What is an apprenticeship?
What age can an apprentice be?
How do apprenticeships work?
How much do I get paid?
Do I get holidays?
Do I have to find a job first?
How long does it take?
What qualifications do I need?
Can I still do an apprenticeship if I have already completed another further education course?
What can I do to find a job?
An apprenticeship is a work-based training programme aimed primarily at young people at the start of their career. Apprenticeships give young people the chance to ‘earn and learn’, to find work in their chosen industry and learn the skills they need through a combination of work-based and off-the-job training.
Most apprentices are employed, and would be paid at least the national minimum wage.
Arrangements vary to suit different circumstances, but normally apprentices will work full-time and attend block release training for a week at a time, or perhaps one day a week. Apprentices would be visited in the workplace every two to three months by an assessor, and asked to gather evidence towards their NVQ between visits.
All apprenticeship frameworks include the following basic qualifications:
- An appropriate National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at either Level 2 or Level 3
- Key Skills qualifications, e.g. working in teams, problem-solving, communication, working with numbers and using information technology
- A technical certificate such as a BTEC or City & Guilds qualification (included in most cases).
You can start an apprenticeship as long as you are 16 years or above.
Your employer pays your wages and gives you on-the-job training. This enables you to achieve National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs). You will gain key skills that will be useful in the job market, like working in teams, problem-solving, communication, working with numbers and using information technology. And also, in most cases, study for a technical certificate, which will give you further knowledge and understanding of your job. The amount of time you'll spend studying varies, depending on your chosen profession.
As an apprentice you must be paid at least £80 per week as this is a condition for employers offering apprenticeships. You may well be paid more than this and the amount will depend upon the industry you work in, your age and where you are in the apprenticeship. Like any other employee, you will still have to pay tax and National Insurance.
Like many other employees, you will receive at least 20 days holiday per year (including bank holidays). Your individual entitlement will be detailed in your terms of employment or training agreement. Just like any other job, your employer will have rules about how far in advance holidays need to be booked, and times during which holidays cannot be taken.
An apprenticeship is a work-based learning programme. If you do not already work in the industry, you will probably need to find suitable employment. There are two ways to do this:
- You can apply for an Apprenticeship by going direct. Get in touch with employers who are offering Apprenticeships. They’ll usually send you information about the training on offer. The selection process is just like any other job application process. You could be put through interviews and even asked to take tests to see if you're the right person. This process can be carried out by both the learning provider and employer, so you need to be prepared to sell yourself and convince others that an apprenticeship is for you. After all, there's no such thing as an automatic place. Employers can refuse to take you on if they don't think you're right for the job.
- Call the national Apprenticeships helpline on 08000 150 600 and ask for more details about the areas of work you are interested in. It’s a free-phone number, so won’t cost you anything. You’ll then be sent some information. Within a few weeks a local adviser will be in touch to set up meetings with learning providers near you. These learning providers have contacts with local employers who may have suitable vacancies. Or you can fill out the online form on the apprenticeships website. You could also call Lantra Connect on 0845 707 8007 and we will try to point you in the right direction.
There is no set time to complete an apprenticeship as they vary widely in content and size. The length of time taken will depend on the ability of the individual apprentice and the employer's requirements. An apprenticeship will usually take anything from 12 to 24 months.
There are no set entry requirements for apprenticeships. You just need to be living in England, aged 16+ and not taking part in full-time education.
You should call the Learning and Skills Council on 0870 900 6800 to check your eligibility for funding.
Try all the usual ways, such as local papers, trade magazines, Jobcentres, Connexions, yellow pages and websites. While you are looking for a job, take any opportunity you can to get some work experience with local organisations. This can sometimes lead to something more permanent, and will help you to find out more about your chosen field. This is especially important in areas such as environmental conservation, where voluntary work is considered a vital sign of commitment. Click here for a list of some of the websites and publications advertising vacancies in the environmental and land-based sector.
