Become an apprentice by applying for apprenticeships
"Become an apprentice today and kickstart your career!"
Become an apprentice and start to enjoy the benefits that hundred of thousands of people are already enjoying. As an apprentice you will receive on the job training from an employer whilst being supported by either an apprenticeship training provider, college or university.
By registering to become an apprentice you are one step closer to kickstarting a long lasting career in your chosen field. Apprenticeships are a great first step into the world of work enabling you to learn the skills and knowledge to be successful.
If you have any questions about how to become an apprentice please feel free to drop us a line: Contact Us
Your first steps into employment can be very daunting to say the least, not to mention worrying whether you will be able to complete the tasks required to successful perform your job to the level required. By starting an apprenticeship and becoming an apprentice the worry and risk of not knowing whether you are conducting the job correctly are removed as you will be given the correct training and will be supported by a mentor and an apprenticeship training provider, college or university.
As an apprentice you will gain the skills and knowledge to be able to perform your duties to your highest capability and along the way you will be paid a salary and receive all the benefits full-time employees receive, oh and did we mention you will also receive a nationally recognised qualification.
An apprenticeship is a form of on the job training to further your education and comes with a salary plus you can study towards a nationally recognised qualification.
During your apprenticeship you are required to attend off the job training with either a training provider, college or university for the theory element of your apprenticeship course. Sometimes your training provider can be your employer if they are registered as an "employer-provider" on the register of apprenticeship training providers, which also enables them to provider training services to other companies.
We have put together guide to explain just exactly "What is an apprenticeship?"
There a number of qualifications ranging from a Level 2 NVQ or BTEC then upwards to a degree level apprenticeship where you can study for a Bachelors or Masters degree.
You can start an apprenticeship pretty much anytime post 16yrs of age which is the legal requirement for you to be able to become an apprentice. At the age of 16 you have two choices of apprenticeship levels depending on your GCSE results.
Intermediate Apprenticeships - There is no set qualifying criteria for a Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship however some companies may request at least two GCSE's graded 9-4 or A*- C on the old grading system.
Advanced Apprenticeships - The minimum qualifying criteria for a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship is 5 GCSE's at Grade 4-9, alternatively if you have completed a Level 2 apprenticeship your natural progression is to the advanced level.
Historically apprenticeships have been associated to the 16-24 age group however there is no upper limited on age when it comes to apprenticeships. It is becoming more common for adult apprenticeships to be introduced to work places to encourage employees to develop their knowledge and skills through apprenticeship training.
There are over 700 different types of apprenticeships across 150 or more different industries.
If you are considering becoming an apprentice your choices for starting an apprenticeship are unlimited as nearly any industry you can think of offer apprenticeships from telecommunications to banking and finance, you name it we guarantee there will be an apprenticeship standard for it.
You can do a traditional plumbing apprenticeship to a cyber security apprenticeship nowadays, for a full list of apprenticeship sectors please refer to our advanced apprenticeship search.
Become an Apprentice
We've highlighted the top 7 reasons why you should become an apprentice and kickstart your career through the apprenticeship route.
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Apprenticeship Levels
There are four main types of apprenticeship levels, knowing which one you qualify for is important before you make your application.
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Apprenticeships Explained
Not quite sure what an apprenticeship is and how an apprenticeship will help you with your career development.
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Register as an Apprentice!
Register to become an apprentice on the UK's leading website for apprenticeships!
• Earn a salary whilst training
• Gain a nationally recognised qualification
• Receive debt free training
• Kickstart your career
We advertise thousands of apprenticeships on a daily basis from leading apprentice employers and apprenticeship training provider all across the UK.
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Intermediate Apprenticeships are your entry level into the world of apprenticeships more commonly known as a Level 2 Apprenticeship. Level 2 apprenticeships offer an excellent route into further education post 16, as an alternative to staying on at school, whilst receiving on the job training and studying towards a nationally recognised qualification.
During your intermediate apprenticeship you will study part-time with a college or a training provider, 20% of your training, towards an NVQ Level 2 and knowledge based qualification such as a BTEC, together these qualifications are the equivalent to 5 GCSE's grades 9 - 4 (A* - C on the old grading system). You will also receive a Level 2 Functional Skills in Maths and English if you don't already have them.
An Intermediate Apprenticeship is great for learning work related skills as apposed to being given more responsibility. This level of training will make you work ready and train you in the hands on skills required to undertake the responsibility of the task and give you the employability skills you need to be successful.
Qualifying Criteria
There is no formal qualifying criteria for a Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship however some employers may ask for a minimum of 2 GCSE's to be able to join their apprenticeship programme.
Advanced Apprenticeships or commonly known as Level 3 Apprenticeships are the equivalent to doing 2 A-Levels and are the next level from an intermediate apprenticeship. Level 3 apprenticeships are great for you to start once you have completed your GCSE's and have attained the correct grades to be able to start at this level.
Starting at the advanced level even if you already have A-levels enables you to gain on the training, of which some employers prefer you to have before starting a Higher or Degree apprenticeship.
Just like an intermediate apprenticeship you will be required to spend at least 20% of your time studying with a college or training provider to be able to achieve the qualifications. On completion of you r apprenticeship you will achieve the equivalent of 2 A-Levels in the form of an NVQ Level 3 and a knowledge based qualifications such as a BTEC diploma.
Qualifying Criteria
To qualifying for a Level 3 advanced apprenticeship many employers ask for a minimum of 5 GCSE's which must include Maths and English, this is why an intermediate apprenticeships gives you these qualifications on completion. Although an advanced apprenticeships is the equivalent of 2 A-Levels some employers may add A-Levels as their requirement at this level also.
