Are you looking for an apprenticeship but don’t know where to start? Employing an Apprentice has everything you need to know. Apprenticeships are a great way to earn while you learn, and provide you with a real job in a sector you want to train in. Read our 11 top tips on how to find an apprenticeship.
1. Think About Your Strengths, Interest and Personal Qualities
Think about what you enjoy, what you are good at and most importantly, what you might want to spend your time doing. From here, you can begin to establish some of the possible routes you might like to take. If you know you are a great problem solver and love working with numbers, you know you might like to work in finance or public policy.
2. Research Apprenticeships and What They Are
There are a lot of misconceptions about apprenticeships. Before you start looking for one, make sure you know exactly what they are, why you should do one, how to apply for one and what different career paths there are available to you if you did an apprenticeship.
3. Find Out What Industries are Out There
When you start researching different industries, sectors and the various roles available in them, you may be surprised by the number of jobs that you had never heard of before or had never considered for yourself. You can browse industries using our career paths tool.
4. Track & Study the Companies You’d Love to Work For
A great way to find an apprenticeship is to find a company you would like to work for. Many of the UK’s largest businesses offer ways into their business through their early careers programmes, many of which include apprenticeships. When you find some businesses and organisations that interest you, keep an eye on their careers websites and Employing an Apprentice’s apprenticeship jobs board.
5. Find Relevant Work Experience Opportunities
When you have decided that you want to do an apprenticeship and know what kind of sectors you might want to work in, it’s a good idea to do some work experience. Work experience can be beneficial for those who aren’t sure about which jobs and roles are right for them.
6. Attend Events and Careers Fairs
If you are still at school, college or university, and are thinking about finding an apprenticeship, attend one of the many careers events available to you. Careers fairs are an excellent opportunity to meet companies looking for recruits; you can meet the staff, hear about the business, ask any questions you may have, and quickly compare companies side by side.
7. Identify What You Want Out of an Apprenticeship
When searching for the right apprenticeship for you, you must identify why you want to do an apprenticeship. This will help you find the right path for you. You might want to do an apprenticeship because you want to keep learning, but the traditional classroom environment doesn’t suit you, or because you want to get a proper qualification, but you don’t want to pay tuition costs.
8. Think About Which Level Apprenticeship is Right for You
There are four different apprenticeships levels, each advancing in skill and qualification level; They are Intermediate, Advanced, Higher, Degree. When you are looking for an apprenticeship, it’s important that you are searching for one at the correct level for you.
9. Remember Employers Advertise Apprenticeships in the Same Way as Jobs
Even though apprenticeships contain 20% training, they are still a full-time regular job, which means you can search for them in the same way you would a regular job. You can find apprenticeships on the careers or vacancies section of a company’s website, or you can find them listed on jobs boards. Employing an Apprentice has an apprenticeships board, which is full of apprenticeship opportunities.
10. Speak to Careers Advisors and Teachers
Make sure to speak to those around you when you are looking to find an apprenticeship. If you are still at school, college or university, you may have access to careers support. They will help you picture a career path and help you find some of the steps you will need to take to get on that path.
11. Speak to Your Employer About Apprenticeships
If you want to do an apprenticeship but are already employed, speak to your employer about apprenticeships within the company. This is an excellent way for you to grow and develop as an employee and is mutually beneficial for both you and the employer.
You can find lots more information and advice on finding an apprenticeship right for you in our dedicated resource hub. Be sure to also visit our apprenticeship job board to discover live opportunities in your area and sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date with new apprenticeship developments and the latest news.
