From Apprentice to Graduate: Stuart's KubeNet Journey

We caught up with our Account Manager, Stuart, to celebrate his recent Business Management degree achievement and reflect on his journey at KubeNet. From completing his apprenticeship to developing professionally and personally, Stuart shares how the experience, and KubeNet, has shaped his career and what's next for him.

How does it feel to have achieved your Business Management degree?

Over the moon! It was a long three years that proved quite stressful at times, particularly given the work-study balance and the demanding nature of working in a Managed Service Provider (MSP) environment. Looking back, I feel a deep sense of accomplishment - it feels like it was all a necessary catalyst to advance my own capabilities.

What made you decide to go down the apprenticeship route, and why was KubeNet the right place to do it?

The path was initially proposed to me internally within KubeNet. Having recently completed a modern apprenticeship, I was eager to take on my next major challenge. Because I left school at an early age, I never really had the traditional opportunity to pursue a university degree. KubeNet made that dream possible.

A quote from Stuart.

How important has the support from KubeNet and your colleagues been in helping you achieve this milestone?

Support from KubeNet - especially from my line manager, Ross - was vital. Because Ross completed a similar course at the same university, it was incredibly beneficial to bounce ideas and concepts off him whenever assessment deadlines approached. Furthermore, KubeNet as a whole has been remarkably supportive by providing a dedicated study day each week; without that protected time, I don’t believe I would have finished the course.

Looking back over the past three years, how has KubeNet helped you develop both personally and professionally?

Personally: Earning a degree alongside my modern apprenticeship has enabled me to buy my first home, opened up countless opportunities to travel, instilled a newfound confidence in my own abilities, and allowed me to build lasting relationships with past and present KubeNet colleagues.

Professionally: The degree itself is a massive professional milestone that also reflects well on KubeNet as an organisation. The company has helped me build an extensive professional network spanning different sectors across the UK. From my perspective as an account manager, the academic framework has translated directly into everyday performance: driving sales numbers, boosting my confidence when speaking with customers, deepening my understanding of our technical specifications, and allowing me to successfully manage a larger portfolio of accounts and high-value contracts.

Stuart has represented KubeNet at various business events.

Now that you’ve completed your degree, what’s next for you at KubeNet?

I am currently eyeing the PRINCE2 Project Management certification through Microsoft, which is a qualification I have wanted to pursue for a while. To ensure I am fully prepared, I plan to complete one or two preparatory Microsoft courses first so I can hit the ground running before tackling the main certification.

A huge congratulations to Stuart on this fantastic achievement. His commitment to balancing work and study over the past three years is a great example of the opportunities available to our team and the importance of investing in personal and professional development.

Well done Stuart, and here's to the next chapter of your KubeNet journey!