Inside the Archive #60: National Apprenticeship Week 2026

It’s National Apprenticeship Week, and at the BFI we are proud to highlight the valuable contribution of our two apprentices working in the BFI National Archive’s Library and Learning and Heritage Programmes teams.

Our apprentices, Anisa Ali and Marianne Johnson, play a key role in helping audiences engage with the BFI’s collections, supporting research, projects, learning, and opening access through the BFI Reuben Library and BFI National Archive strategic heritage projects. Their work supports the BFI National Archive’s mission to preserve, restore, and share the UK’s screen heritage, ensuring that stories from across film and television are accessible for generations to come. Their roles are a critical part of helping us to become the most open moving image collection in the world, as outlined in Reframing the public’s relationship with the nation’s screen heritage.

Apprenticeships provide an important and equitable pathway to develop professional skills while contributing directly to day-to-day operations. The structure provided is all about learning by doing, and the BFI National Archive apprentices are proving that hands-on experience with structured formal learning really works! Through their apprenticeships they are learning and building skills for the future.

To mark National Apprenticeship Week, we sat down with Marianne and Anisa to discuss their experiences, insights, future ambitions, and to hear how they are helping shape the future of the UK’s screen heritage.

– Nicky Williams, Head of Heritage Programmes

What inspired you to pursue an apprenticeship?

I volunteered in my local library in 2024 and loved it so much. I spoke to some librarians there and realised that this was the path for me. I thought an apprenticeship was the ideal route because I could combine work with study and feel confident in the field. When I spoke to the librarians, I found myself really excited about cataloguing. I didn’t know anything about cataloguing or indexing and how libraries are organised, but when they started to explain it, I was fascinated.

Did you always imagine yourself working in a library/archive, or did something unexpected draw you to the profession?

Not at all! Growing up, I knew very little about archives, and my only exposure to libraries was my school library. But I remember watching The Mummy (1999) when I was younger and watching Rachel Weisz and thinking I wouldn’t mind doing what she is doing; I thought she was very cool. I was feeling unsatisfied with the career path I was on, and in 2024 I thought I would do some volunteering in different fields. It was when I was in the library that I realised I enjoyed the combination of working with books and working with the public. I found it a very fulfilling experience.

Tell us about your role at the BFI

I work with the BFI Reuben Library and the BFI Screencraft teams as a Library, Information and Archive Assistant. In the library I share the responsibility of looking after library requests, public duty in the reading room, processing books and creating skeleton records for new books. I’m also working on an audit of material in our Closed Access Stacks. In the archive, I respond to researcher enquiries, invigilate researcher appointments, and do some basic conservation work. I’ve also started some projects, including box listings for uncatalogued collections and working on some simple cataloguing projects.

What’s the most valuable skill you’ve learned so far?

Learning to confidently interact with the public. Being able to answer researcher enquiries face to face has given me confidence in my own knowledge and skill set. It was something I’ve struggled with – I’ve worked with children, but that’s different from working with the public. It felt like a mental block for me in the past.

Can you share a moment where you realised you had grown in confidence during your apprenticeship?

I’ve dealt with a lot of social anxiety, so taking on more responsibility at the library counter has helped me think on my feet and grow in confidence. I’m usually with a colleague, but managing the counter on my own has helped me understand the library’s offer more clearly, as I’ve had to research and solve things independently.

What has been your favourite project or task so far?

I really enjoyed doing the box listings for the uncatalogued Tommie Manderson collection. She was a renowned makeup artist from the 1950s who worked in the industry for decades. Her collection was made up of lots of interesting continuity polaroids that had really good insights into working as a makeup artist in the film industry. I’d never heard of her before, and everyone in the team was really keen to look at the photographs!

Is there a challenge you’ve faced during your apprenticeship that taught you something important?

I’ve struggled with a few health issues during my apprenticeship, but I have still managed to complete all my assignments, and I still feel like I can achieve despite having a chronic illness. It has given me more confidence that I can still achieve my goals and grow my career.

Why do you think apprenticeships are important, especially for roles in screen heritage?

