Intermediate Apprentice of The Year 2025

Meet the ITP’s 2025 Intermediate Apprentice of The Year! – Daisy Biggs

We caught up with Daisy Biggs, Apprentice at Grapevine | IT & Comms, to learn more about her journey into telecoms, her apprenticeship experience, and what winning this award means to her.

Congratulations, Daisy, on being named Apprentice of the Year !

From building confidence and applying learning in the workplace, to championing apprenticeships and inspiring others, Daisy’s story perfectly reflects the impact apprentices can have on our industry.

Tell us how you started your apprenticeship, what did it involve?

I came across the apprenticeship opportunity at Grapevine shortly after completing my A-levels. During the first few months, there was a lot of new information to absorb, and it was overwhelming to see how much learning was ahead. This felt like a big step up from A-levels, but my colleagues' support really helped me to settle in. During these months, I started going to a few networking and insight events. This was a massive step out of my comfort zone as someone so new to the industry, but I really appreciated the opportunity to learn from different people's experiences.

What made you choose an apprenticeship?

Even though I wanted to continue learning, I felt that the school environment wasn’t getting the best out of me, and I didn’t want to continue to university. During A-levels, it felt as though university was my only option; that was until I discovered apprenticeships at a careers fair. I realised that an apprenticeship would help with my knowledge retention and engagement with learning, as I could practically apply this learning within a business. Compared to university, an apprenticeship would give me a clearer insight into what I enjoy, where I fit within the industry, and provide more opportunities to explore this practically.

Why did you decide to work in this industry in particular?

Telecoms is such an essential industry, and this adds a lot of value to my role. It's also so broad, which means I can continue to develop my learning even after my apprenticeship. It's an industry that wasn’t talked about much during school, but I’m glad I decided to work in telecoms, as its constant evolution makes this an exciting place to work with many avenues to explore in the future.

How did you find working and studying at the same time?

Trying to find the balance between my work for Grapevine and my apprenticeship has been tough at times, especially as I started to take on more responsibility at Grapevine. However, working and studying has really helped me put my learning into practice to solidify my knowledge. It Has also encouraged me to maintain a work-life balance as I get to do my studies during working hours.

What has been the biggest highlight during your apprenticeship?

The biggest highlight during my apprenticeship has been seeing my growth in confidence. It was daunting starting my apprenticeship with no prior experience in the industry. Each week, I noticed my learning progress, and it was exciting once I was able to complete tasks independently and eventually get to the stage where I could help others

On the flipside, what has been your biggest challenge?

It's sometimes been difficult prioritising my apprenticeship work when we have had busier periods at Grapevine. I’m lucky to have a team that supports me wherever they can to ensure I have time for my apprenticeship, but it can be hard to switch off from work and focus on my studies at times.

What would you say to anyone who may be considering an apprenticeship? What advice would you give them?

Apprenticeships aren’t a second-best option; there are so many benefits to taking this route, so make it a priority when applying for your next steps. I believe that the success of your apprenticeship is largely down to you, so I would encourage you to occasionally push yourself out of your comfort zone. I’ve found this can add so much value to your learning and can really help with your personal development, in and outside of your role.

What are your career aspirations from here on?

I'd love to have more involvement with apprenticeships at Grapevine. I’m really passionate about inspiring apprentices, and I’d like to have this positive influence within our organisation. I’m also eager to continue my own learning so that I can broaden my skillset and take on more responsibility at Grapevine in the future.

What does it mean to you to win this award?

It was such a shock to even be shortlisted! I’m so grateful to my team at Grapevine and the support from the ITP. They’ve really encouraged my growth over this last year, and they're a big reason for this success. It means so much to be recognised for the work I’ve put into my learning, and it's an amazing feeling, knowing it's paid off.