{"id":10237,"date":"2022-08-26T03:44:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-26T03:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.uk\/?p=10237"},"modified":"2022-08-26T03:44:00","modified_gmt":"2022-08-26T03:44:00","slug":"apprenticeships-your-gateway-to-the-world-of-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.uk\/apprenticeships-your-gateway-to-the-world-of-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Apprenticeships: Your Gateway to the World of Work"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

Despite how far they\u2019ve come in the past decade, apprenticeships still seem to have a few outdated ideas and misconceptions attached to them.<\/p>\n

Well, we think it\u2019s time that changed!<\/p>\n

With results week, we know many young people will be rethinking their options and wondering what their next steps might look like. To help, we\u2019ve put together this clear guide on what apprenticeships<\/a> are – and why you might want to put them at the top of your list!<\/p>\n

Apprenticeships: What to Know<\/h3>\n

In the UK, apprenticeships are available in many industries across over 1500 different roles – and growing! Entry requirements depend on the level of apprenticeship you apply for (more on that in a bit), which means no matter your situation (or grades), there\u2019s an opportunity to help you get started.<\/p>\n

As you might already know, apprenticeship combines the world of work with the world of study. Through an apprenticeship, you\u2019ll be employed and work a number of days a week, with one or two days spent in the classroom at a local college or training provider.<\/p>\n

Much of your studies and assessment are based on the job, meaning you\u2019ll grow your skills and learn at the same time, and it all contributes towards your overall qualification related to your line of work.<\/p>\n

Here are a few of the things that make apprenticeships a top-notch choice for us:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. You\u2019ll gain financial security<\/strong>: As an apprentice, you\u2019ll be paid while you work, earning a salary alongside gaining your qualification. If you opt for a degree apprenticeship, you\u2019ll also be skipping out on tuition fees – so no future debt to pay off either!<\/li>\n
  2. You\u2019ll work on real-world problems and projects<\/strong>: You\u2019ll learn theory in the classroom and then get the active opportunity to put what you learn into place as you\u2019ll be part of a\u00a0 team working on real-world problems and projects – the ultimate way to engage with your studies and solidify your knowledge!<\/li>\n
  3. Clear ways to move up<\/strong>: It\u2019s rare for an apprenticeship to end and for you to find yourself jobless. Employers invest in their apprentices because they want you to keep working for them. So whether you progress to a higher level apprenticeship or take on a full-time employee role – there\u2019s lots of scope for clear progression and development opportunities.<\/li>\n
  4. Relevant and accessible mentoring:<\/strong> You\u2019ll be working with various professionals who\u2019ve been in the industry for a while and know their stuff! You\u2019ll spend time with these people, learning in the workplace, with the bonus that they\u2019ll be keen to help you succeed as you\u2019re already part of their team.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    How Are Apprenticeships Structured?<\/h3>\n

    Apprenticeships are arranged by level, and each level has a different set of entry requirements, as well as the qualification you\u2019ll gain at the end and how long they take to complete.<\/p>\n

    Here\u2019s an overview of what that currently looks like:<\/p>\n

    Intermediate Apprenticeships<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Age requirement: <\/strong>At least 16, typically.<\/p>\n

    Length: <\/strong>Up to 12 months<\/p>\n

    Also referred to as \u2018entry-level\u2019 or \u2018level 2\u2019 apprenticeships, these are the starting point on the apprenticeship journey for most people.<\/p>\n

    By the end of an intermediate apprenticeship, you\u2019ll gain a vocational qualification, usually at Level 2 NVQ (equivalent to five GCSEs A*-C), but you could also achieve a BTEC, GCSE or City and Guilds qualification. Intermediate apprenticeships are available across over 40 industries and a wide range of roles.<\/p>\n

    Advanced Apprenticeships <\/strong><\/p>\n

    Age requirement: <\/strong>16 years<\/p>\n

    Length: <\/strong>Up to 24 months<\/p>\n

    If you decide to progress after an intermediate apprenticeship, you\u2019ll move to an advanced apprenticeship, also referred to as a \u2018level 3\u2019 apprenticeship.<\/p>\n

    You\u2019ll work towards a more challenging qualification, usually Level 3 NVQ or equivalent, as well as a knowledge-based certificate such as a BTEC or City and Guilds qualification. In some cases, you might be able to apply straight to an advanced apprenticeship, depending on your current grades.<\/p>\n

    Higher Apprenticeships <\/strong><\/p>\n

    Age requirement: <\/strong>18 years<\/p>\n

    Length: <\/strong>Anywhere between 3 and 5 years (depending on what you study)<\/p>\n

    You might also see these referred to as level 4 or level 5 apprenticeships. Higher apprenticeships offer level 4 qualifications (for starters), and you can progress to level 5 qualifications such as a foundation degree or higher national diploma. They tend to be more challenging, and for many, you need to be at least 18 to start one.<\/p>\n

    This level tends to have higher entry requirements, with employers preferring you to have at least two A-Levels (or equivalent) or have previously completed an advanced apprenticeship in the same industry.<\/p>\n

    Degree Apprenticeships<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Age requirement: <\/strong>18 years<\/p>\n

    Length: <\/strong>Anywhere between 3 to 6 years (depending on what you study)<\/p>\n

    Degree apprenticeships<\/a> have come a long way since they launched a few years ago and are rapidly growing in interest and popularity. Degree apprenticeships allow you to work towards achieving a Bachelor\u2019s or Master\u2019s degree (level 6 and 7 qualifications).<\/p>\n

    This can be a very demanding pathway, as you\u2019ll be working alongside gaining your higher level qualification. It can take a lot of motivation, commitment and persistence, but you\u2019ll have lots of support from everyone around you.<\/p>\n

    Where to From Here?<\/h3>\n

    If you like the sound of what an apprenticeship has to offer and are keen to find out more, the dedicated Apprenticeships UK<\/a> website is a great place to start!<\/p>\n

    If you want more of an idea about the types of roles currently available and the application process, the Apprenticeships GOV<\/a> website has all the available listings ready for you to browse.<\/p>\n

    We\u2019re also working with a wide range of employers and will be bringing new talks, workshops and webinars to you soon around what our employers have to offer in apprenticeships – watch this space and keep an eye on our events page<\/a> for more details.<\/p>\n

    Or better yet, sign up for our newsletter<\/a> and get all the latest opportunities delivered directly to you!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Reading Time: <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span> Despite how far they\u2019ve come in the past decade, apprenticeships still seem to have a few outdated ideas and misconceptions […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":10238,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[24,33],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10237"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10237"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10237\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10239,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10237\/revisions\/10239"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10237"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10237"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10237"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}