Overview of Apprenticeships

What are apprenticeships?

An apprenticeship is a job that includes time away from work to undertake training. It can be an alternative to full-time education, or a natural progression once students have finished their education.

Can you only do things like hairdressing, bricklaying or mechanics?

No. There are a broad range of jobs that are advertised, recent jobs that have been available include Business Administration, IT Support, Landscaping, Engineering, Chef, Accounts Assistant and many more. Please note that as these are jobs, they come and go.

Petroc advertises apprenticeship courses, what are these?

An apprenticeship course is the "training element" of the apprenticeship. If you already have an employer and they want you to become an apprentice then you can search for a suitable apprenticeship courses on Petroc's website: https://www.petroc.ac.uk/courses-search/interested-in-apprenticeships/our-apprenticeship-offering PLEASE NOTE that if you apply for an apprenticeship course and you are not currently in employment, then you will still need to find a job. 

How old do you have to be?

The Government has removed the age cap and so anyone of any age can apply for an apprenticeship (as long as you are over 16 and have left school).

What grades do you need?

There are different levels of apprenticeships including Intermediate, Advanced, Higher and Degree. Each level requires different qualifications and so you will need to read the apprenticeship job advert for more details (see below for a link as to where apprenticeship jobs are advertised).

When do I apply?

An apprenticeship is essentially a job, and like jobs, you can apply at any time of year. So if you are currently studying you need to think when is the best time to apply, as a guide this is often 6 to 8 weeks before you want to start working (but it is a personal choice). 

What if I don't see an apprenticeship I'm interested in?

Employers decide when they want to recruit apprentices and so can advertise for an apprentice at any time of year. If you don't see an apprenticeship that interests you when you start looking be patient; keep looking and hopefully one will come up. Alternatively you can approach companies themselves to see if they would be willing to take you on. 

I'm a mature learner, can I still apply?

Apprenticeships are an opportunity for mature people looking to change their career, or for those who have been out of work for some time to restart their career. This is because the age cap has been removed and since 2007 there has been a significant increase in over 25s starting an apprenticeship; now they account for about half of those in an apprenticeship. 

How much will I get paid?

As of April 2020 the minimum wage for an apprenticeship is £4.15 but this varies as it is up to the employer to decide how much to pay, and many will pay higher than the minimum wage. To check the wage levels for individual apprenticeships click on the link at the bottom of the page. To the current minimum wage rates click here: https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide/pay-and-conditions

What support can Petroc's Careers Adviser give?

Petroc's careers adviser can explain how apprenticeships work, where to search for apprenticeship jobs and explain how to approach employers. The careers adviser isn't able to find an apprenticeship for you. 

To find a placement or search for apprenticeship job vacancies click on the button below: