Apprenticeships. Contents. What is an Apprenticeship? Types of Apprenticeship Who can apply? Finding an Apprenticeship...

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2 Apprenticeships Contents What is an Apprenticeship?... 1 Types of Apprenticeship... 2 Who can apply?... 3 Finding an Apprenticeship... 4 How to apply... 5 Pay and conditions... 8 Degree Apprenticeships Apprenticeships providers Ansbury websites Job seeking websites Company websites... 16

3 Apprenticeships - what you need to know What is an Apprenticeship? Apprenticeships combine practical training in a job with study. As an apprentice you will work alongside experienced staff: You will be working in a real job, have a contract, be paid a salary and be entitled to statutory benefits. Gain job-specific skills. Earn a wage and get holiday pay. Study towards a related qualification- (usually one day a week). Apprenticeships take 1-4 years depending on the level of qualification. Levels of Apprenticeships An apprenticeship has an equivalent education level and can be: Intermediate - equivalent to 5 GCSE passes Advanced - equivalent to 2 A level passes Higher - can lead to NVQ Level 4 and above, or a foundation degree

4 Types of Apprenticeship Agriculture, horticulture and animal care apprenticeships Arts, media and publishing apprenticeships Business, administration and law apprenticeships Construction, planning and the built environment apprenticeships Education and training apprenticeships Engineering and manufacturing technologies apprenticeships Health, public services and care apprenticeships Information and communications technologies apprenticeships Leisure, travel and tourism apprenticeships Retail and commercial enterprises apprenticeships More in depth explanation of the types of apprenticeships can be found at of-apprenticeships.

5 Who can apply? You can apply for an apprenticeship while you re still at school. To start one, you ll need to be: 16 or over living in England not in full-time education Apprenticeships can be a suitable option for anyone. Apprenticeships have changed a lot in the past 10 years and sometimes people do not realise the huge range of opportunities that are available. You will probably be surprised to learn that you can achieve the equivalent to a degree through the Higher Apprenticeship route, so it s worth doing your research to see if you can achieve your career goal by following the Apprenticeship pathway. Aren t Apprenticeships just for people who don t do very well at school? Not at all. Getting an Apprenticeship is all about getting a job and starting your career. Employers want to employ apprentices with the right positive attitude and who are going to work hard, but they also want employees who are going to be able to pick up new skills and learn about their company from scratch.

6 Finding an Apprenticeship One of the best ways to find an Apprenticeship is by using the website On this website you will find a free service called Apprenticeship vacancies where you can set up a free account so that you can search and apply for different jobs that you might see. As these are real jobs, you will need to apply for the vacancies by submitting a job application. This can be done on-line through your personalised account. We have created a really useful guide to take you through step by step, how to set up an account and how to apply for vacancies which can be downloaded from When do you need to start applying for an Apprenticeship? Finding an Apprenticeship job is different to applying to 6th form, College or University. The jobs are not advertised on one date and they do not all start in September. Jobs are advertised throughout the year on the website. You will need to check the website regularly to view the different jobs available. You can also set up My alerts so that you receive s and text messages when jobs come up that you might be interested in. What if I have already found a job? If you already have an employer in place who has agreed to offer you an Apprenticeship, they will need to find a training provider to support you with your training. Your employer will need to visit or call the National Apprenticeship Service hotline on to speak to someone for assistance. Found your dream Apprenticeship but not ready to apply yet? If you re not ready for an Apprenticeship, but you see a job that you would love to apply for, make a note of the employer s name and contact details. Get in touch with them and see if they might be willing to offer you some work experience, a tour of their facilities or even to shadow an Apprentice for a day. It will look great on your CV and there could be an Apprenticeship opportunity in the future that you could apply for with them.

7 How to apply There are 3 steps to applying for an apprenticeship. Search for an apprenticeship. Sign in or create an account. Complete and submit your application. Your application - what you need to know and include The power of words If you choose the right words it can make a real difference to your application. Your application is a sales document - like a short advert all about you. And just as adverts use persuasive language to encourage you to buy things, your application should use words that persuade an employer that you re the best person for the job. Also try to avoid the words that everyone else uses on their applications. Examples of these overused phrases are hard working, reliable and good team player. Employers read a lot of applications, so try to use words that make you stand out, rather than blend in with everyone else. About you what are your strengths? In this limited space you ve got to explain who you are, which strengths you can bring to the employer, and why you want the apprenticeship you re applying for. It s got to be punchy, easy to read, and make the employer want to read more. If you re not sure what to write, ask a friend or teacher to list your three best qualities. They can be objective about your strengths and may even encourage you to put things that you hadn t thought of before. Remember to give examples of your strengths. For example, if the employer asks for good communication skills you need to tell them you have good communication skills and back this up with evidence of when you used these skills. For example, you could say something like this: I feel I have very good communication skills. As a keen member of a local football team, it's crucial we communicate constantly on the pitch to ensure everyone works together to try to win. I have

