Apprenticeships

Earn while you learn...

An Apprenticeship gives young people an opportunity to get onto the first step of their chosen career ladder, earning a real wage and gaining valuable workplace skills and experience and a nationally recognised qualification.

It is a real job with real benefits including a minimum of 20 days paid holiday. You may also benefit from other employment related benefits offered by your employer. If you are 16 or over, living in England and not in full-time education you can do an apprenticeship.

Note: Please see the latest guidance in response to COVID-19 may be found on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. Click here to see.

Apprenticeships are job specific, what you will learn depends on the role that you're training for. An apprenticeship is a combination of off the job training where you will attend specific learning with a college, a training provider or other internal / external training for at least 20% of the time. Alongside, on the job training in your workplace to gain and develop valuable skills, knowledge and behaviours required to successfully achieve your apprenticeship in your chosen career.

Apprenticeships include an End Point Assessment (EPA) which is undertaken at the end of the programme. This is a combination of assessment activities which test your knowledge, skills and behaviours, assessing your competence in your role.

On successful completion of your Apprenticeship you will have learned the skills, knowledge and behaviours necessary to successfully undertake your role in the workplace. You will then be able to continue to develop your career or undertake a further Apprenticeship at a higher level to build on your experience and develop new skills, knowledge and behaviours allowing you to take the next step in your career.

The level of apprenticeship you will study will depend on the job role you are undertaking. Entry requirements are set by the employer and these will vary between employers.

It is important that you research the different job adverts and look at the certain skills or qualifications employers state are essential or desirable for the job.

There are lots of apprenticeships in different job roles to choose from, available across a wide range of industries, offered by many small and large local and national employers. Each apprenticeship will also have a ‘level’ attached to it.

The four levels of apprenticeship are:



The length of time to complete an apprenticeship can be between 1 and 4 years, depending on which level you do. Typically, level 2 apprenticeships take between 12-18 months and level 3 apprenticeships typically between 18-24 months. The minimum length of time of an apprenticeship is 12 months. Higher and Degree apprenticeships can take up to 6 years.

Take time to research the apprenticeships available as these as there could be job roles you have not heard of before and you may find a job role that really suits your interests.

Explore the range of exciting Apprenticeship opportunities available at the Institute for Apprenticeships

To find out more on Apprenticeships and the step by step guide to become an apprentice.

To hear more apprentice stories click here

To find an apprenticeship click here.

A wide range of information and resources on Apprenticeships visit this link.

Watch the Awareness assembly [video] by Amazing Apprenticeships

Meet employers and their apprentices through Amazing Apprenticeships Live broadcast feature.

You tube videos – young people talking about their experiences







BBC BITESIZE 3 Apprenticeship case studies

For more information and featured stories, click here for one of the many apprenticeship guides.

Traineeships

If you are not yet ready for an apprenticeship, then traineeships can be a useful stepping stone.

A traineeship is a programme that includes a work placement, they can last from 6 weeks up to 6 months.

Traineeships help 16 to 24 year olds - or 25 year olds with an education, health and care (EHC) plan - get ready for an apprenticeship or job if they don’t have the appropriate skills or experience.

Traineeships include a work experience placement with an employer, alongside work preparation training and support to improve your English and maths if you need it. They are tailored to your needs and provide the opportunity to develop your knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviours that employers are looking for.

They will help you get ready to be able to go onto an apprenticeship or into employment.

You can apply for a traineeship if you’re eligible to work in England, have little or no work experience but are motivated to work and aged 16 to 24 - or 25 with an Education and Health Care plan and qualified below level 3.

To find out more information on Traineeships and how you can apply, click here.

Start looking today - Find a Traineeship

You can also ask about Traineeships at your local further education college.