Apprenticeships
What are the advantages of doing an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeship levels explained
How can I apply for an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships
What is an apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is a job that allows you to earn money in your chosen sector, while gaining industry-recognised qualifications that will help you to progress in your career.
What are the advantages of doing an apprenticeship?
- You will earn money while you learn
- You will learn skills that will help you to progress in your chosen sector
- You will have better long-term salary prospects
- You will get support from a mentor while you learn
- You will have the opportunity to network with prospective employers
- You will get paid holiday leave
Who can do an apprenticeship?
Anyone who is a UK resident, aged 16 or over and not in full-time education can apply for an apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships are free to access, but your employer may need to make a contribution to the cost of the training element of the apprenticeship; this varies based on the size of the employer and the content and complexity of the learning.
Apprenticeship levels explained
You can undertake an Apprenticeship from Level 2 (Intermediate) right up to Level 7 (Higher). After you finish school it is likely you will enrol on a Level 2 or Level 3 Apprenticeship and then work your way up through the different levels.
More details about levels can be found here.
How much will I get paid?
The minimum wage for an apprentice is currently £3.70 per hour, although the national average apprentice wage for a typical 16-18 year old is between £140-£200 per week. For age 19+, the weekly wage can be higher, depending on previous experience, job role and previous qualifications.
How can I apply for an apprenticeship?
To do an apprenticeship, it is necessary to find an employer willing to take on an apprentice. You can do this in one of two ways:
- Search for vacancies on the National Apprenticeship Service website.
- Look for employers willing to take on an apprentice independently. Your local council, nearby colleges and career services may be able to help with finding an employer who is likely to do this.
If you are already employed
If you are employed already and your employer has agreed to you undertaking an apprenticeship, call us on 023 8087 4874 or email us on apprenticeships@totton.ac.uk. We will invite you to come to the College to meet the team and have an interview and initial assessment. This will help us to gauge if an apprenticeship is the right route for you and what is the appropriate level is for you.
NB You can apply for an apprenticeship without an employer but you will need to secure an employed position, for 30+ hours before you start the programme.
If you are not employed
You should research the industry you are interested in and:
- look at the job role
- make sure your CV is up to date
- look at the requirements for the qualification to check if you meet the entry criteria for the programme that interests you.
You can call our Apprenticeship Recruitment Officer to discuss our current vacancies on 023 8087 4874.
