The following information has been taken from the Prospects website and gives you a good overview of what an apprenticeship is. If you click on this link https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/apprenticeships/what-is-an-apprenticeship you will find even more detail about apprenticeships, such as how much you might get paid and how long the apprenticeship will last.
How apprenticeships work
Apprenticeships allow you to combine work and study by mixing on-the-job training with classroom learning. You’ll be employed to do a real job while studying for a formal qualification, usually for one day a week either at a college or a training centre. By the end of your apprenticeship, you’ll hopefully have gained the skills 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 – GCSE level qualifications in English, maths and IT.
- National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) – from level 2 (comparable to five GCSEs) up to level 5 (similar to a postgraduate degree).
- Technical certificates – such as BTEC, City and Guild Progression Award etc.
- Academic qualifications – including a Higher National Certificate (HNC), Higher National Diploma (HND) foundation degree or the equivalent of a full Bachelors degree.
You’ll 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 the application of numbers.
Apprenticeship levels
There are four different levels of apprenticeship:
- Intermediate – equivalent to five good GCSE passes.
- Advanced – equivalent to two A-level passes.
- Higher – equivalent to the first stages of higher education, such as a foundation degree.
- Degree – comparable to a Bachelors or Masters degree.
Entry requirements
As each type of apprenticeship offers a different-levelled qualification on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF), their entry requirements will vary. Generally speaking, they are as follows:
- To apply for an intermediate apprenticeship, you’ll just need to be over 16 years old and no longer in full-time education.
- For an advanced apprenticeship, you’re likely to be asked for prior work experience and at least three A*-C or 9-4 grade GCSEs or equivalent – such as an intermediate apprenticeship qualification.
- As higher apprenticeships are the equivalent of a foundation degree, HNC or first year of a Bachelors, you’ll usually need at least five A*-C or 9-4 grade GCSEs, as well as some Level 3 qualifications in relevant subjects, to apply. Your Level 3 qualifications could be AS-levels, a BTEC National or a level 3 NVQ.
- Degree apprenticeships will have the tightest entry requirements. These may include three A-levels in a specified grade range or a higher apprenticeship qualification, on top of at least five A*-C or 9-4 GCSE grades. It’s likely you’ll be required to have prior work experience.
You can apply for apprenticeships at any time of the year – it all depends on when an employer has a vacancy. You’ll be able to check the specific entry requirements of your chosen apprenticeship once the position opens.