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You should use the websites below to monitor apprenticeship vacancies throughout the year. November - April is when the main bulk of them appear but companies do continually post their vacancies.
With an apprenticeship you are essentially applying for a job. You apply to the company and also to the college for the education part of your apprenticeship
What is an apprenticeship?
What is an apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is a real job where you learn, gain experience and get paid. You are an employee with a contract of employment and holiday leave. By the end of an apprenticeship, you will have the right skills and knowledge needed for your chosen career.
80% on the job, 20% in college studying a relevant qualification
It can take between one and 6 years to complete an apprenticeship depending on which one you choose, what level it is and your previous experience. It’s funded from contributions made by the government and your employer.
Apprenticeship levels
Different apprenticeship levels equate to different qualification levels.
An apprenticeship can start at any level. For example, a student can complete their A Levels or GCSEs and then take up an apprenticeship opportunity
If you are going into a totally new industry it may require you to start at a lower level to build the foundation knowledge before progressing on to higher levels e.g. going into the hair and beauty industry after studying non related A levels may require you to start at the intermediate level to ensure you had the basic knowledge required in the industry.
Level Equivalent education level
Intermediate 2 GCSE
Advanced 3 A level
Higher 4,5,6 and 7 Foundation degree and above
Degree 6 and 7 Bachelor’s or master’s degree
Intro to Apprenticeships -Thornden School.pptx
Apprenticeship Guide.pdfFinding an apprenticeship.pdfWhat are my Post 16 options A4 Sheet 2025.pdfA-Z-of-apprenticeships-September-25-1.pdfWhat are the benefits of an apprenticeship?
What are the benefits of an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships are an exciting option - you get hands-on training and also the chance to put your skills into practice.
You get to earn money while you learn. What you will earn varies depending on the apprenticeship you choose and the current rates of pay can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates
Apprenticeships are funded from contributions made by the government and your employer. This means you will not have any student loans or tuition fees.
You'll just need to cover the cost of your day-to-day expenses, such as lunch and travel.
Where to find out more:
Where to find out more:
Click on the logos below
Local apprenticeship opportunities, guidance and advice
Click on the logo to see the full list of top 100 apprenticeships, as published by the Government
The UK's leading resource for students looking for apprenticeships
The ApprenticesHip Guide
The ApprenticesHip Guide
Find apprenticeships by GCSE subjects
PAthway CTM
PAthway CTM
Free resources for students, parents and teachers helping students get into the world of work
Where to look for an apprenticeship:
Where to look for an apprenticeship:
(Alongside the apprenticeship specific websites above)
These links will take you directly to apprenticeship searches:
Reputable companies in the trades that you could approach regarding becoming an apprentice with them:
Specific career apprenticeships: Click on the logos below.
Specific career apprenticeships: Click on the logos below.
Where there are specific companies, these are included to give you examples in that industry. Ensure you research other companies too.
Army
Army
Soldiers - Army Apprenticeships
Child care
Child care
Early year child care opportunities
Construction
Construction
Bricklaying, Carpenter/Joiner vacancies
Construction
Construction
Find local apprenticeships in the construction industry
Electrical, gas & plumbing
Electrical, gas & plumbing
Steve Willis Training
Electricians
Electricians
Information and Advice
Engineering
Engineering
Southampton Engineering Training Association
Hairdressing
Hairdressing
Information and vacancies
Healthcare
Healthcare
Information, advice and vacancies
IT INdustry
IT INdustry
Digital Apprenticeships
MOtor INdustry
MOtor INdustry
Information, advice, guidance and vacancies
MAritime & Transport
MAritime & Transport
Careers in the road/rail/sea/air industries
Network rail
Network rail
Information and vacancies from a national organisation - more than just trains!
RAF
RAF
Information, advice and guidance
Retail
Retail
Description of Aldi's apprenticeship programme and how to apply
Royal Navy
Royal Navy
Information and vacancies
screen industry
screen industry
Information, advice and vacancies for TV, cinema etc careers
USEFUL RESOURCES: REQUIRED SKILLS
The 8 skills above have been identified as the essential skills that are needed in any job. Can you think of examples where you have demonstrated these skills and can you include them in any future applications?
