What are apprenticeships?
If you become an apprentice, you’ll work for a company (receiving wages, holiday pay, and statutory sick pay) while training or studying for a formal qualification. You might study in a training centre or one of our colleges, usually for one day a week. You may need to learn extra skills including English and maths if you don’t already have a GCSE in those areas, and IT. Or, you may learn entirely in the workplace, with our dedicated assessors visiting you on site to see how you’re getting on.
Your job will be a genuine job and you’ll be treated and respected like any other employee, working a minimum of 30 hours a week on a contract that lasts at least 12 months.
Programmes usually last for between one to two years and offer a direct route into employment. Employers are keen to hire people who can hit the ground running!
Apprenticeships aren’t just for school leavers: nearly a third of our current apprentices are over the age of 19. So, whatever your age, get in touch to kickstart your career!
How do apprenticeships compare to other qualifications?
In general, apprenticeships are for you if you are keen to enter the world of work after finishing school. However, this doesn’t mean you will forfeit the ability to enter higher education later in life. All apprentices follow an approved study programme, which means you'll gain a nationally-recognised qualification at the end of your apprenticeship. In addition, you’ll benefit from constantly developing your transferable skills, otherwise known as soft skills, which employers highly value. These include:
- communication
- teamwork
- problem solving
- IT proficiency
- the application of numbers
We offer apprenticeships all the way up to degree level! We offer four levels to suit your current qualifications, skills, and experience:
INTERMEDIATE
Level 2: equivalent to five GCSEs, grades 9–4
ADVANCED
Level 3: equivalent to two A Levels
HIGHER
Level 4: equivalent to first year of a bachelor’s degree/foundation degree
Level 5: equivalent to second year of a bachelor’s degree/foundation degree
DEGREE
Level 6: equivalent to final year of a bachelor’s degree
Level 7: equivalent to master’s degree