{"id":19122,"date":"2023-02-06T11:33:17","date_gmt":"2023-02-06T11:33:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ewnews.co.uk\/?p=19122"},"modified":"2023-02-08T07:44:01","modified_gmt":"2023-02-08T07:44:01","slug":"national-apprenticeship-week-expert-tips-for-aspiring-apprentices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ewnews.co.uk\/index.php\/national-apprenticeship-week-expert-tips-for-aspiring-apprentices\/","title":{"rendered":"National Apprenticeship Week: expert tips for aspiring apprentices"},"content":{"rendered":"

Finding An Apprenticeship<\/strong><\/p>\n

This week (6-12th February) is National Apprenticeship Week, and to help aspiring trade apprentices, IronmongeryDirect has created an expert guide including everything you need to know before applying.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What\u2019s an apprenticeship?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Apprenticeships are schemes offered by employers and educational facilities. They offer a combination of on and off the job training to achieve a qualification in the relevant field. You\u2019ll be paid an apprenticeship wage, and will have similar benefits to regular employees \u2013 like sick pay and a holiday allowance. You\u2019ll be completing real working hours, and courses usually last between 1 and 5 years.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What can I get an apprenticeship in?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Apprenticeships are available in just about any career choice \u2013 and we\u2019ll explain how to find the best apprenticeship for yourself in more detail below. Apprenticeships are particularly popular in trade careers because firsthand experience is usually essential to learning more physical, manual or vocational jobs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Who can be an apprentice?<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re interested in taking the first step towards your dream trade career, you\u2019ll need to know if an apprenticeship is suitable for your circumstances. In the UK, you\u2019ll have to meet certain criteria in order to be eligible for an apprenticeship:<\/p>\n

\u2022 You\u2019ll need to be at least 16 years old<\/p>\n

\u2022 You\u2019ll need the right to live and work in England<\/p>\n

\u2022 You can\u2019t already be in full-time education<\/p>\n

\u2022 You can\u2019t already have a similar job<\/p>\n

However, that\u2019s not all you\u2019ll need for a successful apprenticeship. Apprenticeships require hard work, dedication, constructive criticism and growth. Throughout your apprenticeship, you\u2019ll have to demonstrate that you\u2019re capable of being professional and working well with an employer. You\u2019ll need to be punctual, making sure you attend work and training on time \u2013 both your education provider and employer can terminate your apprenticeship if you\u2019re not able to meet the terms of your contract.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Levels and qualifications<\/strong><\/p>\n

Apprenticeships are often available at different levels, and how much experience or the qualifications you already have will often determine which course is right for you. Here\u2019s some of the common apprentice qualifications you can earn:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Apprenticeship Levels & Qualifications<\/strong><\/p>\n

In some apprenticeships, you might pick up additional qualifications along the way \u2013 such as diplomas or first aid courses. If you\u2019re still unsure about which level to go for, you could speak to a college or university providing apprenticeships in your chosen trade for more information.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pros and cons of apprenticeships<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re still wondering whether or not an apprenticeship is for you, we\u2019ve put together some of the most applicable advantages and disadvantages to this kind of program.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Benefits of apprenticeships<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 You can earn on the job \u2013 with the National Minimum Wage for apprentices\u2019 currently starting at \u00a34.15 \u2013 while learning the skills you need to make your apprenticeship a full-time job in the future<\/p>\n

\u2022 You\u2019ll get first-hand employment experience, and develop your work ethic<\/p>\n

\u2022 You\u2019ll learn from highly experienced workers within your industry<\/p>\n

\u2022 You\u2019ll meet new connections and create a professional network<\/p>\n

\u2022 You\u2019ll leave with a recognised qualification<\/p>\n

\u2022 Employers and educators will know your experience level, and will provide you with everything you need to learn<\/p>\n

\u2022 You might be offered full-time employment once your apprenticeship finishes \u2013 but this isn\u2019t guaranteed<\/p>\n

