What is an apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is a real job where you receive training, you get paid, and you gain experience. Becoming an apprentice means, you get a job, or you continue the role you already have. During your apprenticeship, you usually spend around 80% of your working time in this day-to-day role and the remaining 20% of the time you will be studying, often in college.
You get paid
You are doing a job while learning, so you receive a wage. This includes the apprenticeship wage plus the national minimum wage, which is updated yearly.
Timescales: 12 to 48 months
The length of your apprenticeship depends on multiple factors, including the area of employment. Apprenticeships leading to higher-level qualifications usually take longer.
Study format:
All apprenticeships involve 80% of your time spent within your workplace. To support your training and development, the amount of time spent learning and training can vary depending on your employer and type of apprenticeships. Here are some of the more common types of study format:
- day release to attend college
- block release at college
- study time away from your day-to-day role within your workplace.
What type of apprenticeships are there?
| Intermediate apprenticeship | Level 2 – equal to five GCSEs at grade 4/C |
| Advanced apprenticeship | Level 3 – equal to A-levels |
| Higher apprenticeship | Level 4/5 – equal to an undergraduate level qualification |
| Degree apprenticeship | Level 6/7 – equal to a Bachelors or master’s degree |