Picture an apprentice in the security industry and you might not imagine someone protecting Lewis Hamilton, managing crowd safety at the Queen’s funeral and handling visa sponsorship applications on the side. But that’s exactly what apprenticeships at K4 Group of Companies (which spans security, medical and training services) offered Muhammad Zeeshan Irshad and Aoun Muhammad. Neither expected to end up here. Zeeshan is becoming a barrister with a master’s degree and a call to the bar. However, after arriving in the UK, law firms told him he was either over or underqualified. Only K4 Group gave him the break he needed. “You knock on as many doors as possible,” he says. “During the interview, K4 asked why someone from a legal background wanted to join a security company. I was honest, I wanted corporate experience. They took me on based on that”
When Zeeshan joined K4 Group around three years ago, it had just five staff. It now employs around 20, and Zeeshan – who started as frontline security – leads K4’s apprenticeship programme. He is also on the verge of stepping into a leadership role. This progression is directly linked to achieving his Level 2 and 3 Spectator Safety qualifications, which paved the way for management and business development opportunities. Aoun, who joined around 18 months ago as a social media marketing apprentice, is now in charge of K4’s entire social media presence and manages a small team of apprentices himself. Aoun’s route was different to Zeeshan, but no less difficult. Despite securing a master’s in social media and mass communication, and applying for a daunting amount of jobs, he was getting nowhere.
Eventually, while working as a events steward for K4, Zeeshan spotted him and encouraged him towards an apprenticeship. “I was on the verge of going back home,” Aoun says. “but K4 changed everything.” Aoun is now a social media executive, managing marketing campaigns, speaking at events and in charge of K4’s brand identity. And just as Zeeshan mentored him, Aoun is now mentoring two new apprentices.
The support the company offers goes beyond apprenticeship training. During his apprenticeship, K4 encouraged Zeeshan to pursue the bar – giving him the space he needed to see it through. “Smaller businesses understand human nature and support you as much as possible” he says. K4 Group also offers a real breadth of experience. Zeeshan received hands-on exposure to sales, marketing, operations and administration – all well outside the scope of his apprenticeship. The company eventually enrolled him in their leadership development programme. K4 Group’s culture of wide-ranging responsibility extends to the most junior team members. When a work placement came to K4 he was given real tasks and treated as a dedicated part of the team. “It's not an environment where we keep our distance from people who are just starting out,” Zeeshan explains.
Aoun and Zeeshan’s experiences have been, at times, extraordinary. Both worked at the Queen’s funeral in 2022. Zeeshan has provided close protection to F1 racing drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
He even got to watch Cristiano Ronaldo play at a live event – while being paid to be there. “It’s not a nine-to-five,” he says. “You’re involved in things that happen once in a lifetime. And while I’m not from a background where I’d have known how to handle conflict or a knife-related incident, I now have those skills.” Zeeshan’s accomplishments recently led to him being shortlisted at the West London Business Awards. He’s now considering taking Level 5 and 6 Crowd Management qualifications – fully funded by K4 Group.For those weighing up the possibility of an apprenticeship at an SME, the message is clear. Even if the industry is not what you’re expecting, knock on the door confidently. Because you never know what you might find on the other side.