Apprenticeships

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Apprenticeships give young people the opportunity to earn a real salary as they work for a real employer, and gain a real qualification whilst gaining valuable workplace experience and skills. Anyone who is living in England and is over 16 years old can apply to become an apprentice.

What is an apprenticeship?

A real job – earn while you learn

All apprentices must receive the appropriate national minimum wage. All apprentices should work for at least 30 hours a week, apart from in exceptional circumstances. Over 150,000 employers are offering apprenticeships in more than 200,000 locations.

A real qualification

All apprenticeships must be at least 12 months long and lead to a national qualification that is respected by employers around the world.

What happens at the end of an apprenticeship?

After finishing, the majority of apprentices (85%) will stay in employment, with 64% staying with the same employer. Employers think that qualified apprentices are 15% more employable than those with other qualifications.

Types of apprenticeships

Apprenticeships cover more than 170 industries and 1,500 job roles, from advertising to youth work via environmental engineering and nuclear decommissioning.

There are three types of apprenticeship that vary depending on current skills and qualifications:

1. Intermediate Level Apprenticeships – Offers GCSE level equivalent qualifications
2. Advanced Level Apprenticeships – Offers A-Level equivalent qualifications
3. Higher Apprenticeships – Offers Degree level equivalent qualifications

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Find out more

You can find out more about apprenticeships and access the full database of apprenticeships that are available at www.apprenticeshipguide.co.uk

A good site to use to search for apprenticeships is www.totalpeople.co.uk

Also very helpful advice and links on:

• Apprenticeship guide – www.successatschool.org
• www.getmyfirstjob.co.uk
• www.notgoingtouni.co.uk