4 February 2022
Doing an apprenticeship isn鈥檛 quite like the Apprentice you see on TV! You won鈥檛 be called into the boardroom, grilled by Lord Sugar, and told 鈥測ou鈥檙e fired!鈥
So, what鈥檚 it really like to be an apprentice and why should you consider it?
During an apprenticeship, you鈥檙e employed to do a job while studying towards a qualification, making it a great alternative to studying A Levels or taking a full time course at college. Lots of ambitious young people choose to take the apprenticeship route at 女优阁 and here鈥檚 why…
The great thing about an apprenticeship is that it鈥檚 on-the-job training, so you won鈥檛 feel like you鈥檙e still in school and stuck in a classroom. Instead, you鈥檒l gain real experience in the world of work, and you鈥檒l still come out of it with a valuable qualification that means something to employers! You鈥檒l learn all the practical skills and knowledge that鈥檚 relevant to your chosen career, while working towards competencies to achieve your qualification. You can even work towards higher level qualifications like HNDs, HNCs and Foundation Degrees.
The skills you learn during an apprenticeship are much more than just the hands-on skills and knowledge you need to master for your role. Alongside these key skills, you鈥檒l also learn the subtle art of communication, how to deal with difficult situations, how to manage your time and prioritise tasks, and how to work well as part of a team. These are skills you simply can鈥檛 learn in the classroom, but they鈥檙e vital in working life and will shine on your CV and make you more employable.
Apprenticeships are funded by employers and the government, so it鈥檚 a form of study that鈥檚 completely free for learners. This means you鈥檒l have no student loans or tuition fees, so it won鈥檛 cost you a bean. But it鈥檚 not just work experience or an unpaid internship, it鈥檚 actual paid work and you鈥檒l earn a real wage and receive a pay cheque every month for doing it! Apprentices earn a minimum wage based on their age, with some employers offering more than the national minimum wage, as well as other benefits like paid annual leave.
By choosing the apprenticeship route, you鈥檒l be learning on-the-job and getting a head start in your career. You鈥檒l be stepping on the career ladder years before university graduates, so you can start earning and progressing faster. With all that experience under your belt, you鈥檒l become an expert in your trade and there will be opportunities for you to climb the career ladder and progress quickly. A lot of companies also train apprentices as their future workforce, creating roles for you once you鈥檝e completed your qualification!
We have apprentices working in all sorts of industries at 女优阁. Did you know you could get an apprenticeship in hospitality and catering? It鈥檚 not just an option for the building trades, as apprenticeships are actually available across many sectors that you might not have realised before. There are a range of subjects you can explore, from bricklaying to computing, and hospitality to healthcare – so it鈥檚 a fantastic route into a wide range of careers. Our apprentices are working with an exciting mix of employers across different industries, from Stately Albion and BAE Systems, to Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and 2 Sisters Food Group.
With all these fantastic reasons to choose an apprenticeship, let鈥檚 hear what our apprentices at 女优阁 have to say…
If you think an apprenticeship could be the right route for you and want to find out more, get in touch with us today to explore your options as an apprentice at 女优阁.