Georgia Curry

Georgia, 20, lives just outside Warkworth with her family. She attended Westfield School in Newcastle, where she studied A Levels in Geography, English Literature, English Language and Sports Leadership.

“I went to a small school and absolutely loved it, so I was quite sad when it came to an end. When I got my results, I wasn’t sure what to do next. A lot of my friends were heading off to university, but I didn’t want to go simply because everyone else was doing it. I wanted to be certain it was the right path for me.

When I saw the Events Assistant Apprenticeship with The Maltings, I was really excited because I could immediately picture myself doing the job. It was creative, people-focused and something I knew I would enjoy. I love chatting to people and events seemed to be the perfect fit! I’d never even visited Berwick until the day of my interview, but the team made me feel welcome straight away and I knew it was somewhere I wanted to work.”

“The apprenticeship involved spending three days each week working with the Events Team at The Maltings and one day studying at Gateshead College. I was already used to commuting to Newcastle for school, so travelling wasn’t a problem, and it was a huge help that transport costs were covered through the apprenticeship funding. Throughout the apprenticeship, I was offered opportunities through college to practice the skills I’d learnt by working on events at the Baltic and Wylam Brewery. I also worked on The Spring Dinner and House Party at Beamish Hall for the North East Chamber of Commerce, which is a great addition to the CV!

I started work at The Maltings by supporting Berwick Shines projects, accompanying the Engagement Manager into schools and helping to deliver artist-led workshops, which I really enjoyed. Alongside that, I carried out research and administrative tasks, such as identifying local school contacts or sourcing venues. At first some of this felt daunting, but I was supported every step of the way. My first big event was Berwick Parade, which I loved, and I worked with schools on the Salmon Lantern project. Recently I’ve been working with Martha Ellis, resident artist at Berwick Academy, going into school and supporting with workshops.

Over the past 18 months I’ve worked on some fantastic projects with Berwick Shines and eventually progressed to helping run the pop-up venue on Hide Hill. I’ve delivered community workshops, family drop-in sessions and filming activities there. It’s incredible to think how much I’ve learned. When I first started, I was observing other people deliver creative workshops in schools. Eighteen months later, I’m leading them myself.”

“Looking back and seeing how far I’ve come has been the most rewarding part. As part of my assessment, I planned and delivered a community water-marbling workshop independently. That meant managing the budget, completing risk assessments, planning the marketing and facilitating the event itself. I think this was a big moment for me as it proved I was capable of doing the work independently.

When I started, I was quite shy and often doubted myself. I never imagined I’d be able to do some of the things I’ve done over the past 18 months. Now I know I can do them because I’ve already done them. Having senior managers trust me to deliver community workshops independently has been a huge confidence boost and has really helped me believe in my own abilities.”

“I’d recommend an apprenticeship without hesitation. Some of my friends went to university and that’s absolutely the right choice for many people, but for me, learning by doing was the perfect fit.

I also wanted to become independent, earn my own money and gain real-world experience. The apprenticeship allowed me to do all of those things. I’ve also learned the fundamental routines and responsibilities that come with working life, which has given me a lot of confidence.

Many of my friends are now finishing university and starting their job searches, while I already have significant experience and practical skills that I can take into future roles.”

“After completing the apprenticeship, my contract was extended, which was fantastic. As the programme is now coming to an end, several of us are moving on to new opportunities.

I’ve got a few holidays planned and will be working over the summer at Morwick Dairy in an Assistant Manager role, including supporting wedding enquiries. Longer term, I’m keeping an open mind. The apprenticeship has given me a wide range of transferable skills, and I’ve discovered that I really enjoy working with young people and delivering creative workshops, so that’s definitely something I’d like to explore further.”

Nathan Hood, 32, lives in Berwick. He studied History at the University of Edinburgh before spending a further ten years in academia, completing a Masters degree and later achieving a PhD.

“I spent ten years studying History at the University of Edinburgh, completing my PhD and later lecturing there. During that time, I began running historical tours of Arthur’s Seat and realised how much I enjoyed engaging people with history in creative ways.

