Isla Cameron – our Communications and Public Affairs Manager – started her career as a Modern Apprentice with RoS in 2016.
In this blog, she dispels some common misconceptions about apprenticeships and explains why she would encourage young people to apply to our upcoming Modern Apprenticeship Programme.
When I was 16, I didn’t enjoy sitting exams in high school. I knew I wanted to earn a good salary and have a successful career, but further education wasn’t for me. I had potential, ambition and talent, but didn’t know where that would be best placed. It turns out, a modern apprenticeship was the place for me.
I would like to do a little bit of myth busting about common misconceptions related to modern apprenticeships.
Some people believe modern apprenticeships are only for trades such as plumbing or construction. When in reality, they can cover a wide range of industries such as IT, Finance, Communications and Marketing, Law, Healthcare… the list goes on.
Some people believe employers don’t value apprentices, but that is far from the truth in my experience. My managers, colleagues and other departments across the business gave me nothing but support. They encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone, accelerate my development, broaden my skill set, and entrusted me with responsibilities on high-impact projects across the organisation.
People think that apprenticeships are a last resort if you have been unsuccessful in school. However, I left school with both multiple Nat 5’s and Highers, I may have hated every second of getting my results, but I would not say I was ‘unsuccessful’ in school. I had plenty available options; I just hadn’t decided the direction I wanted to take.
My point is further education is not the only stepping stone to success. Modern Apprenticeships can take you anywhere, as long as you want them to. I’ve gone from leaving school and not knowing what I wanted to do, to being the Communications and Public Affairs Manager at RoS. I now attend Scottish Parliament with the Chief Executive of my business, who asks for my assessment and advice. If you consider how it started versus how it's going, it blows my mind every day.
On a more personal level, if I didn’t start my career the way I did, I may not have got on the property ladder at the age of 24, own my own car, and consistently live with a healthy work / life balance.
Choose an apprenticeship at RoS, put your career on the map and earn while you learn.
Modern apprenticeships at RoS
Modern apprenticeship applications are opening soon for 16–24-year-olds.
Register your interest to be the first to hear when applications go live on 6 October.
We expect interviews to take place in November 2025 and the apprenticeship will start in January 2026. Successful candidates will be based at our Edinburgh office, Meadowbank House.
If you have any further questions, contact talent@ros.gov.uk.