\u2022 You won\u2019t leave with debt from completing the course<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Drawbacks of apprenticeships<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 The national apprenticeship wage is lower than that of standard workers<\/p>\n

\u2022 You\u2019ll have to commit to attending at both your workplace and your educational institute<\/p>\n

\u2022 You might not go to university or college, which could make it difficult if you\u2019d like to swap careers later in life<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sometimes it can be more difficult to find an apprenticeship than other traditional courses and qualifications<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Finding an Apprenticeship<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re interested in completing an apprenticeship, there\u2019s an abundance of programs to choose from out there. Pinning down and reviewing apprenticeships can seem overwhelming at first, but here\u2019s 3 sure-fire ways to find your next career opportunity.<\/p>\n

1) Search online<\/p>\n

One of the easiest ways to find an apprenticeship is simply by taking a look online. You can take a look at an abundance of apprenticeships on the government website, or standard job boards like Indeed, Reed and Totaljobs. Here, you\u2019ll be able to find out more about the courses, what\u2019s required for them, and whether or not they\u2019re suitable for you.<\/p>\n

2) Speak to an education provider or agency<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve decided on an apprenticeship, you can actually approach a college or university directly to find out what they have to offer. This way you can also choose where you study above all else. You can also ask education providers more about the course, and whether or not it\u2019ll get you moving in the right direction.<\/p>\n

3) Contact employers, agencies and recruiters directly<\/p>\n

If you already have an idea of where you\u2019d like to work, you can get in touch with employers directly. Plus, direct enquiries demonstrate drive and interest, which can really help you to get a foot in the door. You can also find apprenticeships through recruiters and agencies, who often benefit financially from confirming a place for you.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How To Get an Apprenticeship<\/strong><\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve found an apprenticeship you\u2019re really interested in, it\u2019s time to get everything sorted for a successful application. Apprentice applications are extremely similar to those of regular employees, but don\u2019t forget \u2013 there\u2019s usually plenty of competition.<\/p>\n

1) Sort out your CV and cover letter<\/p>\n

Firstly, you\u2019ll need a good CV that sums up your experience to date. Make sure you include some information about yourself, your educational history, employment history (if you have one), and details about any previous work experience. You\u2019ll also need to prepare a cover letter to summarise why you\u2019d like to do an apprenticeship in this field, with this employer. If you\u2019re new to CVs and cover letters, there\u2019s plenty of online, educational and government-backed advice services to help you.<\/p>\n

2) Make an application<\/p>\n

While you may have everything down in detail on your CV and cover letter, most apprenticeships will require you to fill out an application form too. You\u2019ll need to carefully answer questions in good written form and represent yourself as the perfect candidate. If you can, have someone else review your application when you\u2019re done to highlight any areas that could do with a little more work \u2013 most applications allow you to save your progress to come back later.<\/p>\n

3) Interview preparation<\/p>\n

If your CV, cover letter and application get you to the interviewing stage, it\u2019s a good idea to get in some interview prep to build your confidence and help you plan good responses. There\u2019s plenty of ways to do this \u2013 you can look online and find mock questions to answer, or you could even ask someone to interview you a few times as practice. Again, you can find plenty of helpful resources online, from educational facilities, or even employment organisations, like the Job Centre.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For more information about careers in trade, visit: https:\/\/www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk\/blog<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Finding An Apprenticeship This week (6-12th February) is National Apprenticeship Week, and to help aspiring trade apprentices, IronmongeryDirect has created an expert guide including everything you need to know before applying.   What\u2019s an apprenticeship? Apprenticeships are schemes offered by employers and educational facilities. They offer a combination of on and off the job training […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":19123,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry-news","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/ewnews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/image001-4.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewnews.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19122","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewnews.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewnews.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewnews.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewnews.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19122"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ewnews.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19122\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19136,"href":"https:\/\/ewnews.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19122\/revisions\/19136"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewnews.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19123"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewnews.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewnews.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewnews.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}