Welcome to this episode of TechSphere, where we sit down with Ashley Trigg – A Data and Business Architect at Marlborough Group studying a Level 6 Data Science degree apprentice with BPP and newly appointed Chair of the British Computer Society's Inclusion Committee.

Ashley's journey challenges everything you thought you knew about apprenticeships. This isn't a fresh-faced college leaver story. It’s about a professional who chose to upskill after discovering their company's apprenticeship levy pot was sitting unused.

In this conversation, Ashley opens up about battling anxiety while building a career, explaining how pushing beyond comfort zones from moving to Scotland at 18 to speaking on a panel for the first time became the key to growth.

We also get into the technical details: What really happens when launching a new mutual fund (a process that starts at the London Stock Exchange)?

Why does Excel remain the "lifeblood" of data work, even as you're migrating to Microsoft Fabric? How can an apprenticeship align perfectly with a company's digital transformation, letting you learn SQL and Python at the exact same time you need them for a real-world project?

But perhaps most inspiring is Ashley's work beyond the day job: serving as a trustee for 2 charities, chairing the BCS Inclusion Committee, and championing the message that volunteering isn't a chore it's an opportunity that can fundamentally change your trajectory.

Tune in for an inspiring, honest story about building a career, finding confidence, and why, as Ashley says, "you can be an early careers professional at any stage in your life."

I'm Idris Fabiyi, Head of Technology and Innovation at BPP University, Estio Training, Firebrand Training & host of the TechSphere podcast. I'm on a mission to demystify complex technology and make it accessible for businesses and learners.

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