A graduate’s apprenticeship journey from ‘imposter’ to award‑winning strategic leader
By: Communications
A graduate who once felt like an “imposter” is now an award‑winning strategic leader, thanks to the transformational impact of UEA’s apprenticeship programmes.
For National Apprenticeship Week 2026 (NAW), the University is shining a spotlight on Anna Tanner, whose experience on the Senior Leaders Apprenticeship (SLA) with top‑up to the MBA Master of Business Administration (Executive MBA) helped shape her development as a leader.
Running from Monday 9 to Friday 13 February this year, NAW is a time to celebrate how apprenticeships drive learning, development, and career progression.
During her studies, Anna’s confidence grew significantly. She moved from early self‑doubt to becoming a recognised, award‑winning leader – earning the title of Norfolk Apprentice of the Year 2025 (degree levels 6 and 7) among several other accolades.
Why choose the UEA SLA?
For Anna, the decision to begin the Senior Leader Apprenticeship was rooted in her long-standing career in HR:
“One of the biggest challenges for any HR professional is making sure your work genuinely supports the wider goals of the business.”
The UEA SLA and Executive MBA provided her with the opportunities she was seeking:
- To broaden her perspective
- To deepen her business understanding
- To elevate her strategic thinking
With strong support from her employer, Flagship Group, she embraced the chance to develop both personally and professionally.
“You’re more capable than you think”
Walking into her first MBA lecture, Anna wasn’t sure she belonged: “I was one of the youngest on the course... I questioned how on earth I'd be able to bring the same level of value as everyone else.”
Yet once immersed in the course, that feeling faded and her confidence grew, as the chance to apply her learning to real challenges at work reinforced her sense of capability and perspective.
“Don’t let self-doubt or the scale of the challenge stop you,” she says. “The mix of learning and on-the-job application is a game changer. And yes, it’s tough, especially when you’re juggling a busy job and life outside of work, but the growth you’ll experience is worth every late night and deadline.
“One of the biggest impacts of doing the MBA is the confidence it gives you, which stays with you beyond the course itself.
“My biggest piece of advice? Back yourself. You’re more capable than you think.”
Transforming mindset, confidence and capability
A standout moment from Anna’s apprenticeship was redesigning Flagship Group’s entire recruitment process – a major step toward improving property repair services for their customers.
Using a systems thinking approach to redesign processes such as application and onboarding without adding extra resource, she helped to halve the number of systems used and cut application and end-to-end process times by a significant amount.
“Off the back of that, we’ve now introduced AI into our recruitment processes and have even created our first HR AI agent.
“It’s been exciting to bring my MBA learnings back into the fantastic team I get to work with, and be part of something that's genuinely moving us forward.”
Shortly after completing the programme, Anna progressed into a Group Director role, with her MBA forming a central part of that achievement.
The apprenticeship pathway didn’t just give Anna new skills, it also supported her self-confidence and leadership style: “I’m more self-aware, more grounded, and more deliberate in how I lead.
“This isn’t just a qualification – it’s a shift in mindset, in confidence, in capability.”
Learn more about the PGDip Senior Leaders Apprenticeship
Discover the MBA Master of Business Administration (Executive Part Time)
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