National Apprenticeship Week – Showcasing Learning-On-The-Job

From 8th to 14th February 2021, National Apprenticeship Week in England will focus on what apprenticeships bring to the economy. Building on previous years, this week will look at what an apprenticeship is and why it is becoming increasingly popular. 

What is an apprenticeship?

Effectively, being an apprentice means ‘learning on the job. But as the previous year’s week-long event discovered, there are still many misconceptions and old-fashioned views about apprenticeships.

Being someone’s apprentice is not a new concept. From the middle ages onwards, people have taken on roles to work alongside someone with vast experience in a key skill or industry. As industries changed and new ones were born, the number of apprenticeship opportunities increased.

But modern-day apprenticeship schemes have not been without their problems. During the late 20th century, there was a significant decline in the number of companies willing to offer positions because the scheme was felt to be too restrictive.

Thankfully, with the turn of the century came reform, and thus, the “modern Apprenticeships” schemes came to fruition.

Apprentices were employed and received a wage, whilst working towards a qualification and gaining valuable skills within their chosen industry.

In 2010, Higher Apprenticeships were introduced. The equivalent to a degree or above, the number of over 25s on the scheme increased. And that is great news for both apprentices and businesses.

The benefits of an apprenticeship

There are several key benefits to doing an apprenticeship:

· Earn while you learn – breaking into some industries with no experience is almost impossible. And for many students, the option of learning the ropes over several years without any payment is simply not an option. And so an apprentice fills both these gaps – an apprentice is working on the job and earning a wage, whilst gaining both valuable experiences and skills. Better still, the majority of apprentices are kept on by their employer when they have completed their course.

· Recognised qualifications – apprentices gain qualifications at different levels, depending on the apprenticeship. You can gain level 2 qualifications (equivalent to 5 GCSE passes), to level 3 (the equivalent of A levels) right the way through to level 6, degree level, and level 7, the equivalent to a master's degree.

· Valuable life skills – working in a business, you’ll learn valuable life skills as well as work etiquette, from getting on with co-workers to dealing with customers and management.

· Personalised support – as part of the official apprenticeship scheme, apprentices are assigned a mentor to offer support from setting up work to guiding the apprentice through their course.

· Improve employability – with both qualifications, skills, AND experience, an apprentice immediately improves their employability. And in some industries, these attributes will be prized above all others.

· Receive discounts – as an apprentice, you’ll be a full-time student and that means you are entitled to a National Union of Student (NUS) card. As well as discounts o the high street and online, this card can help towards your living costs too.

· Discover your potential – like other schemes, apprentices can move through a range of levels and options, meaning you could discover a lot more about yourself and your capabilities. The assumption is that apprenticeships are for people who don’t consider themselves to be academic but in truth, apprentices can find themselves working towards a highly-valued qualification with several key industries.

· Paid holiday entitlement – just as with other employees, the apprentice is entitled to a minimum of 20 days paid holiday and all public holidays. This means you can take a holiday, knowing you’ll be paid!

Finding the right apprenticeship opportunity for you

The scheme is run differently in the four nations that make up the UK so it is important you look at the right scheme for you and where you live.

Employers who want to offer apprenticeships must register as a national apprenticeship provider. They have to submit certain paperwork and meet certain standards in what they offer apprentices, and how they will manage the scheme within their organisation.

Make sure that a company offering ‘apprenticeship opportunities’ is doing so through the right channels. If not, you could be at a disadvantage.

When you are ready to find your apprenticeship, you’ll have to search for vacancies near you. Again, there are different websites for you to do this through such as the Welsh Government ‘search for an apprenticeship vacancy’.

There is a broad range of sectors and vacancies on offer, from construction to agriculture, childcare services, digital technology, hair & beauty and more. You can also choose the qualification level, as well as how many hours a week you can commit – the minimum is 16 hours to full-time positions.

Who can become an apprentice?

In most cases, the apprenticeship schemes are aimed at young people looking to transition to working life. But they can also be offered to people who are unemployed, people who have a job but who want to switch careers as well as people who want to increase their skill levels.

This means that a young employee can be an apprentice alongside someone much older, or a skilled, young employee teaching an older person the skills of the job!

On and off the job training

An apprentice will learn on the job by working with colleagues who are experienced, qualified and trained to work with apprentices in the workplace. But an apprentice will also spend time away from work.

This off-the-job training can be online, offered at their place of work or sessions held at a local college or another education provider.

The frequency of these sessions will vary, depending on local arrangements but it could a day every week, part of a working day or for blocks of time, such as a fortnight attending college. Some apprenticeships start with a block of time at college so that the students can be ready for what the work entails.

Is an apprenticeship right for you?

There are many benefits to being an apprentice and there are many people now enjoying interesting careers, knowing that they have a firm foundation for their career after completing an apprenticeship. Why not take a closer look at apprenticeships?