There are so few opportunities for these roles, and it is a great way for people to get a foot in the door and get paid. Plus, some people are coming into apprenticeships after a long break in education, so it’s a good way to get back into studying but in a way that is going to help your career and feel more focused.

What advice would you give to someone considering applying for an apprenticeship?

Absolutely do it! It’s an amazing way to get experience in fields that sometimes seem slightly impenetrable. The combination of work and study is fun, and you will be supported throughout the whole process.

What does working at the BFI mean to you?

It’s a dream: being able to build my career around my two major interests – film and literature – and working with colleagues who share the same passions. Doing my apprenticeship at the BFI is incredible; working in an organisation with such prestige and history makes me feel very privileged.

Where do you see yourself in the next two years?

I would love to be a fully qualified librarian, continuing my work as an assistant and beginning a master’s degree in library studies part-time.

What inspired you to pursue an apprenticeship?

I was looking for opportunities that combined learning and real work experience. I studied Global Challenges and Social Cohesion at university, but I found that I always learned better independently. I want to pursue a career in project management and philanthropy, so this role combines my interests and ambitions.

Did you always imagine yourself working in an archive, or did something unexpected draw you to the profession?

I’ve always loved film but didn’t have much awareness of the archive sector before joining the BFI. Starting this apprenticeship has sparked a newfound interest in archive film and the intricacies of film preservation and restoration, which has been so interesting.

Tell us about your role at the BFI

I work in the Heritage Programmes team on the administration of three key projects – Our Screen Heritage, Heritage Innovation Fund and BFI Replay. My day-to-day includes anything from budget trackers and reporting to taking minutes (lots of these) and researching partnership opportunities. All of this, plus lots of Excel sheets!

What’s the most valuable skill you’ve learned so far?

I’ve learned so much about project management, but I’d say the biggest skills I’ve learned are around working in a corporate environment. There are so many different communication styles, people and ways of working that I have become attuned to, and this is different from other roles I’ve had in customer service.

Can you share a moment where you realised you had grown in confidence during your apprenticeship?

I’ve become a lot more hands-on as time has gone on. I think in the beginning I was being asked to do things, but now I often volunteer to help with new tasks and second-guess myself less.

I am taking up more space as a member of the team and feel confident putting myself forward. I recently organised some internal training events for our team, and I felt confident coordinating with external partners and other senior colleagues who attended.

What has been your favourite project or task so far?

I’ve developed a shadowing system for the Collections, Learning and Engagement (CLE) directorate. This programme matches people with teams they’re interested in but whose work might not be explicitly linked to their role. Colleagues attend shadowing days to help with collaboration and knowledge sharing across teams. It’s been well received, and it’s great to see colleagues building new relationships as a result. It’s also given me a good overview of the activity across CLE – there’s so much happening!

Is there a challenge you’ve faced during your apprenticeship that taught you something important?

I’m naturally quite an introverted person, and so I have found it challenging to build new relationships at times. I feel more comfortable now, but it’s taught me that I can still be an active team member while also taking time for myself when I need it.

Why do you think apprenticeships are important, especially for roles in screen heritage?

I think as a young person it’s quite daunting to know what you want to do. Opportunities like this give you a chance to gain skills and knowledge whilst also having space to grow and get a formal qualification out of it too. I really appreciate that I am given licence to ask questions and make mistakes, which might not be the same for other roles.

What advice would you give to someone considering applying for an apprenticeship?

My advice is to do it! If all else fails, you will get a qualification, and I think it’s always important to try something new and challenge yourself.

What does working at the BFI mean to you?

The BFI has been important to me since I did my work experience here when I was at secondary school. I worked with Mark Reid in the education team, and it feels cyclical to be back here, continuing that learning. I am an avid fan of film (particularly Arab cinema), and the BFI is somewhere I’ve always loved coming, so it feels great to be part of this organisation.

Where do you see yourself in the next two years?

I’m quite open-minded about where I might be, but I’d like to think that in two years’ time I will be continuing to turn my ambitions into realities and still learning while I go. Watch this space!

Our Screen Heritage and the Inside the Archive blog are supported by the BFI Screen Heritage Fund, awarding National Lottery funding.