For more information click on the image above or on this link: https://www.skillsbuilder.org/universal-framework
USEFUL RESOURCES: WRITING A CV
CV Guide 25.pdfTop tip: Look at the apprenticeship advert, job description and person specification and pick out the key skills and experiences they are looking for, try to include them in your CV
There are also the 8 essential skills identified above ⬆ - can you include any of those (if you have them!)
CV Template 1 25.pdfCV Template 2 25.pdfUSEFUL RESOURCES: PERSONAL STATEMENTS
What is a personal statement?
A personal statement is a brief summary of who you are and yourbackground.
It helps interviewers get to know you, and is a great way to show your skills, experience, education and personality to potential apprenticeship employers. If you’re interested in an apprenticeship that’s especially popular, your personal statement could be the make or break between getting accepted or not.
Do you need a personal statement for an apprenticeship?
It depends. it’s very common for apprenticeships and interviewers to ask for a personal statement, and this is a good thing – it gives you the opportunity to demonstrate what a great candidate you are.
Some apprenticeships will just ask for your CV, personal details, academic certificates or portfolio, or they might ask you to complete a test. Others might expect you to apply on employer career portals, where you type your information directly into the website.
What should I include in my apprenticeship personal statement?
An apprenticeship personal statement is usually less than one A4 page long, so you don’t need to delve into extreme detail. What you write will vary between applications, but here are the fundamental topics that you should include:
Employment/volunteering experience
Discuss any work experience, part-time jobs or volunteering that you have done. Focus on the skills and knowledge you learned, what you gained from the experience, or what you contributed. If your work/volunteering experience isn’t directly relevant to the apprenticeship, make sure you still include it – instead, try to focus on the transferable skills.
Academic background and qualifications
The chances are that you will have more academic experience than work experience, but this isn’t a problem. Write a few sentences about what you have learned from your studies, what skills you have developed, where you succeeded and what you enjoyed.
Show your enthusiasm
Don’t be afraid to be enthusiastic and show your interest – after all, interviewers will want to know that you are excited about this course and ready to learn.
Hobbies/interests
You don’t always need to include your hobbies and interests, but it can be a useful addition to your personal statement. You could discuss what skills you have learned from your extracurricular hobbies and how these are applicable to the apprenticeship or your future.
Future goals
There’s one big question that interviewers will ask: what do you want to do in the future? Briefly discuss what your future goals are, e.g. what job, industry or company you are working towards. Then, link it back to how the apprenticeship can help you achieve these goals.
What do I need to know before writing my apprenticeship personal statement?
Before you even put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard!) brainstorm your responses to the following questions. Try to briefly answer all, if not most, of them in your personal statement:
Why do you want to work in this industry?
What is it about this specific apprenticeship or company that interests you? Do some further research on their websites.
What skills are required for this apprenticeship? And do you have them?
When have you demonstrated the relevant skills? Think of some examples.
What are your top 3 strengths or qualities?
Why do you think an apprenticeship is right for you?
Not only will your answers help you write a high-quality personal statement, but this is a good reflective exercise to help you feel confident you’re on a path that you feel passionate and excited about.
How many apprenticeship applications should I send?
There’s no right or wrong answer. Each application should be personalised and relevant to the specific job or course that you’re applying for. Even if you apply for 5 accounting apprenticeships, don’t assume that every application can be the same just because they are all for the accounting industry.
But personalisation takes time, so don’t expect to spam 50 apprenticeships with your application if you want to be successful. In summary, there’s no limit to how many apprenticeships you can apply for, as long as you put the time and effort into personalising each application.
Extra personal statement tips
Plan, plan, plan
You know what they say: ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’. Once you’ve brainstormed your answers, organise them in a cohesive, concise manner so you know what you are going to say about each topic, and how you will link them together. This will help you to fit everything in without writing too much.
Check for errors
Once you’ve written your personal statement, make sure your proofread it for any typos, spelling mistakes or other errors. If you’re not confident that you’ll spot the mistakes, ask a friend, family member or a teacher to read it for you.
Be honest
What’s the best thing you can do if you don’t have the right skills or subjects for a particular apprenticeship? Tell the truth. Don’t lie about what you have and haven’t done. Instead, describe any similar experience that you have, and explain why you want to learn new skills.
