Apprenticeships

Work while you study – an apprenticeship is a way to gain the skills, knowledge and experience you need to get into many careers. They combine work, training, and study, letting you 'earn while you learn'.

There are many different apprenticeships available across a wide range of industries, and for a wide variety of job roles. As a paid employee, each apprentice works alongside their studies. There are no student fees – your training costs are funded by the government and your employer.

It’s an ideal option if you have a clear idea of the career path you want to follow, providing you with practical, on-the-job training, and classroom-based instruction where applicable.

 

Apprenticeships allow you to combine work and study, you'll be employed to do a real job while studying for a formal qualification. By the end of your apprenticeship, you'll have gained the skills, behaviours and knowledge needed to either succeed in your chosen career or progress onto the next apprenticeship level.

What you'll learn depends on the role that you're training for. However, apprentices in every role follow an approved study programme, which means you'll gain a nationally-recognised qualification at the end of your apprenticeship.

These qualifications can include:

• Functional skills 

• Diploma RQF (Regulated Qualifications Framework)  - from level 2 (comparable to five GCSEs) up to level 5 (similar to a postgraduate degree).

• Apprenticeship Standard

You will also be constantly developing your transferable skills, otherwise known as soft skills, which are highly valued by employers. These include communication, teamwork and problem solving, as well as knowledge of IT and digital skills and the application of numbers.