Find companies advertising advanced apprenticeship jobs on our website.
Higher Apprenticeships are your Levels 4 and 5 qualifications and enable you to study towards a HNC or HND respectively whilst at Level 5 you can also attain a foundation degree which is great if you want to continue in your studies towards a bachelors degree.
During your higher apprenticeship training you will be required to studying part-time with a training provider, college or university which along with your on the job training will enable you to train towards a Level 4 or 5 NVQ and BTEC diploma along with their respective HNC or HND qualification. Higher apprenticeships can take up to four years to complete.
As a higher apprentice you will be given a lot more responsibility which may include managing people or teams or even responsible for managing projects. You will be supported by your employer along side your mentors and tutors making sure to advise and guide you along the way during your apprenticeship programme.
Qualifying Criteria
To qualifying for a higher apprenticeship you will need to have achieved and completed at least a Level 3 Apprenticeship or have 5 GCSE's grades 9-4 which must include Maths and English and 2 A-Levels.
Find companies advertising higher apprenticeship jobs on our website.
Degree apprenticeships were introduced in September 2015 and have been receive with open arms both by employers and apprentices alike. Also known as Level 6 or 7 apprenticeships the degree level apprenticeship enables you to study towards a Bachelors or Masters degree.
You can start a degree apprenticeships straight after your advanced apprenticeship level or alternatively if you want to gain more on the job training before the Level 6 programme you can overlap from a higher apprenticeship programme. Many employers are now partnering with leading universities across the country to offer degree level apprenticeships to help advance your learning opportunities.
Just like studying at university a degree level apprenticeship takes between 3 to 6 years to complete you will achieve this by on the job training with your employer and training provider and then part-time study at the designated university for your apprenticeship course.
Qualifying Criteria
To qualifying for a degree apprenticeship you will need to have at least Level 3 qualifications of 2 A-Levels, NVQ and BTEC or have completely the advanced apprenticeship. Level 6 and 7 are also a natural progression from a higher apprenticeship.
Find companies advertising degree apprenticeship jobs on our website.
How do I become an apprentice?
To become an apprentice you need to register and then search for apprenticeships, once you have successfully found a suitable apprenticeship you will be able to apply within minutes.
Will I get paid as an apprentice?
As an apprentice you will receive a wage just like a permanent member of staff. You will either receive an hourly rate or annual salary.
How many hours a week do apprentices have to work?
As an apprentice you are required to work a minimum of 30 hours per week to be able to complete your apprenticeship training. Many companies require apprentices to work more hours, in line with their permanent employees.
Can I do a degree through an apprenticeship?
Many companies are working along side universities to be able to offer degree apprenticeships which means you can study and train on the job towards a bachelors or masters degree.
How long does it take to complete an apprenticeship?
Depending on the level of apprenticeship and the subject area you are studying an apprenticeship can take from between 12 months and five years.
How much will I get paid as an apprentice?
The pay you receive is dependant on the employer. Apprenticeships are promoted just like full time jobs and a salary is discussed before starting your apprenticeship training. The average salary for apprentices in the UK is £15,000 - £20,000.
Can I do more than one apprenticeship at a time?
It would not be possible to do two apprenticeships at the same time due to the commitment needed to each employer by the apprentice.
You can however do a 2nd Apprenticeship at the same level, but in a different subject, when you have completed your apprenticeship.
What is an apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is a form of further education which offers on the job training for you to gain a nationally recognised qualification whilst studying part-time with an apprenticeship training provider, college or university through workshops or classroom training.
Apprenticeship training has to be delivered by a registered apprenticeship training provider which can also be an employer-provider, where the employer you are training through are on the register of training providers to be able to deliver their own training requirements. If an employer acts as an employer-provider they will usually employ a number of people such as Apprenticeship Assessors, Mentors and Managers to support you through your apprenticeship programme.
During your apprenticeship you will receive a salary and all the other benefits permanent employees receive. An apprenticeship job is only for a specified time as stipulated at the beginning of your apprenticeship training which can last anything from 12 months to 5 years.
To find our more about apprenticeships please refer to our What is an Apprenticeship? guide.
Why should you start an apprenticeship?
If you are considering your post 16 options you probably wouldn't have considered an apprenticeship a few years ago and would be struggling or worrying what to do when you leave school. It is a legal requirement for you to now stay in some form of further education until the age of 18 and you now have three options A-Levels, College or an Apprenticeship.
You can start an apprenticeship at the age of 16 through the Intermediate or Advanced level apprenticeship programmes across many industry sectors from Construction, Technology or even Marketing. There are no entry requirements for the intermediate apprenticeship, however you will need at least 5 GCSE's at grade 4 (previously C grade) or above to qualify for the advanced apprenticeship. On completion of the intermediate you will gain the qualifying criteria for a level 3.
The best reason for starting an apprenticeship is on completion of each level you will receive a nationally recognised qualification from an NVQ all the way up to a degree level apprenticeship such as a Bachelors or Masters.
How can you become an apprentice?
There are a number of ways to become an apprentice so we thought we would list them for you:
- Register with websites like ourselves, there are others available.
- Apprenticeship Job Fairs are great for meeting employers and training providers.
- Contact training providers in your area, a simple Google search "Training providers near me" will give you the information you need.
- Contact your local colleges or universities or visit their websites to see if they offer apprenticeship training.
- UCAS promote apprenticeship opportunities on their website on behalf of employers.
and finally......
- Do some research on apprenticeships and find a topic or industry that you would like to start an apprenticeship in and then research local companies in those sectors and visit their websites to see if they offer apprenticeship training and apply directly with them.
FAQs about Becoming an Apprentice
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