Don’t rush
Apprenticeship personal statements take time to write. So don’t leave it until the night before the application closes – start early and give yourself enough days, weeks or even months to write an application that you’ll be proud of.
Use key words
Key words aren’t a necessity, but you could think about what words are frequently used to describe the apprenticeship. E.g. if you’re applying for a hairdressing apprenticeship, you might use words like ‘customer-focused’, ‘friendly’ and ‘creative’. You can usually identify keywords by reading job descriptions for the apprenticeship or similar jobs in that industry.
Re-read the apprenticeship description
Have you addressed the skills and experience that the apprenticeship is asking for? Have they asked you to write about something specific that you may have missed out? Re-read the apprenticeship description to make sure you’ve included everything.
Follow up
If you haven’t heard back about your application, send a polite email or give the relevant person a call. Not only is this a great way to demonstrate your enthusiasm, but it will help you build a relationship with your potential employer.
Start writing your application today
This might seem like a lot of info, but once you have written a couple of personal statements it will feel much easier. Plus – it will be worth it when you secure your apprenticeship and dive into an exciting career.
Taken from: How to write an apprenticeship personal statement | Best Apprenticeships
interviews:
interviews:
Obviously apprenticeship interviews are not going to be the same as traditional job interviews. They are likely to be more informal and more about making sure you are choosing the right apprenticeship to get you where you want to go in your career and also to enable both you and the apprenticeship provider to find out more about each other.
Preparing for your interview
Preparing for your interview
Feeling prepared is always good when going into an interview. It makes you feel more confident and it makes it more likely that you will present yourself how you want to and get the information you require.
Ensure you look over your application and personal statement beforehand so you remember what you have told them so far. This is all they know about you at the moment so is highly likely to be the starting point of any conversation. Also do some research on the company so you know what products/services they offer, as well as their culture. Look at websites and social media feeds.
You should check how long it will take you to get to the interview location and ensure you are on time. Dressing appropriately is also important. If you are wearing your uniform, make sure you are wearing it correctly, first impressions matter. If you are not wearing your uniform, dress in clean, smart clothes. Think about what you would wear to a parent/carer's office - it should be appropriate for a workplace.
Common Interview Questions
Common Interview Questions
The interviewer will be asking you questions to get to know you and help establish that you are choosing the right apprenticeship for you and your careers goals. They will not be trying to trip you up so do not worry, they will be questions you know the answers to. Remember, they want apprentices.
Consider how you would answer the following questions:
What are your predicted exam grades? Have you sat any mock exams? What were the results?
Tell us a bit about yourself
Why have you chosen to apply for this apprenticeship? Have you been on a taster day/open event?
What do you know about the apprenticeship/company already?
What are your hobbies and interests?
What skills can you bring to this apprenticeship?
How are your time-management skills?
Do you enjoy working in a team?
What are your favourite subjects at school?
Do you have any additional duties at school? Are you a prefect? Are you on the student council?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
What career do you want to pursue?
Do you have any support needs?
What are you looking for in an apprenticeship?
Do you have a part-time job or do any volunteering work?
Interviews are a 2 way process
Interviews are a 2 way process
Your interview is your chance to ask questions too! Is there anything you need/want to know about their apprenticeship, the company etc?
Examples:
What are my daily duties going to involve?
Are there going to be opportunities to get experience in other aspects of the business?
What sort of on-the-job training can I expect during this apprenticeship?
What opportunities are there going to be to implement what I learn during my studies?
Are there any ongoing projects in which I might be involved?
How many apprentices stay working for this company at the end of their apprenticeship?
Are there any former apprentices still working with you? What made you decide to keep them?
What are your performance expectations within the first six months?
Can you tell me about the team with whom I'm going to work?
How many other apprentices are there here? Would I be working with them?
What sort of performance review process do you have? How often would I undergo review?
How do you prepare apprentices for more independent work?
What are the greatest challenges that apprentices face here?
Do not worry!
Do not worry!
It is easy to say and you are bound to be a little nervous, especially if this is your first experience of an interview situation but this is all about you. The apprenticeship provider want to make sure you are making the right choices for you as well as them. As long as you have thought about all of the above ahead of time you will be fine!
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