I knew I wanted to move into the culture and heritage sector, but I didn’t have any direct experience, so I wasn’t sure where to start. When I saw the Events Assistant Apprenticeship with The Maltings Trust, I thought it could be a great opportunity to gain experience and open the door to a career in the field.

Initially, I worried that my age and academic background might count against me. There’s often a perception that apprenticeships are only for school leavers, so I was delighted when I was offered the role.”

“I spent three days a week working for The Maltings Trust in Berwick and one day studying at Gateshead College. Georgia and I were the only apprentices working in the arts and cultural sector, which made for some interesting discussions and different perspectives. The college modules covered a broad range of business skills that I hadn’t encountered in academia, including topics such as organisational structures, managing change and project delivery.

At The Maltings, no two days were the same. My work included researching venues, liaising with artists, writing marketing materials and risk assessments, stewarding events and taking responsibility for different aspects of project delivery.

One project I particularly enjoyed was ‘Her Extraordinary Colours’ with artist Beth J Ross. Beth worked with local women to design and create a series of flags celebrating Berwick women’s history. My role included researching flagpole locations across the town, contacting owners and arranging permissions to display the artwork. If you need to find a flagpole in Berwick, I’m your man! One of our successes was securing some unusual locations for the flags, including one displayed on a boat running trips along the River Tweed.

I also helped develop a digital trail using the Action Bound app, allowing visitors to locate the flags and unlock audio and written content explaining the stories behind them. As my apprenticeship progressed, I became increasingly involved in planning and delivering artist commissions as part of the Berwick Shines programme.”

“The most rewarding part was seeing people connect with Berwick’s history and culture, particularly those who hadn’t engaged with it before. Sharing history with others is what first inspired me to move into this field, so it was incredibly satisfying to see that happen through the projects we delivered.

Some people attended a single event and then became so involved that they came along to almost everything we offered. Berwick has such a rich and fascinating history, and I felt proud to play a part in helping people discover it.

One experience that particularly stands out was arranging transport for a participant with mobility issues so she could attend events. Seeing how much she gained from being involved was hugely rewarding and a reminder of how important it is to make cultural activities as accessible as possible.”

“I would absolutely recommend an apprenticeship. They’re an excellent way of bridging the gap between education and employment, allowing you to gain practical experience while continuing to learn.

I also think it’s important for people to realise that apprenticeships aren’t just for school leavers. Whether you’ve been to university, already have a degree, or are looking to change career direction, an apprenticeship can be a fantastic way to develop new skills and gain experience in a different field.

I’d also encourage people to think carefully about the organisation they choose. The Maltings Trust was a brilliant place to complete an apprenticeship because of the people. Some of our classmates were working within huge organisations running large apprenticeship programmes, whereas we benefited from close support and mentorship from colleagues who were genuinely passionate about sharing their knowledge and experience. That made a huge difference to what we were able to learn.”

“After completing my apprenticeship in December 2025, I was delighted to secure a role as Community Engagement Assistant for The Living Barracks project.

My work now includes supporting the development of the new art gallery, recruiting and coordinating volunteers, and helping to connect local communities with the project. It’s fantastic to be combining my passion for history with cultural engagement, and I’m excited to see how both The Living Barracks and The Maltings continue to evolve over the coming years.”

Eight Northumberland schools sent pupils from across the county with a total of 209 young people taking part in the interactive workshops. Many of the young people had not realised that there were jobs in some of the disciplines they tried and left saying they would look into this in future.

Representatives from eight different areas of creative industry held workshops for pupils. These included theatre production, visual arts, sound and lighting, stage make up, gallery curation, stage artistry, film production and choreography.

The visit helped students to retain information they learnt during the trip, which was evidenced when they clearly included factual knowledge from the visit in the end-of-unit assessments.

These types of experiences help form bonds and friendships through shared experiences and lasting memories taken on to adulthood.