Why are Apprenticeships brilliant Careers What are Apprenticeships

Why are Apprenticeships brilliant? Careers@

What are Apprenticeships? An apprenticeship is a combined package of work and study. An apprentice will be employed by a company and paid a wage for the work that they do (the amount depends on the sector, region and apprenticeship level. ) Apprentices are entitled to the same rights as other employees: a contract of employment and at least 20 days paid holiday per year, plus bank holidays. All apprenticeships include on and off the job training and can last from 1 – 6 years (again depending on the level) Apprenticeships are available in a wide range of industries including; accounting and business; pharmaceuticals; engineering; advertising and marketing; journalism; legal services; surveying and many more. There are various levels of apprenticeships you can apply for. Careers@

What are Apprenticeship levels equivalent to? Name Level Equivalent educational level Intermediate 2 5 GCSE passes at Grades A*– C or 9 – 4 Advanced 3 2 A level passes Higher 4&5 Higher Ed. Certificate/Diploma or a Foundation degree Degree 6&7 Bachelor’s or Master’s degree Careers@

Why choose an Apprenticeship? Earn while you learn! Build your CV and experience in the workplace Achieve a Qualification at the end A rewarding alternative to University www. apprenticeships. gov. uk Training with internal and external providers Treated as normal employee Potential to stay on as full time employee

What could I earn? Apprentices aged 16– 18, or aged 19 or over and in the first year of the apprenticeship, will earn at least the minimum wage for apprentices (£ 3. 90 per hour from April 2019). Many companies pay more than this, particularly for higher level apprenticeships: ● An aerospace engineering apprentice at BAE Systems UK can earn £ 23, 550 per year. ● An IBM apprentice starts on £ 20, 000 in the first year. ● A higher accountancy apprentice can earn over £ 13, 000 per year. ● A software engineer apprentice can earn around £ 14, 500 per year. Apprentices can potentially earn upwards of £ 300 per week Benefits could include a pension, access to a car, leisure facilities, a relocation allowance or paying tuition fees !! Many employers advertise roles with a ‘competitive salary’. This could mean the salary and benefits will be in line with similar roles for other organisations, or that it depends on your current skills and experience. . Careers@

Degree Level Apprenticeships Degree level apprenticeships are Level 6 and above. Level 6 is equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree and Level 7 is equivalent to a Master’s degree. There are more degree-level apprenticeships available than ever before, and they’re a great option if you’ve completed a Level 3 qualification (either an apprenticeship or A-Levels) School-leaver programmes are worth considering too; these are usually offered by big companies who have the resources to create their own qualifications. Careers@

Degree Level Apprenticeships The number of universities and employers offering degree apprenticeship programmes is growing and new programmes are being developed all the time. Employers are working with universities to create bespoke degree programmes which leads to a degree but is also tailored to meet the specific vocational needs of the employer. (The recruitment of degree apprenticeships is managed by employer’s HR and recruitment teams, in the same way that a job application would be handled). These are now being seen as a real alternative to traditional university study. The attraction being that the costs are co-funded by the government and the employer so as an apprentice you will gain a degree without needing to pay any student fees and you are building your career at the same time. (The average university student leaves university £ 45, 000 in debt) Careers@

Degree Level Apprenticeships Apprentices employed on these programmes combine working with studying part-time at a university. This could be in blocks of time: (e. g. working for 3 months and studying for 3 months, or working 4 days a week and attending university on the other day, or being at university during term time and working for the employer in the holidays) but this is all dependent on the programme and requirements of the employer. You are not guaranteed a permanent job at the end of the programme but you will be ‘work ready’ and highly employable. A degree apprenticeship is as challenging academically as a traditional degree and also has the additional pressures of working at the same time – you need to be disciplined, have good time-management skills and be mature enough to handle responsibilities in the workplace! Careers@

Higher Level Apprenticeships Higher level apprenticeships are Level 4 and 5 and are equivalent to a Higher Education Certificate/ Diploma or a foundation degree There are more degree-level apprenticeships available than ever before, and they’re a great option if you’ve completed a Level 3 qualification (either an apprenticeship or A-Levels) School-leaver programmes are worth considering too; these are usually offered by big companies who have the resources to create their own qualifications. Careers@

Level 3 / Advanced apprenticeships Level 3 apprenticeships are also called Advanced Apprenticeships. These can be started after completion of a level 2 qualification (either GCSE’s at school, or a level 2 apprenticeship). While working, you could gain one of the following: Advanced extension awards, GCE in applied subjects, International Baccalaureate, Welsh Baccalaureate, Key Skills Level 3, NVQ Level 3, BTEC Diplomas & Awards Level 3 apprenticeships can lead to university too! Careers@

Level 2 apprenticeships are the most common starting point for apprentices. Achieving a level 2 qualification is the equivalent of GCSE’s at grades 9 -4 (A*-C) While working, you would gain one of the following • BTEC First Diplomas • Key Skills Level 2 • NVQ Level 2 • Skills for Life Careers@

Level 1 apprenticeships Level 1 qualifications are the following: • BTEC Introductory Diplomas • Key Skills Level 1 • NVQ Level 1 • Skills for life Some apprenticeships offer level 1 qualifications, so you’d go to work as well as gaining these qualifications. Careers@

