for railways. 

Josh, who lives in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, is in the final year of the four-year programme which combines paid employment with off-the-job learning. He said: “Railways have always fascinated me. They are a backbone to our economy and have such an impact on our day-to-day lives. The TfL apprenticeship was a dream come true: the opportunity to gain work experience and valuable skills sought by employers while doing my hobby.”

Josh has worked across a range of operational and management roles within TfL, including frontline station work, running train services, managing more than 170 train drivers, and presenting to senior leadership teams. His studies have included modules on leadership, human resources, operational management, personal development and emerging technologies. 

“The breadth of experience is exceptional as a degree apprentice. It pushes you to operate at a high standard and gives you exposure to areas of the organisation that would usually take many years to access, while you also benefit from networking.”

Josh Holloway, Chartered Manager Degree Apprentice

His future goal is to work abroad in transport, and he would “absolutely” recommend doing a degree apprenticeship to other people. “It provides endless opportunities to learn so many things, and you learn about work culture and how to progress in a professional environment. If you apply and are successful, make the most of the opportunity and experience as much as you can where you work.” 

Devene Lyons joined a Social Work Degree Apprenticeship at Middlesex with Hounslow Council after managing nurseries in Ireland and London and having a childcare business. 

Devene, a mum of two young children, said: “Social work was something I wanted to pursue to use my childcare experience, build relationships and support children in a holistic way. The apprenticeship scheme appealed because I could train and earn at the same time.” 

She has benefited from working in the council’s different teams: Children, Families and Adolescents. “You get so much experience: I have learned which areas interest me and quickly developed people skills. You must connect with people, build rapport, and earn trust.”

Devene’s group of six apprentices from Middlesex at Hounslow work well together and learn from each other, while she described her lecturers as knowledgeable, inspiring and empathetic. 

Devene, who wants to work with families and children as a qualified social worker, said: “I’ve really valued working with a wide team of professionals including GPs, police officers and teachers. Everyone brings their own perspective and it’s amazing to work together to have a positive input into a child, adolescent or family. I’ve learned so much and grown in confidence.”

She would “absolutely” recommend the apprenticeship route into social work. She said: “It’s a great way to gain knowledge, adapt, and grow professionally. Learning combined with practice really helps when you’re intervening with families as you understand the theory and how to apply it in real situations.” 

Sabah Khan’s heart has always been set on a career in design. After joining a Surrey-based lighting company, she applied for a BA Digital Design Degree Apprenticeship with Middlesex after bonding with two colleagues on the same programme and wanting to enrich her skills and knowledge as a lighting designer. 

The course is practice-focused and conceived to prepare students for work in the industry. In her professional role, Sabah mostly works on creating designs by learning to use different software. She has been able to repurpose and build on her lighting designs as part of her coursework, helping her improve them while displaying her creations to other students.

She said: “The apprenticeship programme teaches me design principles and skills such as presentation and communication. This complements the hands-on experience I gain on my day-to-day job as a lighting designer, building my CV in a way that otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to.”

Sabah’s lecturers, together with colleagues and fellow Middlesex apprentices, have supported her. “All my lecturers have helped me when I needed support and had questions,” she said.

Sabah would encourage career-focused young people with a strong interest in an area to consider an apprenticeship as it allows them to obtain a salary and professional experience while gaining a degree. Although it requires real commitment, Sabah believes a degree apprenticeship helps your CV stand out to employers and prepares you for the real world while working with experienced professionals. 

Professor Darryll Bravenboer, Director of Business and Civic Engagement at Middlesex University, said: “Middlesex University has an excellent track record in delivering degree apprenticeships, and we look forward to continuing and growing this provision. 

“We work closely with employers in our Barnet and wider London communities and further afield to offer degree apprenticeships that strengthen public services, support economic growth, and meet employers’ needs while giving people access to a range of professional jobs and training at no cost to themselves.”

Find out more about degree apprenticeships at Middlesex University.