Welcome

Hi there, we're the Apprenticeship Recruitment Team at Warrington & Vale Royal College! If we're not out meeting employers and checking in on apprentices, you can find us in our offices at the Business School, Warrington campus.

Studying an apprenticeship with us will give you the opportunity to develop your knowledge and skills while allowing you to get paid at the same time. As an apprentice, you will receive training and support from our experienced tutors and gain an internationally recognised qualification.

We benefit from being one of the largest training providers in the North West and work with hundreds of top employers to bring you specialist training that provides you with the right skills to succeed in your career choice. We work with accredited institutions and offer AAT, CIPD and ILM courses as part of the apprenticeship programme.

Meet the Apprenticeship Recruitment Team

Our Employers

Here's just a handful of the fantastic local and regional employers we work with.

Did you know you can also self-source your own apprenticeship? Keeping scrolling to find out more.

Apprenticeship Advice for School Leavers

If you are currently in Year 11 and are considering your next move once you leave school, you may have considered studying an apprenticeship.

An apprenticeship is typically four days in work, gaining valuable workplace experience, and one day in college studying towards a formal qualification.

You can see a full list of the apprenticeship qualifications that we offer here: https://www.wvr.ac.uk/demographic/apprenticeships/

In order to enrol on an apprenticeship, you MUST have an employer. There are a few ways to get an employer lined up for your apprenticeship:

1. Source your own employer. Consider family or friend's organisations. Would they be willing to take you on as an apprentice? Alternatively, you can perfect your CV and send this out alongside a personalised covering letter to companies within the sector you are hoping to study.

2. Join our Skills Pool. If you apply for an apprenticeship on our website you will be contacted by a member of our Apprenticeship Team. After you have received your GCSE grades you will be able to send those to us, alongside your CV, and we will contact you about opportunities before they are advertised to the general public. Did you know that approximately 55% of our vacancies are filled by aspiring apprentices in our Skills Pool?

3. Check the National Apprenticeship Service. You can view a list of current vacancies nationally on the government site: https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship

It is important to note that if you are unable to secure an apprenticeship by September, you can start on a full-time course and transfer over at any time throughout the year if you manage secure an apprenticeship. Any relevant modules or units will also be transferred. With that in mind, it is strongly advised that you apply for a full-time course for September so that your place to study at Warrington & Vale Royal College is secure.

Self-sourcing: How to search for an employer

If you are interested in securing an apprenticeship, the first step is deciding what industry you wish to work in. You will find a full list of the apprenticeships available at Warrington & Vale Royal College here: https://www.wvr.ac.uk/apprenticeships/. This can support you in making an informed decision.

Once you have decided on this, it really is a case of using your favourite search engine to look for local employers in the area. Some terminology you may use could include ‘IT businesses in Warrington’ ‘Engineering companies near Winsford’ or, for administration roles (all businesses need administrators), you could simply search ‘businesses near me’.

Once you have found a business, we recommend researching them and personalising a letter or email based on what your research has shown. You could use our template letter and email provided below to support this.

Don’t forget, if you get stuck you can contact our friendly Apprenticeships Team!

Self-sourcing an apprenticeship: Example introductory letter/email to employer

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to enquire about any potential opportunities within INSERT BUSINESS NAME that would suit my working level.

I am hoping to gain employment as an apprentice to further my BLANK and BLANK skills. Working with Warrington & Vale Royal College, I am currently developing my application techniques and how best to present myself at an interview. I would love the opportunity to be able to show you this.

Please find attached my CV, where you will hopefully identify the skills and qualities that you would look for in an employee. I would love the opportunity to be able to talk to you regarding any opportunities, so please feel free to contact me if you feel that I could be a good fit for your business.

If you would like any information regarding apprenticeship funding, employer incentives, or qualifications available, please email employers@wvr.ac.uk, call 01925 494271 or visit www.wvr.ac.uk/employers/.

Your faithfully,

FULL NAME
TELEPHONE NUMBER
EMAIL ADDRESS

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