AI as My Learning Partner: An Apprentice’s Perspective

One of the most helpful ways AI supports me is by assisting with referencing and research for academic writing. When working on written assignments or apprenticeship coursework, AI helps me quickly understand how to structure references correctly and identify credible academic sources. It saves time when creating and organising reference lists or bibliographies, ensuring that sources are consistently formatted and follow the same referencing style throughout.

By reducing the time spent organising references, searching for examples, or worrying about small technical details, AI allows me to work more efficiently. Rather than getting stuck on how to present references, I can focus my attention on understanding the subject, developing my arguments, and engaging more deeply with the content. This shift has not only improved my productivity but has also made academic writing feel less stressful, as the overall process feels clearer and more manageable from the start.

AI also supports my learning by helping to explain things clearly. If I come across a term, process, or concept I don’t fully grasp, I can use AI to get a clear and simple explanation. Often this involves breaking complex ideas down into steps or explaining them in a different way to how they were originally presented. This has been especially useful after workshops or classes, as it allows me to build understanding quickly and engage with the material more confidently.

Another key benefit is how AI helps with structure and clarity. Whether I’m planning a piece of work, organising my thoughts before starting a task, or improving something I’ve already written, AI acts as a second pair of eyes. It helps me refine what I’ve written so that my main points come across more clearly.

At Compare the Market (CtM), the internal courses and workshops on responsible and ethical use of AI have been particularly valuable. We’re encouraged to use AI thoughtfully and transparently, as a support rather than a shortcut. This includes being clear about when and how we use AI, carefully checking its outputs, and ensuring that our final work meets a high standard. This guidance has helped me build good habits early in my career and understand how AI fits into a professional environment.

Overall, AI has become a supportive tool in my apprenticeship journey. It’s helped me learn faster, feel more confident, and approach both work and study with less pressure. CtM’s guidance on responsible AI has helped me build skills that will be valuable both now and throughout my career.

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