#NAW19 Five Apprenticeship Myths…

They’re not for academics

Apprenticeships are very competitive and you need to have the appropriate attributes and skills for the job advertised. Alongside getting hands-on experience in the workplace, apprentices must study the theoretical side of the industry. This takes hard work and determination.

Apprentices don’t earn very much

Apprenticeships are government and employer funded so you are entitled to the National Minimum Wage. The current minimum wage rate for an apprentice is £3.70 per hour. This rate applies to apprentices under 19 and those aged 19 or over who are in their first year.

As your level increases, your pay is likely to also. Higher apprentices can see increased earnings of around £150, 000 over their lifetime.

You won’t get a good qualification

All apprenticeships must include an element of training, which lead to some form of qualification. In England, there are three levels of apprenticeships which lead to different levels of qualification:

Depending on the scheme, apprentices will gain a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ); a Functional Skills qualification; a technical certificate, such as a BTEC Higher National Certificate (HNC) or a Higher National Diploma (HND); or a foundation degree.

You won’t get a full time job

Apprenticeships are a mix of on- and off-the-job training, but the majority of learning takes place in the workplace, with some being completely work-based. Most apprenticeships are like a full time job. The number of hours worked must be at least 30 per week, not far off the 37.5 hours worked on regular contracts. They must also last for a minimum of 12 months, normally between one and four years.

National Apprenticeship Statistics show that 7 in 10 apprentices stay with the same employer and a quarter of apprentices are promoted within 12 months of finishing their apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships aren’t relevant to my industry

According to the latest Commons Briefing paper, in 2017/18, there were 814,800 people participating in an apprenticeship in England, with 375,800 apprenticeship starts and 276,200 apprenticeship achievements.

83% of all starts were in four subject areas: Business, Administration and Law; Health, Public Services and Care; Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies and Retail & Commercial Enterprise.

There is a large range of apprenticeships available here at GC, including Accounting, HR, Cyber Security, Construction, Engineering, Hair, Childcare and Hospitality.

For a full list click here.