This month the apprenticeship levy will come into action, which means that there will be even more opportunities available to you. The apprenticeship levy means that large employers with a payroll of over £3 million will have to contribute to the apprenticeship levy ‘pot’ and then in return get value from this ‘pot’ by employing apprentices. With this, it is important for you to make the most of the opportunities that will soon become available to you.
You Will Have More Options
With more employers having to pay into the apprenticeship levy pot, the level of funding available for apprenticeships is set to double by 2020. As a result of this, you’re going to have a lot more apprenticeship opportunities available to you. Employers will soon see apprenticeships as a way to train their staff at all levels.
You no longer have to do an apprenticeship to start your career, but also to progress further. In fact, employers are even starting to convert their traditional graduate internships into higher and degree level apprenticeships. So now you have even higher level opportunities available to you! The increased number of apprentices being at the same level of graduates and interns will continue to raise the profile of apprenticeships.
There will also be a far higher volume and a greater variety of apprenticeships that will be available; from unusual apprenticeships to more higher and degree level apprenticeships, for example, there will soon be a CMI Level 7 Management Degree Apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships Aren’t Always a Second Choice
The common misconception that apprenticeships are only for people who didn’t do so well at school is being questioned excessively by young people, employers, parents and schools. They are no longer a second choice to University. Suprisingly, it tends to be the older generation who believes this, rather than young people. Whether you’re a straight A or C student, different levels of apprenticeships mean they’re available to you, no matter your qualifications.
Level 2 – Equivalent to GCSE
Level 3 – Equivalent to A-Levels
Levels 4,5,6 – Equivalent to a Foundation Degree and above
Level 6,7 – Equivalent to a Bachelors Degree and above
A lot of people choose to go to University because they don’t want to be stuck in a particular career and a degree means they have more time to think about how they want to spend the rest of their lives. However, the assumption that apprentices will be stuck in a particular career on a lower wage is changing. Traditional routes are beginning to be questioned more and more by Generation Z and are seeing the importance of getting experience and not feeling obliged to conform to the norms of society. In addition to this, with rising degree costs (increasing to £9,250 later this year) apprenticeships are seen by people like you as the more economically viable option.
Degree Apprenticeships Are Becoming More Available
As apprenticeships are changing it doesn’t mean you won’t get a degree by doing an apprenticeship. More and more degree apprenticeships are available especially within big companies and in certain sectors – particularly law, accounting and engineering. If you are interested in doing a degree apprenticeship, you will be employed by the company during the duration of the programme. This usually lasts between three to five years and you are likely to work 4 days a week with one day a week spent working towards the degree qualification, this could either be at university or by distance learning. A degree apprenticeship it is also a great way to get into employment. Not only do you get at least 3 years worth of experience, you are likely to be tied to the employer for a number of years after your apprenticeship has ended.
Although this can be intimidating, it is, in fact, a massive opportunity as you gain more experience to further your career while other graduates may be struggling to get employment with a company they want.
Consider Your Personal Goals
Like university, an apprenticeship is a big commitment and you need to make sure you’ll be happy in the organisation that you could be working in. Before applying for a job, it is always good to have a look at the organisation to see what opportunities there are and to see what they do. When I was looking to get an apprenticeship, I was prepared to go into a number of companies. However, GetMyFirstJob was always the top of my list because I enjoy working in the youth sector and GetMyFirstJob works within that sector. You should look at your own ambitions and goals and match an apprenticeship to what you want to do. For example, if you want to work in events when you’re older but there aren’t any events apprenticeships available; it could be valuable to do an apprenticeship in business administration within an events company. Katie’s, an ex-business administration apprentice wanted “to do something which I enjoy and can be passionate about” and she now works in an international events company. With an apprenticeship, it can take you anywhere and won’t hold you back. The connections you make during your apprenticeship may, in fact, take you further on to the next step with your career ladder.
To read real-life apprenticeship experiences – visit our sparkly new website Apprenticeship Stories.
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