As part of National Apprenticeship Week (10-16 February 2025), we sat down with William De Sousa, our first PR and Communications apprentice at Action for Race Equality, as he shared insights into his apprenticeship journey, experiences, and lessons learned so far.
Tell us about your background and why you decided on an apprenticeship?
Before my apprenticeship with ARE, my background was in Journalism as a student at Kingston University, as I’ve always had a passion for storytelling, media and effective communication.
After completing my studies in 2023, I became interested in the strategic side of PR and communications, particularly how narratives can be shaped to engage with audiences and influence change on important issues. This is what led me to pursue PR and communications as a career path and as an apprentice, I felt it was the perfect route to provide the hands-on experience in a real working environment while allowing me to continue to learn and develop my strategic communication skills.
My ethnicity is Latino American/ white, born to Brazilian and Portuguese parents.
What does a typical day look like in your apprenticeship?
My apprenticeship is made up of both session-based and work-based learning, where for one day a week I have workshop sessions where i learn about the practices and industry and complete relevant assignments and tasks around the work of PR and communications set by my training provider, PA Academy.
The tasks from the weekly sessions usually involve academic-style writing and stem from what is learnt in the sessions which can then be used to apply to my daily work at ARE. This is what I love most about the apprenticeship, as this training gives me confidence in what I do in my work.
What are the most valuable lessons you’ve learned so far in your apprenticeship programme?
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learnt is the importance of adaptability. PR and communications is a fast-paced environment so I’ve had to learn to be flexible and also think critically on how to frame specific messages appropriately for a tailored audience. As a result, I’d also say that I’ve developed stronger stakeholder awareness, helping recognise how different audiences interact with content and tailoring the communications to be more impactful. This has helped me refine my approach when working on messaging across all campaigns.
Beyond technical skills, my apprenticeship has also taught me the value of networking and learning from experienced colleagues. Observing how senior team members handle strategy and external relations has given me insights that I wouldn’t get from just studying PR in my apprenticeship.
How has your on-the-job training differed from classroom-style learning?
The on-the-job training is more tailored to encounters in my work at ARE, whereas the classroom training is much broader to all different types of PR and communications professionals in a range of industries.
Whilst the on the job training is much more tailored to what I’m already doing at ARE, I still think that classroom learning supports the important practices that I need to follow as a PR and comms professional and i encounter lots of new things that help me find ways i can develop my skills.
What is the most challenging aspect of your apprenticeship, and how are you approaching it?
The most challenging aspect has been navigating complex messaging which is pivotal to ensure that the way we communicate sensitive topics around race equality is clear, and impactful.
This has required me to be more critical in my approach to language and framing, and I’ve benefited from reviewing past campaigns and learning from senior colleagues. It is worth mentioning that although there may be complexity in the role that has been somewhat challenging, these challenges have also pushed me to grow professionally. As mentioned, it helped me become more confident in managing my responsibilities and adapting to the fast-paced nature of communications.
Which skills have you been actively developing during your apprenticeship, including soft skills such as communication or teamwork?
One of the skills that I feel I’m always developing is my content creation skills. Although I’ve had some previous experience within Journalism, I’d say the apprenticeship has helped me develop content that is designed to be more impactful and tailored to social media and to different audiences. Whilst both industries are similar, they also have some important differences in style and purpose.
Another skill that I’ve been actively developing is my general communication skills, through liaising with external partners. This skill is vital in my role as this helps to maintain a positive brand image and expand our audience reach which helps show what the impactful work ARE is doing in the charity sector and for racial equality.
Can you share an example of a project you’ve worked on where you had to apply newly acquired skills?
All the projects I’ve worked on at ARE have allowed me to apply my newly acquired skills. Whether it’s preparing for an event or writing a press release, there have been endless opportunities to apply my skills, but also, learn, something I believe is the most important aspect of any entry-level role. I have had lots of guidance during my time at ARE and also received feedback where necessary.
What stood out to you about ARE’s apprenticeship and what appealed to you most?
I’ve always been passionate about social issues and what we can do to solve or change them in society. During my time at University, writing for my school paper, i always focused on reporting on the issues that affected other students, whether it be academic pressures, health, financial pressures or travel.
Working in a mission-driven organisation like Action for Race Equality has helped me grow faster than I ever imagined. Also working within the charity sector helping create opportunities for Black, Asian, mixed heritage and ethnic minority groups in business, education, employment, and criminal justice, also stood out to me as a role which would be incredibly rewarding and an opportunity to contribute to meaningful change.
DID YOU KNOW?
72% of large companies offer apprenticeships, compared to only 4% of small businesses in the UK?
Yet, apprenticeships are a fantastic way for smaller organisations to invest in and grow future talent, build capacity, and engage in fresh perspectives from young people and support them into employment.
As someone with a Brazilian background, a country with a complex racial history, I’m also well aware of the racial injustices and the inequalities that persist, especially from all the stories my mother used to tell me as a kid. Also, as a young person growing up in a city as diverse as London, you still sadly see some many forms of discrimination and racism that still persist. I’d say we need more people working in these spaces and I’m very proud to be working for ARE.
Working in an organisation like ARE where everyone works so closely together, there have been endless opportunities to learn. The projects and programmes help develop skills and the apprenticeship helps to understand what some of the things are I should be considering when helping communicate the message behind some of these programmes. I’d say it goes hand in hand and nothing I learned in my apprenticeship training comes as a surprise when I eventually encounter something similar at ARE. I try to incorporate my learning wherever possible.
What are your career aspirations and what goals are you most excited about achieving?
In the next 5 years, I see myself in a position where i can be an established PR and Communications professional, but I’d say that at the moment, I’m taking things step by step and taking as much in as possible.
I believe that the most important thing to focus on right now is the learning aspect which comes with the apprenticeship and also seeking any opportunities to learn and develop my craft and knowledge. Working at ARE provides the perfect opportunity to do so with so much going on, and maybe one of my goals would be to grow the organisation further and get our mission out there as to as many people as possible.
What advice would you give to someone considering an apprenticeship in your field?
My advice would be to go for it, but of course, apprenticeships are not easy to come by these days. I’d say that anyone considering an apprenticeship, think carefully about the skills you want to gain and seek mentorship where possible!
Before I came to ARE it was hard to find opportunities, but mentorship helped me think more about where I can find these opportunities to grow my skills and channel some self-reflection from someone with experience, which ultimately led me to pursue the apprenticeship route in the first place, a decision that I certainly do not regret.
Learn more about our work with young people and opportunities here.
