Climbing the Ranks: Lowrie's Journey from Apprentice to Senior Leader

3 September 2026

Lowrie Proctor’s career trajectory is a prime example of the impact that a degree apprenticeship can make on individual students as well as their employers. Lowrie graduated with a first class honours in 2023 from the Degree Apprenticeship in Data and Information Systems at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD), and is now a senior manager at Dyfed Powys Police having climbed the ranks throughout her programme. Here, Lowri talks about her experience and the confidence and opportunities the qualification has provided for her.

Lowrie Proctor presents her journey at the Apprenticeships Celebration in May

“I left secondary education after A-Levels and had no interest in attending university. At the time, I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was in a relationship and didn’t want to move away to study, and I had started working in retail and earning a wage. University simply didn’t feel like the right path for me.

Over the following years, I explored a variety of employment opportunities, including retail, banking and the Civil Service, but I never found something I was truly passionate about.

I married in 2011 and became a mother in 2013. These were hugely important life events, but they also increased my sense of being settled and comfortable. Progressing my education was not something I considered, and university remained firmly outside my plans.

In 2014, I joined Dyfed-Powys Police within the Multi-Agency Pubic Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) unit and, for the first time, felt that I had found a career I genuinely enjoyed. I was content in my role and, at that stage, had no aspirations to progress further.

Unfortunately, my marriage broke down in 2015. While this became a catalyst for me to think about progressing my career, particularly because I wanted to be a positive role model for my daughter, I also saw it as a potential barrier. The increased financial pressure of being a single parent, alongside the practical challenges of childcare, made further education feel difficult to achieve.

Fortunately, I continued to progress internally within the force and secured a role as a Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) Coordinator. I really enjoyed the role, but it was here that my interest in data and analytics began. I started to recognise that this was an area I wanted to pursue as a career.

In 2017, I successfully progressed again, securing a position as an Offender Management Analyst. Although I had developed considerable operational knowledge through my previous roles, I felt like an ‘imposter’ because I had no formal analytical qualifications or direct experience of working as an analyst. This feeling became the motivation for me to explore learning and development opportunities that could bridge that gap.

In 2019, a Computing Degree Apprenticeship was advertised internally within the force. At first, it seemed almost too good to be true. The apprenticeship was fully funded, with protected learning time and organisational support from the force. It removed the two biggest barriers I had previously associated with further education: the financial cost and the time commitment.

I chose to study the Data and Information Systems strand and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. My third-year project focused on developing a business intelligence solution for Integrated Offender Management, directly linked to my role as an analyst at the time. The project delivered tangible benefits, including efficiencies through removing the need for time-consuming manual calculations and data gathering.

The apprenticeship also enabled me to continue developing professionally alongside my studies. In 2021, I worked on the national police performance portfolio. This was also the year that COVID-19 hit, creating an exceptionally challenging period. I was balancing working from home, home-schooling my daughter and continuing my degree. The university provided excellent support throughout this period, adapting its approach and providing options that enabled me to continue my studies.

The force was increasingly recognising the importance of data and analytics, and in 2022 I successfully secured a new position as Operational Performance Manager.

In 2023, I graduated with First-Class Honours. My graduation photograph is particularly significant to me. Growing up, I had often seen graduation photographs proudly displayed on the walls of friends’ and family members’ homes. I never imagined that one day I would have one of my own.

The degree apprenticeship gave me something else I had not anticipated: the confidence and credibility to pursue opportunities that previously would have felt out of reach. Workforce modernisation within the force created an opportunity for a Senior Manager position within my department. Without the degree, I would not have had the required level of qualification, nor would I have had the confidence to apply. I was successful in securing the role, which is the position I hold today.

When I reflect on the apprenticeship, I recognise that although my final-year project delivered a direct and measurable impact on my role at the time, the wider benefits have been far more significant for both my career and the organisation.

I am not able to undertake the full role of a data engineer or developer, but I now have the knowledge and understanding to engage with those areas effectively. I can understand technical concepts, ask the right questions, support colleagues and challenge decisions when required. More importantly, I have the confidence to contribute to conversations that I may previously have felt unqualified to be part of.

The impact of the apprenticeship has also extended beyond my own career. I maintain a strong relationship with the university and continue to promote apprenticeship opportunities internally, both within my department and across ICT. I am also working with our Head of ICT to develop an effective strategic partnership with the university, creating opportunities for us to work together to solve organisational problems and make better use of technology.

Ultimately, the degree apprenticeship changed far more than my qualifications. It increased my confidence, gave me the motivation to progress my career and, perhaps most importantly, gave me the credibility to challenge the ‘imposter’ I had carried with me throughout my early analytical career.

My graduation photograph now sits proudly on my wall. For me, it represents much more than a First-Class Honours degree. It represents overcoming barriers, taking an opportunity that once felt impossible and proving to myself that it was never too late to learn and progress.

Most importantly, I hope that one day my daughter will look at that photograph and see a reminder of what can be achieved when you believe in yourself, take an opportunity and refuse to let circumstances define your future.