Having so many choices available to you when you’re starting out in your career is a great position to be in. However, it can feel overwhelming and it’s rare to find yourself with a vocation already in mind when you’re taking your first step on the career ladder, or you just fancy a change of direction. Apprenticeships are often overlooked, but with a record number of apprenticeship vacancies available in 2022, you could be missing out if you don’t explore this option.
CV-Library’s guide to apprenticeships explains everything you need to know and what you can expect if you follow the apprenticeship route.
What is an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships combine practical on-the job-training with study for those 16 or over, living in England and not in full-time education. You’ll not only be an employee, earning a wage and accruing holiday, but you’ll gain job specific skills working alongside experienced co-workers, plus you’ll get at least 20% of your working hours to study for your related role.
Apprenticeships are available in over 170 industries and take 1-5 years depending on the level you enter at:
| Level | Equivalent educational level | |
| Intermediate | 2 | GCSE |
| Advanced | 3 | A level |
| Higher | 4,5,6 and 7 | Foundation degree and above |
| Degree | 6 and 7 | Bachelor’s or master’s degree |
The most important thing is to decide on what sort of career you want to embark upon before you choose your apprenticeship. The experience you gain will link directly to your career path, so choose wisely.
The most popular apprenticeships available in 2022
Apprenticeship starts were up by 43.0% in 2021 and according to notgoingtouni.co.uk, they broadly fall into the following types; Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care, Arts, Media and Publishing, Business, Administration and Law, Construction, Planning and the Built Environment, Education and Training, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies, Health, Public Services and Care, Information and Communication Technology, Languages, Literature and Culture, Leisure, Travel and Tourism, Preparation for Life and Work, Retail and Commercial Enterprise & Science and Mathematics.
Business, Administration and Law apprenticeships, which include apprenticeships like Accounting, HR, Management, Banking and Financial Advice, top the list of most popular apprenticeships. There are many more to choose from, including a brand new Paraplanner apprenticeship and a Level 7 Solicitor apprenticeship.
How does an apprenticeship work?
The good news for apprentices is that the government and your employer will usually meet the tuition fees of your apprenticeship and as an employee, you will be paid a salary by your employer.
The funding available for employers depends on the size of the business and the age of the apprentice. Large employers pre-pay the cost of apprenticeships through their Apprenticeship Levy contributions, while small or medium sized businesses can claim government funding to cover 95% of their training costs.
In a further bonus, there are currently a range of incentive payments available for employers to hire apprentices of all ages so the interest to introduce apprenticeships in the workplace is growing fast.
Salaries and minimum wages for apprentices
As an apprentice, you will receive the apprenticeship minimum wage (apprentice rate), at the very least, for your first year. After that minimum wage depends on your age group and you can often earn even more:
| Rate from April 2022
|
Current rate(April 2021 to March 2022) | Increase
|
|
| National Living Wage | £9.50 | £8.91 | 6.6% |
| 21-22 Year Old Rate | £9.18 | £8.36 | 9.8% |
| 18-20 Year Old Rate | £6.83 | £6.56 | 4.1% |
| 16-17 Year Old Rate | £4.81 | £4.62 | 4.1% |
| Apprentice Rate | £4.81 | £4.30 | 11.9% |
Apprenticeships come in all shapes and sizes, so you should be able to find one that suits you perfectly. There are many other benefits for choosing an apprenticeship. If you are undecided whether this is the right path for you, consider the following points:
The benefits of an apprenticeship
Earning while you learn means you’ll be obtaining that elusive work experience that every candidate needs in order to stand out in a competitive market. You will also be gaining skills and experience that will help you progress and climb the career ladder. It is unlikely you will receive this sort of experience at university or college, unless you secure an internship, voluntary work, or work part-time during your studies.
By applying to apprenticeships, you’re also bypassing the ‘need’ for experience and most employers want apprentices, so they can be trained up and taught on specific skills and standards.
Finally, by applying for an apprentice scheme, you don’t need to worry about being turned down over a lack of experience, as it’s completely expected!
How to actually become an apprentice
There are a few methods for finding an apprenticeship. Job boards like CV-Library have dedicated page for available apprenticeships. You could also visit your local college or training provider to see what apprenticeships they have available. Additionally, a simple Google search will pull up a wide range of apprenticeships available to you and don’t forget to check social media. Search terms like #apprenticeships #jobsearch #apprenticejob can also help.
What do employers look for when recruiting apprentices?
Firstly, it’s essential that you have a well-presented CV with the correct punctuation, spelling and grammar. A fantastic way to help you build and tailor your CV is to use our Free CV builder. This tool gives you multiple options when thinking of ideas for you CV as well as giving you suggestions and recommendations on what employers look for when they come across a CV.
Before you submit your CV, get someone to check it! It’s one of the easiest tasks and can make a huge difference. Spell check alone isn’t enough. You’ll probably be rejected instantly if a recruiter has a choice of CVs to read for one position and yours is full of errors and missing key information.
So, what are employers looking for in a successful CV for an apprentice? You may not have much work experience to share but employers will want to get to know more about you and understand the person you are. For example, do you play sports, belong to a club, have any relevant hobbies you can talk about?
If you do have previous work experience, you should always include this on your CV. Another key piece of information is your grades – most apprenticeship jobs want people to have at least a grade 3 or 4 in Maths and English at GCSE level.
If you received lower than this, don’t panic too much. There are many Functional Skills courses which you can take to bump up your GCSE results during the apprenticeship. And remember, you can quite easily impress an employer with your dedication, enthusiasm, desire to work hard and any other soft skills you’ve picked up along the way.
The next stage will be an interview and you can get all the tips and advice you need here but for now we hope that this initial guide to apprenticeships has been useful.
Best of luck in your search!
