Apprenticeships

An Apprenticeship is a real job with relevant qualifications attached to it. In some ways, it’s a ‘best of both’ between working (so earning money and getting experience) and attending college or university to get qualified.

If you are looking for an apprenticeship the first place to check is the Find An Apprenticeship (FAA) website, www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship It is a free to use tool and around 90% of all apprenticeship vacancies are posted.

You would think that the obvious answer to that question is a person or organisation who provides training. Whilst that is certainly true, in the world of apprenticeships, the term training provider has a very specific meaning too.

Industries that are very project-based tend to employ a lot of freelancers or contractors, who move from job to job. The construction industry has long managed Shared Apprenticeship Schemes!

An Apprenticeship is a real job with relevant qualifications attached to it. In some ways, it’s a ‘best of both’ between working (so earning money and getting experience) and attending college or university to get qualified. Basically, you are being paid to learn.

We recently talked to Alyce, a Landscaping Apprentice with Grosvenor Estates in London. To get a slightly different view, we’ve also spoken to Ann, an apprentice working in horticulture for the City of London City Gardens. Here’s what she had to say about being a landscaping apprentice.

Luke: “Yes! What have you got to lose by applying for an Apprenticeship? I remember working out the pros and cons between apprenticeships and college, and the apprenticeship won hands down.” Shane: “An apprenticeship is quite a step up from school; and I think you grow up quickly.”

At just 18 years old and in his first year of full-time employment, Euan can’t believe the responsibility he is trusted with already. Euan: “I was always fairly driven at school so I knew University wouldn’t be enough for me. I started researching Apprenticeships in business disciplines.”

From ‘playing host’ to family and friends as a child, Jeremy is now doing the job for real as the General Manager of a prestigious hotel.
He shares the amazing opportunities his career choice has given him.
Jeremy: “I really enjoyed home-cooking when I was young; I loved the idea of entertaining people.

I’ve wanted to recruit staff and so started exploring the Apprenticeship route. That’s how I met Jamie. I thought he’d do an Apprenticeship in Business but he was interested in Law, so there is the Paralegal (Level 3) and Chartered Legal Executive (Level 6) Apprenticeships, so we have followed that route.

Hello, my name is Alyce and I am a Landscape Apprentice, working in the Landscape Management team for Grosvenor Estates. I am studying a Level 3 in Horticulture Supervision at Capel Manor College; I completed my Level 2 in 2017.
The UK landscape industry employs over 278,000 people and contributes £11.6 billion to our economy.

Hello. I’m Abigail and I’m the Emerging Talent Co-ordinator Apprentice here at The AA. I’m taking an Apprenticeship in Business Admin at Level 3. I have to say that I had no idea what ‘Emerging Talent’ was before I started working here but I work with people who are joining an Apprenticeship programme.

Berthon’s apprenticeship program has been established for more than 100 years, and today many of their employees have been with them for their entire careers. Each year there is a new intake choosing to build skills in Marine Engineering, Marine Electrics & Electrical Installation, Boat Building, and Painting & Spraying.

The Level 4 Construction Quantity Surveying Technician Apprenticeship and the Degree Level Quantity Surveyor. It is not unusual for those who trained in construction, such as bricklaying, to go on to become a QS through this route; their experience gives them great insight into understanding projects.

An Optometrist is a medical professional who specialises in eye care. Toby Fisher has always had his eye on this as a career and tells us how focussing on his apprenticeship has set him in the right direction and how you don’t always have to take the traditional A-Level route.

How we build our homes and how we live in them has a massive impact on the environment. From starting out in a ‘fossil-fuelled’ job, System Engineer
Dan Murray tells us how he has made the switch to focus on a more climate-friendly future.

Most Specsavers stores have a busy in-store laboratory where a talented team of technician produce finished spectacles to the highest possible standards. Colleagues in this role will be using the latest computer-controlled equipment to cut the lenses and fit them into the frames.