Apprenticeships explained

An apprenticeship is a genuine salaried job with an accompanying assessment and skills development programme. You will gain industry knowledge and skills on the job, whilst working towards a nationally-recognised qualification.

• Apprenticeships can take anything from 1-5 years to complete depending on the level and the employer.
• They are open to anyone aged 16 and over.
• As well as learning in the workplace, you will attend college on day release (20% of your time will be spent at college).
• You will work towards an apprenticeship standard, which will combine the skills, knowledge and behaviour needed to succeed in your role with any relevant or associated qualifications where required.
• You will develop your skills, including English and maths and ICT.
• If you are aged 16+ and in your first year of an apprenticeship, you will receive at least the National Minimum Wage for apprentices (£4.15 an hour as of April 2020). Otherwise, you are entitled to the National Minimum Wage rate for your age. Many employers pay well over the minimum wage.

There are four simple steps from application to becoming an apprentice:

• Browse our vacancies and apply for the position you are interested in.
• A member of the apprenticeships team will contact you to go through your application. If successful, you will be invited to come in to the college for an interview.
• Your candidate profile and CV will then be forwarded to the employer and if shortlisted, an interview will be arranged with the employer at their offices.
• Both you and the employer will provide feedback to the apprenticeships team. And if successful, you will be made an offer.

Employers will want to make sure that you can cope with the type of the work involved. So the entry requirements will vary depending on the employer and the type and level of apprenticeship.

For direct entry to an Advanced Level Apprenticeship, you may need 4-5 GCSEs at grades 9-4/A-C or equivalent, sometimes including particular subjects. You may also be expected to take an entry test.

To start a higher apprenticeship, you are likely to need a qualification at level 3 or sufficient experience.

We offer a broad range of apprenticeships across a range of sectors and levels, all designed to ensure you achieve the best possible outcomes throughout your apprenticeship. Check out our apprenticeship standards page for an up-to-date listing of the apprenticeship standards and levels available.

After completing your apprenticeship, you may be offered a permanent job. Most successful apprentices (around 90%) stay in employment, often with the same employer.

Many apprentices receive increases in salary or job promotions as a result of completing their training while others take the opportunity to progress to higher levels of apprenticeships or on to further study, even to university.