What do they get out of it?
There are lots of benefits to doing an Apprenticeship. Individuals can earn while they learn, and learn in a way that is best suited to them – through hands-on experience on the job.
Earnings
Research shows that apprentices earn, on average, over £100,000 more throughout their lifetime than other employees. Their career doesn’t have to stop at the Advanced Apprenticeship, if they want to go on to University they will find many institutes of Higher Education value their skills and knowledge and will happily offer them a place on a Foundation Degree or other higher level qualifications.
Support during training
Their employer or training provider will make sure they have support. The employer's and training provider's job is to ensure that the apprentice's training fits their personal requirements, offers the skills needed for the job and satisfies national standards. They will also be there to help them through any difficult times.
Prospects
Apprenticeships can be demanding but they are very rewarding. Because Apprenticeships train apprentices in the skills employers want, they give them choices in their career. When they’ve finished they can carry on working, maybe get promoted or go on to higher education in a college or university.
A choice of industries and employers
Apprenticeships have been developed by a wide range of industry sectors and are available with different types of employers from large national companies such as British Gas, BMW and Orange to smaller local companies.
There are more than 200 different types of Apprenticeships available offering over 1,200 job roles. The right one for the individual will depend on their interests, their experience and the opportunities in their area. However, all Apprenticeships include the following elements:
- An appropriate work-based qualification such as a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at either Level 2, Level 3 or Level 4;
- Key Skills qualifications, e.g. working in teams, problem-solving, communication and using new technology;
- A technical qualification such as a BTEC or City & Guilds (relevant to the specific Apprenticeship);
- Other qualifications or requirements as specified by the particular occupation.
Last Updated: 12/04/2012