What grades do I need? Entry requirements vary from programme to programme, and depend on the sector and prior skills. If you have achieved A-levels you may still be expected to start at intermediate or advanced level as some sectors, such as engineering, require you to build up your occupational skills. See examples of entry requirements for Level 3 to Level 6 Apprenticeships: • Unilever requires five GCSEs at grade 4 -9 including English and Maths and two A Levels • IBM requires five GCSEs at grade 4 -9 including English and Maths, plus two years of study • Deloitte requires GCSEs in Maths and English Language, grade 4 or above and 104 Ucas points • British Airways requires five GCSEs 4 -9 plus two A Levels • Transport for London requires five GCSEs 4 -9 plus two A Levels Careers@

Apprenticeship discounts and perks • You’ll be classed as an employee, rather than a student, so you won’t be entitled to student discounts, but the National Union of Students (NUS) has an Apprentice Extra Card. For £ 11 per year you can get discounts on lots of brands. See more at www. apprenticeextra. co. uk. • If you’re doing a degree apprenticeship and have a university email address, you should be able to access other student discount schemes or support. You may also be eligible for discounts on public transport. • Many local schemes are available, like the Apprentice Oyster photo card in London, which gives apprentices 30% off certain journeys. Careers@

Where and how do I apply? • Set up an account on www. gov. uk/apply-apprenticeship This is a free ‘find an apprenticeship’ service where you can search and apply for apprenticeship jobs(jobs are advertised throughout the year). Once you register you can set up email and text alerts to inform you about new apprenticeship roles. • You can also find a range of vacancies at www. ratemyapprenticeship. co. uk as well as over 12, 000 reviews. It’s worth checking directly on employer recruitment sites too. • Head over to www. amazingapprenticeships. com to use ‘Vacancy snapshot’ which provides useful information on well-known employers which may help you with your application. Careers@

When do I apply? Unlike university applications, there is no fixed deadline when it comes to applying for apprenticeships. Vacancies appear throughout the year. Don’t wait until the deadline to apply, some companies close their recruitment as soon as they have sufficient candidates. As a general rule, vacancies with larger companies start appearing in the autumn, but the majority pop up from January or February onwards. Smaller businesses might start recruiting a month or two before the job starts, so if you hope to start work in August or September, you might start looking from Easter onwards. Do check start dates closely, to make sure you’ll have finished school. Start your research early – the sooner the better, so you have time to fill any gaps in your CV with the things employers are typically looking for. Careers@

What do I need to do now? • Start planning early • Get some work experience in the sector you are interested in – this will look great on your CV! • If you are considering an apprenticeship but are unsure of what area, have a look at the websites listed • Investigate what employers and universities offer apprenticeship programmes • Go to university open days and talk to the people who are delivering the programmes to find out more • There a range of different study options so think about what would suit your learning style • Set up an account on www. gov. uk/apply-apprenticeship This is a free ‘find an apprenticeship’ service where you can search and apply for apprenticeship Careers@

Useful links • https: //www. gov. uk/government/publications/higher-and-degree-apprenticeships Government website that provides information for young people on the opportunities, progression and benefits of doing a higher or degree apprenticeship. • www. gov. uk/apply-apprenticeship This is a free ‘find an apprenticeship’ service where you can search and apply for apprenticeship jobs(jobs are advertised throughout the year). • For professional advice on making the right choices, visit: www. nationalcareersservice. direct. gov. uk or call: 0800 100 900 (free from landlines and mobiles). • www. successatschool. org – search career paths, explore career zones to obtain lists of different jobs/sectors and how to get there (whether you're going to uni or not). • www. allaboutschoolleavers. co. uk - here you will find current apprenticeships and school leaver programme opportunities but you can also complete a careers test and 5 industry sectors will be suggested for you to explore. • https: //ft. morrisby. com/ login to Fasttomato for Labour Market Intelligence, psychometric test (which is the best job for you) and career information • https: //www. unifrog. org/sign-in search for apprenticeships and University courses, you are also able to apply search filters Careers@

More useful links • www. notgoingtouni. co. uk – provides advice & guidance on apprenticeships, school leaver jobs, training schemes, employer-funded degrees, etc. You can refine your search by clicking on the employment sector you are interested in. • www. careerfinder. ucas. com – allows you to search for apprenticeships, work and internships. You can also register for job alerts and placement schemes. • www. ratemyapprenticeship. co. uk – apprenticeships, jobs, reviews and careers advice. You can subscribe and get jobs emailed to you. • www. findapprenticeship. service. gov. uk – gives an overview of what apprenticeships are (including the different types available) and you can search and apply for an apprenticeship or traineeship. You can also access the ‘Higher and Degree Apprenticeship Vacancy Listing’ here. • www. amazingapprenticeships. com - use ‘Vacancy snapshot’ which provides useful information on well-known employers which may help you with your application. • www. milkround. com – a career resource where you can search for higher and degree apprenticeships, sponsored degrees, school or college leaver schemes, traineeships, entry level jobs, including careers advice pages. • www. youthconnexions. org (jobs & careers section) - job, apprenticeship and training opportunities for young people in Hertfordshire. (The apprenticeships are added to the site from gov. uk/find an apprenticeship, so there will be some overlap here). • The following are just a few of the many websites who publish job listings where you can search by • city/region/industry/company/salary. Some also have careers advice information. • www. monster. co. uk • www. fish 4. co. uk • www. jobsite. co. uk • www. indeed. co. uk/browsejobs Careers@

Even more useful links • https: //careers. unilever. com/uk/en/apprenticeships Unilever • https: //www 2. deloitte. com/uk/en/pages/careers/articles/brightstart-business-apprenticeship-scheme. html? icid=top_brightstart-business-apprenticeshipscheme# Deloitte • https: //careers. tfl. gov. uk/category/apprenticeships/ Transport for London Careers@