Apprenticeships can be a fantastic way to gain valuable experience and qualifications whilst also earning a decent paycheque. It’s ideally suited to those who want to get practical work experience in a particular sector of work i.e. engineering, accounting, project management and so on.
In honour of National Apprenticeship Week, I would like to outline some important information relating to the world of apprenticeships.
So, in today’s post, I will be touching on the following topics:
- The different types of apprenticeships available to you
- Local providers & their popular schemes
- The general pros and cons of apprenticeships
What are the different types of apprenticeships available to you?
There are 4 main types of apprenticeships available in the UK:
Intermediate Apprenticeship (16+)
- This is a level 2 qualification, available to those 16 and older who may need lower entry requirements to get onto an apprenticeship scheme.
- It is equivalent to 5 GCSEs, and you are required to take a functional skills assessment if you don’t have a pass in GCSE Maths and English.
Advanced Apprenticeship (16-18)
- As a level 3 qualification, advanced apprenticeships belong to the ‘further education’ category and are typically carried out over 2 years between 16-18 years old.
- It is an alternative to sixth form and college and enables a person to gain a qualification equivalent to two A level passes. This would be ideal for someone who wants to gain a high-level, nationally recognized qualification, whilst also earning a salary.
- The entry requirements for an advanced apprenticeship are 5 GCSEs 4-9, or to have successfully completed the level 2 intermediate apprenticeship (please see above).
Higher Apprenticeship (18+)
- Higher apprenticeships are considered higher education (HE) as they are qualifications that start at level 4, equivalent to first year of university and go all the way up to level 7, which is equivalent to a master’s degree.
- The beauty of a higher apprenticeship is that you work through each level sequentially. After each level, you take an assessment and, provided you pass, you have the opportunity to continue to the next level. If you decide that you don’t want to progress into the next level, then you are able to exit the scheme on the level you are currently at.
- In terms of entry requirements, you have to be at least 18 years old to be eligible for both the higher and degree apprenticeships (see below for the latter). Additionally, you need to have 3 A Level passes (or equivalent), and 5 GCSEs 4-9.
Degree Apprenticeship (18+)
- Similar to the higher apprenticeship, a degree apprenticeship allows you to work towards a full degree qualification whilst working. Like every other apprenticeship scheme, you will be working 80% of the time, and then you spend the remaining 20% of your time studying for a qualification, in this case, a university degree.
- Degree apprenticeships start at level 6, equivalent to final year of an undergraduate degree, and go up to level 7, allowing you to achieve a master’s degree qualification in your sector.
- One of the benefits of this is that you are earning a full-time wage whilst studying for a degree. On top of this, your qualifications are normally paid for by your employer, helping you to avoid the student debt that is usually associated with a university degree.
- Entry requirements: 3 A Level passes or equivalent (level 3) & 5 GCSEs 4-9
Local Providers & Popular Schemes:
There are apprenticeship opportunities all over the country, but even if you plan on staying in Cumbria, you’ve got loads of options too! We have several apprenticeship providers including:
- BAE Systems
- NHS
- Cumbria Council & Police
- Sellafield
They aren’t all focused on STEM subjects either (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths), there is something for everyone. These providers offer various schemes over a wide range of employment sectors such as:
- Engineering
- Project Management
- Information Management & Technology
- Business Administration
- Welding
- Commissioning
- Quality Management
- Therapy
- HR Consultant
- Dental Nursing
- Nursing Associate
Something to think about:
Apprenticeships are hard work, and securing a place on an apprenticeship scheme is difficult, as schemes are highly competitive. It can often be a lot of stress for young people too since you are balancing a full-time job whilst studying for high-level qualifications.
Having said that, they are a fantastic way to gain both academic qualifications and real hands-on, on-the-job experience. It is this experience that will really benefit you once you exit your apprenticeship scheme and start working as a standard employee, you will have been trained for that particular job for several years, and you will no doubt be very good at it.
What are the pros and cons of apprenticeships?
Pros
- You earn a full-time salary.
- You are also entitled to any other employee benefits the company may have, for example sick pay, holiday pay and so on.
- You can gain high level, nationally recognized qualifications.
- You get practical, on-the-job experience.
- You finish without debt.
- Post-apprenticeship employment rates are high.
Cons
- It is a lot of responsibility; you have a job on the line.
- You may miss out on university life.
- Spots are competitive & difficult to secure at times.
- It can be difficult to gain certain careers later in life. If you choose to swap your career, your qualification may not be relevant to the job you’re applying for. This is where a university degree comes in useful as they are more transferable.
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Would you like to know more about apprenticeships and what they have to offer? We’d recommend trying our apprenticeships e-course available here on our website. Additionally, we have an apprenticeship guide which contains all of the important information you may need to know. A digital version of this guide can be found here.
If you have any questions regarding apprenticeships, applications or anything in between then feel free to get in touch with us by sending an email to hellofuture@cumbria.ac.uk or by sending us a message on our social media.
We look forward to hearing from you 😊
