Sixth Form or College is not for everyone. Apprenticeships offer an alternative to full time classroom based learning, but there will still be some time spent in a classroom.

Apprenticeships provide the fundamental skills needed for a huge range of occupational sectors. Over 1,500 job roles and 170 sectors are now covered. The qualifications achieved by apprentices are those sought by employers. Apprenticeship standards have been put in place (and continue to be developed) to satisfy the requirements of employers.

You could gain permanent employment with the employer where the apprenticeship was undertaken, or you could make use of the experience and qualifications gained from an apprenticeship to apply for another related position with a different employer.

A Government research study in 2018 showed that 65% of apprentices remained in employment with their employer after finishing their apprenticeship. Another survey demonstrated 85% of all apprentices stay in employment on completion of their apprenticeship.

The minimum wage for an apprentice increases as the national minimum wage increases. The current minimum hourly rate of pay for an apprentice is £5.28. On average, apprentices are paid more than the minimum rate.

The UCAS website tells us that, “A third of apprentices received a promotion within a year of finishing and in their lifetime can earn £150,000 more than their peers without an apprenticeship.” Read More HERE.

Apprenticeships must be inclusive of those with a disability or learning need. Some employees have signed up to the Disability Confident scheme and this means that where a person meets the basic criteria needed for an advertised apprenticeship, then, at the very least, they should be offered an interview for the vacant position.

Apprenticeships are not yet available for every job role.

Not all employers will have a vacancy available at the perfect time for you, so it is important to search for them regularly. They won’t all be advertised in the autumn term when your peers will be applying for Sixth Form, College or University.

Getting an apprenticeship is usually a competitive process. An employer will select the ‘best’ person for the position. You may have to apply for several positions before finding success. Speak to the Careers Team for application and interview support.

Some apprenticeships are still better than other apprenticeships, in terms of the training and support offered, how much the apprentice is paid, and future career prospects. Speak to your Careers Adviser if you are unsure.

For those looking at post year 11 learning, advanced level apprenticeships are the equivalent of gaining 2 A level qualifications. Many university courses will want the equivalent of 3 A levels. Some universities have become more flexible and advanced level apprenticeships can provide a route into university. It is always important to check this with the universities before starting an apprenticeship. The A level route can open up a broader range of higher education options, but this is a debatable subject. Read More HERE.

Work is very different from learning in a classroom and some may not be ready for this. Training Providers can help with this transition.

An apprenticeship is not a work taster or work experience programme. It is for someone who has a focused career idea. Work taster and work experience programmes do exist (for year 11 and year 13 finishers). For some year 11 finishers especially, study programmes and traineeships, often delivered by local training providers, are suitable.