Apprenticeships

Why should a young person become an Apprentice?

Apprenticeships are an excellent way of gaining qualifications and workplace experience. As an employee, you can earn as you learn and you gain practical skills from the workplace. There are more than 190 job roles available ranging from Accountant to Hairdresser, Engineer to Veterinary Nurse, Bricklayer to Deep Sea Fisherman.

What is an Apprenticeship?

An Apprenticeship is not a qualification in itself, but a number of separately certified qualifications and courses known as a framework. Apprenticeships combine practical and theoretical skills, and they are designed to help employees reach a high level of competency and performance. A framework would generally consist of:

• National Vocational Qualification (NVQ), a work related competence based qualification assessed in the workplace by a college or training provider
• Technical Certificate, a knowledge-based qualification such as a BTEC or City & Guilds, relevant to the specific Apprenticeship and usually delivered by a college or training provider
• Key Skills, transferable skills that support an employee in their job (eg literacy and numeracy, working in teams, problem-solving and using new technology)
• Employment Rights and Responsibilities to develop knowledge and understanding about the world of employment.

Frameworks are available as Apprenticeships (level 2, broadly equivalent to five good GCSE passes), Advanced Apprenticeships (level 3, broadly equivalent to two A Levels) and Higher Apprenticeships (level 4, broadly equivalent to Higher Education – currently only available in a small number of occupational areas).

How is the training delivered?

An employer will normally work with a training provider who will support the training, carry out the assessment for the NVQ and deliver the additional skills and knowledge required to complete the framework. Most of the training is ‘on the job’, however, there may be a ‘day-release’ element depending on the occupational area and the employer requirements.

How long does it take?

Generally an Apprenticeship takes between one and four years depending on the level and type. As a guide, a level 2 apprenticeship usually takes around 12 months.

Who can be an Apprentice?

Apprenticeships are open to all ages, although government funding is prioritised for 16 to 18 year olds. Different Apprenticeships will have different entry requirements which should be discussed with the training provider.

What about wages?

You receive a salary, and the same benefits as any other employee in the organisation you work for – like holiday entitlement and pension contributions. Currently, the minimum wage for Apprentices is £2.50 an hour, but many Apprentices earn more than this, with an average of £193 a week.

Where can I find out more?

Visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk to find out more about the types of Apprenticeships available, and search for Apprenticeship vacancies online.