Developing leadership capability through degree apprenticeships: Becky Wood & Paper Starlights

About Paper Starlights

Paper Starlights is a growing creative business specialising in design‑led products and experiences. Operating in a fast‑paced environment, the organisation places strong emphasis on adaptability, internal capability, and sustainable growth. Developing people from within has been central to maintaining momentum while building long‑term leadership strength.

This approach led Paper Starlights to adopt degree apprenticeships as a structured way to upskill existing employees and align workforce development with business objectives.

Business challenge

As a small and evolving organisation, Paper Starlights needed to strengthen leadership capacity without losing agility or operational knowledge. External recruitment was not the preferred route; instead, the business sought a way to develop trusted employees while keeping learning tightly aligned to real organisational needs.

The challenge was embedding structured leadership development in a way that actively supported both day‑to‑day delivery and long‑term strategy.

Goals & objectives

Paper Starlights aimed to:

• Upskill an experienced employee while maintaining business continuity
• Strengthen leadership and strategic thinking internally
• Align professional development directly with organisational priorities
• Embed learning into everyday work activity

The Senior Leader Degree Apprenticeship provided a flexible and scalable solution.

Becky's journey

Becky Wood joined Paper Starlights as a student intern following completion of her degree in Digital Media Production. Over four and a half years, she progressed into a highly influential role, contributing across operations, planning, and strategic activity.

As her responsibilities expanded, the organisation identified an opportunity to support her progression through a formal leadership development route.

The Senior Leader apprenticeship was integrated into Becky’s existing role, allowing academic frameworks to be applied directly to live projects, planning, and decision‑making. Rather than operating separately from business activity, learning became part of how improvements were identified and implemented.

The partnership with the University of Derby introduced new perspectives through peer learning, research‑informed leadership practice, and access to external networks, helping the organisation challenge assumptions and refine existing ways of working.

Why apprenticeships work for employers

The apprenticeship delivered value throughout the programme. Becky’s development strengthened leadership confidence and capability, enabling greater responsibility and more informed contribution to business planning.

From an employer perspective, this resulted in:

• Clearer alignment between operations and long‑term goals
• More confident leadership and structured decision‑making
• External insight applied within a small business context

Paper Starlights’ experience shows that degree apprenticeships are an effective workforce development tool, particularly for upskilling experienced staff and building leadership capability from within. By closely aligning learning with organisational priorities, apprenticeships deliver meaningful business impact while supporting employee progression.

As well as aligning professional development with existing organisational objectives, the insights which Becky is now introducing are actually shaping those objectives. Applying a wider academic framework to our small organisation is transformational, as it guides decision-making and validates the outcomes." - Jules Cooper, Co-director of Paper Starlights

Looking ahead

As Paper Starlights continues to grow, the leadership capability developed through the apprenticeship will play a central role in shaping future direction. The investment has strengthened both individual progression and organisational resilience, ensuring the business is well positioned for its next phase.

“The scheme is enabling personal development, as well as the practical means of channelling this development into the organisation. This twofold growth is very exciting for our small business. Becky’s journey is showing the value that personal growth can bring to an organisation.” - Jules Cooper, Co-director of Paper Starlights