From the classroom to a career: Why school outreach matters

In this blog, Olivia reflects on how Bright Sparks and other school outreach opportunities helped her understand different routes into law. She explains how these experiences helped her choose the right path and make a smooth transition from sixth form to starting her career as a Legal Apprentice at Burges Salmon.

Olivia’s journey

In September 2025, I joined Burges Salmon as a Legal Apprentice, but my connection with the firm began much earlier. While I was in sixth form, I attended several careers events and took part in the firm’s Bright Sparks work experience programme.

In autumn 2023, when I was in Year 12, I applied for Bright Sparks. I knew I was interested in the legal sector, potentially as a lawyer or project manager. However, I was still learning what a legal career looked like in practice. I was also exploring routes beyond the traditional university pathway. Bright Sparks appealed to me because it offered the chance to spend a week in the Bristol office. It also gave me the opportunity to learn about lawyers’ roles, explore different practice areas, and gain insight into business teams such as Marketing, Finance, Human Resources and Project Management.

In spring 2024, I attended an Apprenticeship Open Day at Burges Salmon. Hearing from current apprentices and asking my own questions gave me a clearer insight into the apprenticeship route. It showed me how people had moved into a legal career straight after post-16 education. That event sparked my interest in pursuing a legal apprenticeship.

I was then excited to secure a place on the Bright Sparks 2024 work experience week. The programme gave me valuable insight into life at Burges Salmon and helped me understand what working in a commercial law firm involves. During the week, I took part in a group project. I also shadowed business professionals and two legal apprentices, which gave me a practical sense of life in those roles. I got a feel for the culture at Burges Salmon, which confirmed that it was the firm where I wanted to start my career.

Bright Sparks was especially helpful because I did not have any lawyers in my family to ask about what a career in law was like. School outreach helps bridge that gap by giving students the chance to experience a workplace first-hand, meet people at different stages of their careers and learn about routes they may not have considered. It also meant I knew people at the firm who I could ask questions. This made starting my apprenticeship feel easier, as there were already familiar faces when I joined.

For me, the combination of Bright Sparks and careers events helped turn an initial interest in law into an informed career decision. It gave me the confidence to apply for the apprenticeship. It also helped me understand the career path I wanted to pursue and the firm that was right for me. Those outreach opportunities were incredibly valuable and are a huge reason why I ended up working at a firm I love. The support I have received here has helped make the transition from the classroom to my career feel smooth. For students beginning to think about their futures, programmes like Bright Sparks can open doors, answer questions and help them imagine where they could be in a few years’ time.

This career story was written by Olivia Chapman, Legal Apprentice.