National Apprenticeship Week 2026
This year, we’re sharing two perspectives: Logan Easingwood, who is currently completing his apprenticeship, and Ryan Maitland, who finished his several years ago and has since built a successful career within Quorum’s Managed Service team.
Logan Easingwood – IT Apprentice
Describe your apprenticeship – what’s involved?
My apprenticeship has two main parts: my day‑to‑day work on the service desk and the coursework I complete through QA (About QA | QA).
On the service desk, I handle a wide range of tasks. When tickets come in, I respond, categorise them and assign them to the right member of the team, which can also include myself. Incident tickets cover a mix of issues like applications not opening, licensing problems or files not saving. Request tickets can include access changes, mailbox permissions, joiner and leaver processes or setting up accounts for users.
I also spend time on client sites, providing on‑site support. This includes hardware tasks such as setting up new laptops, upgrading devices, installing monitors and helping with desk moves. It gives me hands‑on experience beyond remote work.
I meet with my QA trainer every five weeks to review my progress, go through upcoming units and complete assessments. I also attend virtual classes with around 20 other learners. For example, in the PC Passport course we covered key functions in Excel, Word and PowerPoint, taking screenshots to show our understanding and explaining how each feature is used.
Why did you choose an apprenticeship over other routes?
I chose an apprenticeship over college or university because it lets me continue learning while gaining real experience in a working environment.
Instead of studying hypothetical scenarios, I’m learning actual systems, technologies and customer processes that I use every day on the job. QA also provides structured training where I can pick units that genuinely interest me. I meet with my QA trainer to review progress, go through upcoming units, get support where I need it, and progress reports. The mix of practical work and guided learning has suited me far better than a full‑time academic route.
How is your apprenticeship going so far?
My apprenticeship is going really well. I’ve been able to balance the QA coursework with my day‑to‑day role, completing units such as digital communications and IT health and safety, along with the virtual classroom sessions run by QA.
At the same time, I’ve gained hands‑on experience with the wide variety of tickets that come into the service desk. I’m building a stronger understanding of Microsoft technologies like Intune and Entra, and I’ve also spent time on one of our client sites, which gave me more exposure to physical support and hardware tasks.
How did you find the transition from school to the workplace?
The transition from school to the workplace felt unusual at first. You go from being around the same people every day to starting somewhere completely new. The service desk team made that shift much easier. They took the time to show me how everything works, explain daily processes and answer all my questions as I learned how to categorise tickets, troubleshoot issues and handle requests.
Their willingness to help and their patience made a huge difference. It helped me settle in quickly and gain confidence in a completely new environment.
Ryan Maitland – IT Support Analyst
Would you recommend this path for others and why?
I would highly recommend an apprenticeship for anyone who is interested in going down the IT career path. Being able to work alongside very smart individuals early on in your career gives you the opportunity to learn from them and grow as an IT Analyst. Having a mix of in-depth course work and being able to use that knowledge in a day-to-day working environment is very beneficial in growing your skillset and an excellent way to start your IT career.
What learning opportunities have you undertaken since your apprenticeship
Since completing my apprenticeship, I’ve continued to develop my skills through a mix of training and hands on experience. Working with a variety of different apps and tools and becoming certified in these areas has really helped strengthen my technical skills and improved my problem-solving abilities which has allowed me to provide a greater level of support to our clients.
How have you developed your career since completing your apprenticeship?
Completing my apprenticeship 4 years ago gave me a solid foundation in IT support, and since then I’ve developed my career by taking on more advanced technical tasks and responsibilities. I now handle more complex issues working independently or as a team, across a range of systems such as M365, Intune, Active Directory, iManage and many more. This growth has allowed me to contribute more at a higher technical level and become a more reliable member of our IT team.
Why Apprenticeships Matter at Quorum
Many of our apprentices, like Ryan, stay with us and continue to develop as their careers progress. Others take what they’ve learned and carry it into new opportunities across the industry. Either way, the apprenticeship gives them a strong foundation to build on.
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Email: marketing@quorum.co.uk
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