Famous apprentices

Who said being an apprentice doesn’t get you anywhere?



With the vast variety of apprenticeships available in almost all career sectors such as acting, fashion, food and sports, there is something that anyone can try.
Apprenticeships draw in many people with different backgrounds, many famous faces started out as apprentices and have vocational training on their belts – let’s take a look at them below!

The fashion conscious 

Despite having a famous father, Stella McCartney wasn’t stopping there and went on to take up an apprenticeship with a tailor on Saville Row when she was a fashion student. Her apprenticeship helped her pick up skills of the trade, sketching patterns and taking up trouser hems. There, she continued to open up an independent boutique in London, climbed the fashion ladder and is now a world-renowned fashion designer.
Another well-known fashion mogul nabbed an apprenticeship on Saville Row, Alexander McQueen progressed on to dress celebrities such as Kate Moss, Madonna, and Victoria Beckham. 

The chefs 

British chefs, Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsey were also apprentices in the catering industry before opening up restaurants of their own and bagging TV shows each. Both chefs offer apprenticeship programmes too!

The actor 

You surely should know of Sir Ian McKellen. Rather than attend drama school like a lot of successful actors and actresses, he opted for a three-year long apprenticeship at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry. From there he honed his skills and came on to be one of the most acclaimed actors in British history!

So, again, whoever said doing an apprenticeship didn’t get you anywhere was incredibly misinformed.

Visit the creative apprenticeships Birmingham website to see all of our available apprenticeships in West Midlands!

Noel Dunne - Director

Noel is the director of Creative Alliance: one of the UK’s leading independent learning providers for the creative and cultural sectors. The company’s ethos and vision reflect Noel’s lifelong belief in the power of creativity and culture to make a positive difference to the lives of young people. Noel is a creative producer with a unique experience and skill set working between the creative & cultural; the learning & skills and enterprise sectors. This is reflected in his roles as Primary Academy Governor, Honorary Fellow to a University, Skills Ambassador for a Sector Skills Council, Board Member of a Theatre Company and Chair / Facilitator of a variety of networks / groups. These roles reflect Noel’s lifelong commitment to supporting the learning of young people through creativity and enterprise. Key Achievements:

• Created and then five years later became director of Creative Alliance, a unique learning organisation operating as a successful social enterprise.
• Developed the role of the Creative Agent that became the model for rolling out the Creative Partnerships programme across England with the National College of School Leadership.
• Generated around £8 million pounds in business development / fundraising activities for participatory arts / creative learning programmes over the last 15 years.

Key Strengths:

• Connecting ideas and people to bring about positive change in individuals and organisations;
• Strategic thinking, planning and implementation;
• Designing and delivering learning and participation programmes.

Key Values:

• Openness to new possibilities;
• Fairness in dealings with others;
• Optimism in our abilities (albeit occasionally unwarranted);
  
  

Find out more about Apprenticeships on our site.