From Student to Bid Professional: How One Message Changed My Career

One LinkedIn Message Changed Everything

If someone had told me a year ago that one LinkedIn message would shape my career, I probably would have laughed.

When I first messaged Mel asking for work experience, I genuinely thought my message would end up being ignored, just like the messages I had sent to other organisations after Bilborough College Careers Week. We had been told, "You can contact us for work experience, and we'll be able to fit you in somewhere," but most of those conversations never went anywhere. So, when Mel replied, it honestly felt like a dream come true. It was exciting and slightly terrifying at the same time.

I knew absolutely nothing about bidding. My Maths, Economics and Business A-Levels definitely had NOT prepared me for the world of bids and proposals. Before I could even begin learning about bidding, I had another challenge - convincing my tutor that taking on a year-long work experience placement during Year 13 was actually a good idea. Trying to explain that I could balance A-Levels and work experience felt like trying to move a mountain. Looking back, I probably sounded a little crazy, but where there's a will, there's a way. So, I found my way, told my tutor I was doing it anyway, and ignored the look on her face.

Once I knew I was going ahead, ChatGPT, LinkedIn and the APMP UK website became my closest allies. I wanted to understand everything I could about bidding before my first meeting. Books were a complete "no-go area" for me; I knew I'd get bored eventually; so I learnt by searching, reading articles and watching 2 minute videos 

Before meeting Mel, I had prepared myself for every possible scenario. I even had a list of bidding terminology ready in case she started throwing unfamiliar words at me. Turned out I never needed it. Instead, I found someone who was welcoming, encouraging and incredibly patient. I was being introduced to members of the APMP UK Board via email right after our first meeting. For a 17-year-old, that felt completely unreal.

Starting From Scratch

One of my first tasks was arranging one-to-one conversations with Board members. I remember spending ages trying to perfect my introduction email before sending it out on 24 July 2025. Looking back now, I still randomly laugh because that email was so long! Every conversation taught me something different about bidding, leadership and the many career paths within the profession. More than anything, I realised how willing people were to give up their time to help someone who was completely new to the industry. I also discovered that I didn't need to know everything before asking questions, asking the questions is how you learn in the first place.

Finding My Confidence

My next task was researching people who might be suitable for a Fireside Chat and suggesting topics that would suit each speaker. I only came up with two names, which doesn't sound like much now, but I poured so much effort into that presentation. I even had my dad reviewing every PowerPoint slide before I sent it to Mel because I wanted it to be perfect.

Then came one of my favourite projects—creating something to celebrate the International Day of Bids and Proposals (#Septender). I came up with the idea for "The Voices Behind the Win," an interview-style video celebrating the people behind successful bids. At first, I was slightly overwhelmed because I only knew the Board members. With Mel's encouragement and introduction, I reached out to other members, explained what I was doing and attached a set of question they could answer if they were willing to participate. Everyone I contacted was so supportive, which made the experience much less intimidating than I had imagined.

When Things Don't Go to Plan

Halfway through the task, my college migrated its email system. I suddenly stopped receiving emails, my email address changed, and I later discovered months' worth of replies that I had never seen. At the time, it felt like everything had come to a halt. After several trips to the IT office with no solution since it was external, Mel and I switched to WhatsApp instead. We managed to gather all the videos, I sent the script I was working on to Mark Thurman, the video was brought to life and even posted on APMP UK’S LinkedIn. Looking back, that experience taught me one of the biggest lessons from my placement: things won't always go to plan, you have to be adaptable, flexible and find the middle ground when working in a team.

Learning New Skills Behind the Scenes

While all of that was happening, I also worked with Lucy on summarising member survey feedback and reviewing the half-year report. Compared to my email problems, this task like the only thing keeping me sane, no associated email problems.  It taught me how to analyse large amounts of information, identify common themes and present findings in a way that people could quickly understand.

Later, I started working on Skillshub, mapping learning journeys for different roles across APMP UK, including Events, Finance, Bid Management, Leadership and Mentoring, alongside more general topics such as GDPR, Manual Handling and Team Working. I also had the opportunity to create posters and learning resources using Canva. This was one of my favourite tasks because I got to learn a completely new technological skill while being creative. I definitely drove my parents slightly mad asking where the APMP UK logo should go and whether it was the right size, but seeing those posters published on the APMP UK website made all the time spent adjusting tiny details worth it. It was so rewarding, I told my parents ‘That is my work, look at that, you better not complain when I come over next time.’

I was invited to TBO in November, walking into the hotel was exciting – I was meeting the Board Members in person for the first time, and if I'm being honest, a little intimidating with awkward moments here and there, but what stood out most was how welcoming everyone was. So many professionals took the time to talk to me, share their experiences and encourage me. It was the first time I really understood that APMP UK isn't just a professional association; it's a community. The encouragement I received made me start thinking about bidding as more than work experience - it made me delve into the world of bidding apprenticeships. 

Creating Opportunities for Others

January came and I worked alongside Lucy on developing plans for the Freelancers Focus Group and attended meetings with other Focus Group leaders to gain more insight into what went well, what was easy and what was not. Around the same time, I was also tasked with drafting a proposal to build a partnership between Bilborough College and APMP UK through the Intentional Career Path (ICP) initiative. I like to think of it as my first bid. Seeing APMP UK invited to Bilborough College Futures Week to deliver a workshop felt like a real achievement. Although we're still waiting to see students apply through the initiative, I am proud that we were able to take that first step into ICP and as the first student member, my experience will shape other student member’s experience.

A Full Circle Moment

Attending the BIDx Freelancers and Public Sector Focus Group Roadshow solidified my interest in the profession. I met even more experienced professionals, learnt something new from every conversation and had the exciting opportunity to tell most professionals that I had secured a Bid Coordinator Apprenticeship with Corestream GRC. It felt like everything had come full circle.

Presently, I am working on a video to celebrate the APMP UK 25th anniversary and I am excited to see how it plays out.

Looking back, APMP UK has given me so much more than just work experience. It introduced me to a profession I never knew existed, gave me the confidence to step outside my comfort zone and gave me invaluable connections and mentors. I learnt the importance of collaboration, resilience and being adaptable when things don't go to plan. Most importantly, I found a community that genuinely wants to see people succeed.

Thank you to APMP UK Board and every member who took the time to speak to me, answer my questions or simply encourage me along the way. Every conversation taught me something and granted me the opportunity helped me to grow, and every professional I met inspired me in a different way. 

 I'm sorry in advance if we meet again in the future and I accidentally make you feel old by reminding you that I was only 17 when we first met. I promise it's never intentional even if I get a bit of satisfaction from this. Try to ignore any smug look on my face.