How Jake Turned an Interest in Tech into an IT Career

When Jake Hobson finished college, he didn’t have a clear plan for what came next. He’d always been interested in technology, but turning that interest into a career felt less straightforward. Like many people at that stage, he was trying things out, working part-time jobs, and figuring out what actually suited him.

“I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do,” Jake said. “I’d been in and out of different courses at college, trying to work it out.”

What he did know was that he didn’t want to rush into a path that didn’t feel right. University didn’t appeal, and he wanted something more practical – a way to learn, earn, and build real skills at the same time. That’s when he started looking seriously at apprenticeships.

“I wanted to learn on the job and gain skills as well,” he explained. “That’s why I opted for the apprenticeship rather than university.”

In October 2023, Jake joined AAG IT Services as a Level 3 IT apprentice, having found the vacancy through Baltic Apprenticeships. At the time, he couldn’t have predicted just how much that decision would shape his confidence, skills, and sense of direction.

An interest that finally had somewhere to go

Jake’s interest in IT wasn’t new. From the age of around 12 or 13, he’d been the “techy” one at home – tinkering with computers, figuring out how things worked, and building his own PC one Christmas.

“I was always the one fixing things or plugging cables in for family,” he said. “I spent a lot of time just messing about with computers and learning how they worked.”

For a long time, though, that interest stayed just that – an interest. The apprenticeship was the first time it felt like something he could turn into a proper career.

From the very beginning, the recruitment process helped settle his nerves. “Shannon, who did my recruitment, was great,” Jake said. “From the start, everyone was really lovely and reassuring, which helped a lot.”

Getting stuck in from day one

Like many new starters, Jake’s biggest worry was settling in and finding his feet in a professional environment. Those concerns didn’t last long.

“From pretty much the get-go, I was hands-on,” he said. “Taking calls, working on tickets, doing small jobs, sometimes going out on site. It all started straight away.”

Working under line managers Alex and Tom, Jake was encouraged to learn by doing – but also to ask questions and take time to understand what he was working on.

“If I was struggling, I’d just message them or grab them in person and they’d explain it,” he said. “The best part was always understanding why something worked, not just how to fix it.”

That approach aligned perfectly with his apprenticeship learning. Rather than feeling separate from his day-to-day job, the Baltic training helped everything fall into place.

“I’d be working on a ticket and not really understand why it fixed something,” Jake explained. “Then I’d do my Baltic lesson and it would all just click. Suddenly I understood why it worked.”

That “clicking” moment happened again and again as he progressed through the programme. Each module added context to the work he was already doing, and each task at AAG gave him real examples to use in his coursework.

When learning started to click

The balance between working and learning felt natural. Jake didn’t go from unsure to confident overnight – but he could feel things changing as the months went on.

“At the start, I didn’t really have much clue,” he said. “Then I had my first lesson, and things started to make sense. Each course built on the last, and it just progressed really well.”

The fundamentals he learned during the apprenticeship still shape how he works today, especially when troubleshooting. “It teaches you to always go back to the basics,” Jake said. “Things like networking fundamentals and the OSI model still come in handy day to day.”

Throughout the apprenticeship, Jake was supported by his Baltic coach, Dann, who he describes as “always just a Teams message away”.

“He was really supportive,” Jake said. “We always had a good chat, and it made a big difference knowing I could just reach out if I needed to.”

Becoming more confident and more trusted

By the time Jake completed his apprenticeship and achieved his Level 3 qualification, the way he saw himself at work had changed – and so had the way others saw him.

What started as shadowing and support tasks gradually became real responsibility. Today, Jake regularly works on client sites several days a week, often independently.

“Now I manage my own sites and take the lead on visits,” he said. “It feels great to look back and see how far I’ve come.”

That progression hasn’t gone unnoticed. At AAG, Jake is now someone newer apprentices and colleagues turn to for support. Having only recently completed the apprenticeship himself, he understands what it feels like to be new, unsure, and trying to take everything in.

From his managers’ perspective, that makes him a valuable presence in the team – not just for his technical ability, but for his confidence, approachability, and willingness to help others.

For Jake, it’s a sign of how much he’s grown. “I enjoy getting out there with customers,” he said. “Chatting to people, building relationships, making friendships along the way – that’s a big part of it for me now.”

Still learning, still moving forward

Finishing his apprenticeship didn’t feel like an ending. If anything, it gave Jake a clearer sense of what he wants to work towards next.

He’s currently studying for Microsoft Azure certifications, including AZ-900 and AZ-104, with plans to continue building his technical knowledge and eventually move into project work at AAG.

“It’s about getting the basics nailed first, then digging deeper,” he said.

When asked how he feels about his career now, his answer is immediate. “Yeah, I’m happy,” he said. “I enjoy it day to day.”

Jake’s advice to future apprentices

For anyone considering an apprenticeship but feeling unsure, Jake keeps his advice simple.

“Just do it,” he said. “Take the opportunity if you can. It’s a really good step forward – you might even find a job for life.”

Learn more about studying an IT apprenticeship with Baltic here