8 been praised by the team captain for the way I communicate effectively, saying I am calm, motivating and fair. If you were going for a job in hairdressing you could say something like this: I would like to improve my knowledge of the latest cutting and colouring techniques being used within the fashion industry and how these could be adapted to suit high street fashion trends. About you what are your hobbies, interests or achievements? If you have an interesting or unique hobby or interest, include it in this section. When choosing which personal interests to put on your application, advisers can help you to choose things that show a different side to your personality than your job skills. This shows employers that you re a well-rounded person. This can convince them that you ll be able to adapt to lots of different situations and get along well with lots of different types of people. You need to remember that the employer may use this section to start to create an impression of the kind of person that you are. If you re invited for interview, the employer may use this section to help to break the ice and make you feel more comfortable in your interview. We know this section can be hard to fill in, as many people are modest about their achievements outside of work and school. In fact, many people don t see their activities as interests at all. An adviser can talk to you about what you like to do in your spare time, and can help you to pick out things that will impress employers. Mistakes can spell trouble... One thing that will definitely not make a good impression is bad spelling and grammar. This can make employers think you ve not taken the time to get things right. They could be concerned about how you will communicate with customers and other organisations. If spelling and grammar aren t your strong points, make sure you ask someone who s good with words to check it over. Tailored applications, not mass mailshot... Employers will be impressed if your application seems carefully considered, and like you ve made the effort to understand the role and what s required of you. You can create this impression by applying for fewer jobs but taking the time to make sure each application is tailored to that organisation and role. The perfect apprentice... Put yourself in the employer s shoes and think about what they would want from an apprentice. They will want someone who they can rely on and that works hard. They will want someone who s eager to learn, picks things up quickly and gets on well with people. Try to include examples of when you ve shown these qualities in your application.

9 What the shortlisters say Good applicants have well written application forms where they have taken the time to give examples of their skills and have a good balance between academic achievement and enthusiasm for the job/industry that they are applying for. 2. Avoid poor spelling, grammar and punctuation. This is critical if you want to be taken seriously in your application. Ask someone else with a good eye for detail to proofread your application before you submit it. 3. Your application needs to sell you, be engaging, show your interest and enthusiasm and give an insight into your personality. Avoid humour though, as this is still a professional document. 4. Your application needs to show that you have thought about why you are applying for the job. 5. Remember to tailor your application for the job that you are applying for.

10 Pay and conditions You will be paid during your apprenticeship. You are entitled to the National Minimum Wage The current minimum wage rate for an apprentice is 2.73 per hour. This rate applies to apprentices aged 16 to 18 and those aged 19 or over who are in their first year. You must be paid at least the minimum wage rate for your age if you are an apprentice aged 19 or over and have completed your first year. Hours apprentices are paid for You must be paid for: your normal working hours (minimum 30 hours per week) training that s part of your apprenticeship (usually one day per week) Holidays You will get at least 20 days paid holiday per year, plus bank holidays.

11 Employment Start by thinking about what employers want This will depend on the company and the type of work, but here are some general things which most employers will look for: Communication skills Team work Problem solving Confident with numbers Able to use ICT Able to learn new skills Able to follow instructions Able to show initiative (to get on and do things without being asked) Being keen to progress Someone who is hardworking, reliable and punctual Think about your key skills To work out what your skills are, talk to people who know you well; family, friends, teachers, employers, and think about everything you ve done: School special projects, subjects you enjoy Interests listening to music, playing an instrument, films Part-time work and work experience babysitting, paper rounds, helping neighbours Voluntary work fund raising, charity events, sponsored activities Clubs and societies school trips, sports, Cadets, Guides, Duke of Edinburgh, drama productions, dance classes Practical work using your hands DIY at home, fixing your bike, gardening, cooking, technology projects Responsibilities prefect, sports captain, helping at home

12 Here are some ideas: Experience Skill gained Babysitting Paper round GCSEs Exams Sports Gardening for neighbours Fixing your bike Able to take responsibility Time keeping Able to organise your work and meet deadlines Able to cope with pressure Team work, able to stick at things Reliability Mechanical ability / able to use tools Your Social Media Profile What does yours say about you? How do you look online? Many employers will check your online profiles, such as Facebook and Twitter, to find out more about you. Have a look at your online presence and think about what you might need to remove. Don t forget to check your address is appropriate. In terms of writing an application, look at the advice and guidance about applying for an apprenticeship found on pages 5-7 in this booklet. If you are applying for a job it is highly likely you will need to supply a CV and sit an interview. There will be further advice and guidance about CVs and interviews on FUTURES DAYS 2 and 3 in June. Please see these helpful websites that can get you started:

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