Finding an academic route that suits your needs or choosing the right training for your job role can be difficult, but have you ever considered doing an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships can often offer a strong combination of practical on the job learning and academic study, giving you the best of both worlds!
Apprenticeships have a number of benefits including:
- The opportunity to obtain a degree level qualification.
- A debt free alternative to some higher education pursuits.
- No upper age limit! Whilst you might consider them to be most associated with people aged 16-18, you can pursue an apprenticeship no matter your age to learn new skills.
- They offer a wide range of skills across different industries.
- Even if you already have a degree, you can still do an apprenticeship to get qualified in a different area.
- Increased future earning potential – apprentices enjoy marked salary increases on finishing their training and those completing a higher apprenticeship could see increased earnings of an estimated £150,000 over their lifetime.
It’s important to do your research before you embark on your apprenticeship journey.
So how exactly do you find yourself a good one?
Well, here are a few key points to look out for when considering which apprenticeship might be right for you.
- Select the training that is relevant to the field or industry you would like to go into.
Whether you’re starting out in your career, want to develop you existing skills or looking to move into a different industry, make sure the training offered in your apprenticeship is relevant to the role you are pursuing.
- Speak with a career’s adviser.
It’s good to get advice from someone a bit impartial. Whilst friends and family may have your best interests at heart, chatting to a professional adviser will lay all of your options out and help you to make an informed decision. If you are at school or college, you may have one to come in and visit who will be able to help. Alternatively, you can get in-touch with the National Careers Service. You can speak to one of their adviser’s by calling 0800 100 900 from 8am-8pm Monday to Friday and 10am-5pm on Saturday’s.
- Discuss your expectations with the training provider.
This will give you a clear idea of what you will be doing, what you’ll be hoping to gain from it and what qualifications you will come away from the apprenticeship with.
Where to look?
Once you decided on the type of apprenticeship you want to do, it’s time to begin the search for the perfect choice. But where exactly do you start looking?
Find an apprenticeship – This is the definitive GOV.UK resource of apprenticeships in England.
National Apprenticeship service – The official government resource for apprenticeshps in England, NAS has a host of resources and advice on finding apprenticeships. NAS also have a helpline, in which their advisers can provide advice on applications and how to make yourself stand out.
Large employers – If you’ve got a big-name employer local to you, it may well be worth checking their website to see if they have any apprenticeships going. Local councils are another good place to try or alternatively try entering “apprentice” in the ‘job title’ box and your nearest town or city in the ‘location’ box.
UCAS – Whilst you might usually associate UCAS with higher education courses, they also have a huge section on their website dedicated to alternatives to university. This includes a detailed guide on everything related to apprenticeships in the UK. They’ve got a huge range of opportunities listed on their site across various sector including Rolls Royce, the NHS and AON.
Not Going to Uni – If you want to find out more about opportunities for those who are of a school leaving age, Not Going to Uni is the UK's leading website for school and college leavers. They’ve got roles across the UK and list vacancies at some huge employers including Vodafone, Boots and HSBC.
