Apprentice FAQs

The Benefits of being an apprentice

They are training programmes designed by employers to give eager applicants the skills and qualifications needed by businesses. They are a combination of on-the-job and off-the-job learning. You can learn and earn so you GET NEW SKILLS and GET PAID! It is as simple as that.
If you like the sound of being paid to learn then you should enrol onto one of our Apprenticeships. With the current fierce competition for jobs there has never been a better time to gain skills that will give you the edge. You’ll receive accredited qualifications without sitting in a class room all week, on-the-job training, paid holidays and widen your opportunities for progression. In addition you can avoid the debt associated with going to university.
Employers all over the country recognise and value Apprenticeships, with 81% recommending them to other employers. An Apprenticeship shows prospective employers that you have been trained and gained the right skills they need. Better still; entering the workforce as an apprentice highlights your commitment.
According to the CBI, in 2014 most companies are expected to increase the numbers of apprentices they take on. For example, the Civil Service doubled its apprentice recruitment in 2013 and the Government has funded the financial services sector £100,000 to promote Apprenticeships.
According to a Populus survey for employers of apprentices, 58% of respondents agreed that Apprenticeships make it simple to get trained staff with the right skills. A recent Government report backs this up with 72% of employers saying Apprenticeships improved their product or service quality.
According to the City and Guilds, 33% of employers have seen apprentices reach management positions within their company. Over 50% said it took five years or less for an apprentice to reach positions of management. Government research also shows 83% of apprentices say Apprenticeships boosted their career prospects.
You are employed to do a job and you enrol on an Apprenticeship. You train towards your qualification through ongoing work-based learning, evidenced by a portfolio and continual assessments. 8 How long does an Apprenticeship take to complete? Apprenticeships take a minimum of twelve months to complete.
You will start to earn from day one of your Apprenticeship. All apprentices must receive a wage of no less than £3.30 per hour, but many employers choose to pay more. Based on this you will earn a minimum of £400 a month or more. As your skills develop it is usual for your pay to increase accordingly. You can also receive additional money for essential books, uniforms and equipment, or to help you with a disability.
Learners must be aged 16 to 64 years and have left full time education. 11 I don’t have much experience or qualifications.
Yes! No experience is necessary, but you must be aged 16 to 64.
If you are aged between 16 to 18, training will be fully funded 100% by the Government. Those aged between 19 and 24 will be funded for 50% of the training cost by the Government and 50% by the employer. Funding for those aged 25+ is currently being reviewed by the Government and a new system will be in place soon. Get in touch with Interserve Learning & Employment for further details.
Vocational qualifications (NVQs), on-the-job training, Functional Skills: English, Maths and IT and employment rights and responsibilities (ERR).
It depends on your employer and what they are able to offer their staff, but as an apprentice you will receive the same benefits as any other employees, which may include health care, pension contributions, subsidised canteen or leisure facilities.
The National Apprenticeship Service found that after finishing, the majority of apprentices (85%) will stay in employment, with two-thirds (64%) staying with the same employer. A third (32%) of all former apprentices had received a promotion within 12 months of finishing, and of those in work, three quarters (75%) reported taking on more responsibility in their job.
A technical certificate is equivalent to five good GCSE passes (level two) or two A-level passes (advanced level). Examples: City and Guilds, Council for Awards in Children’s Care and Education (CACHE), Education Development International (EDI), Vocational Training Charitable Trust (VTCT).
NVQs are competency-based qualifications – this means they offer proof that you can do a job. NVQs are available in lots of different jobs, from administration to animal care. Many employers allow their staff to study for NVQs in work time. They’re available in levels 1 to 5 so you can start at a level suitable for you and work your way up. National Vocational Qualifications are recognised throughout the UK and are achieved by recording what you do at work. They includes on-the-job training.
The Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) is the new framework for creating and accrediting qualifications. Qualifications that use the QCF rules are made up of units. This provides flexible ways to get a qualification. Each unit has a credit value which tells you how many credits are awarded when a unit is completed. The credit value also gives an indication of how long it will normally take you to prepare for a unit or qualification. One credit will usually take you 10 hours of learning. Units build up to qualifications. There are three different types of qualification in the QCF: Award, Certificate and Diploma. You can achieve an Award with 1 to 12 credits; for a Certificate you will need 13 – 36 credits and for a Diploma you will need at least 37 credits. Units and qualifications are each given a level according to their difficulty, from entry level to level 8. The title of a qualification will tell you its size and level. If a qualification includes a unit that you have already been awarded, you can use the unit you have already taken towards that qualification. Units awarded by different awarding organisations can be combined to build up qualifications.

Get started with your NVQ assessments at North West Skills Academy.