As we emerge from the Covid pandemic and the devastation caused to the jobs market across the UK, with businesses shutting down and people losing jobs, there has never been a better time to look at taking up an apprenticeship. We take a look at ten of the best apprenticeships in Wales in 2022.
Management Apprenticeships
Taking up an apprenticeship in management can be a great shortcut to success in the workplace. Being able to get on the job experience in the management arena while studying for a relevant qualification at the same time will probably put you ahead of others who have gone to university. You will have real-world experience that they lack and this will help you to gain employment after your apprenticeship comes to an end.
You will be shadowing existing managers and learning from them, helping to plan and monitor workloads and to distribute resources within the organisation as well as support staff and manage projects.
Digital Marketing Apprenticeships
The skills that are taught in digital marketing apprenticeships are ideal for a remote working lifestyle and will allow you to work from anywhere in the future. As digital marketing has grown as a field, so too has demand and many companies now allow their digital marketers to work remotely on a permanent basis.
The kind of skills that you can pick up while working your way through this apprenticeship include using search engine optimisation and learning to use the tools that aid in keyword research. You will learn to use analytics software so that you can track key metrics and performance indicators and you will learn to use the most popular advertising platforms. You will also learn how to harness the power of social media. There is a real demand in this area at the moment and the versatile skills that can be learned make this one of the best apprenticeships in Wales in 2022.
Social Care Apprenticeships
This can be a fairly broad area for an apprenticeship and there are many options within social care. You may want to do an apprenticeship to learn how to be a healthcare worker or a personal assistant to someone who is housebound. You may wish to pursue a career in social work, or as a support worker for those with addictions.
These are all areas that can be covered by social care apprenticeships and they all have skills gaps at the moment so there are opportunities there for young people to come through. You will learn how to deal confidently with people and to inspire their trust and cooperation, as well as teamwork and best practices in care.
IT Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships in IT are ideal for the more tech-savvy youngsters who would like to learn how to work in technical support and work their way up to becoming systems administrators and network engineers.
A lot of the initial work in the apprenticeship will be learning how to install and configure software on computers and networks, as well as troubleshooting both software and hardware issues. You will learn about different types of internet connection and both Wide Area Networks (WANs) and Local Area Networks (LANs), as well as how to correct for latency issues and bandwidth problems.
Engineering Apprenticeships
Engineering apprenticeships are ideal for those who are good at working with their hands and making or fixing things. There will be opportunities to do hands-on work with many different types of engineering work and depending on your employer and what sector they operate in, you could even be working with components for jet engines, whether civilian carrier or RAF.
This is a field where there will always be work. Everything around us needs skilled people who can figure out where problems are and repair them to a high standard, or even to fabricate items from scratch where necessary.
Logistics Apprenticeships
So much in the world relies on highly-trained logistics people coordinating the dispatch and arrival of goods in a timely manner. You will learn all about the supply chain and the consequences for things like food security if it takes too long for goods to reach their intended destination.
You will learn how to track shipments from the moment they have been sent to the moment they arrive and how to ensure that they are securely logged on the system so that they can’t go missing, you will also learn stock picking and order matching amongst other skills and there are also specific warehouse apprenticeships.
Accounting Apprenticeships
The role of an accounting apprentice is challenging and fulfilling in equal measure. You will be required to understand relevant taxation information and regulations including the timescales required for filing. You will be expected to deal with paperwork in a timely manner as in this profession not to do so may incur a financial penalty.
You will learn how to help with payroll and how to process invoices for payment. You will also learn to file and how to reconcile accounts and receipts to ensure that the information is accurate and how to use the latest computer filing programs like Xero, Sage and Quickbooks to deal with accounts.
Electrician Apprenticeships
The class-based learning component in electrician apprenticeships is more strenuous than in some other courses as the safety aspects have to be stressed, rehearsed and understood in order to proceed. You will learn about electrical currents and earthing them, about how to successfully run wires through buildings and install electrical outlets.
This is an apprenticeship that will stand you in good stead for running your own business as an electrician, as tradesmen in this area are always in demand. It is something that could prove to be a lucrative line of work for you and provide a good standard of living.
Hairdressing Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships in hairdressing are perfectly suited to people who are quite outgoing by nature, have a good line in banter and are easily likeable. Many of the duties will be simple at first such as dealing with appointments and cancellations, clearing up at hairdressing stations between customers and greeting people when they arrive.
This will progress to cutting, drying and styling hair as time goes on and your skills improve and you will be expected to maintain your own relationships with clients and keep them coming back. This can involve the use of social media such as Instagram and TikTok where you can showcase the work you have done.
Construction Apprenticeships
Covering a wide range of different jobs within the sector, construction apprenticeships could see you doing anything from bricklaying to driving plant vehicles to learning about explosives for demolition. The range of different skills is huge and many of them will be transferable skills like teamwork and good timekeeping.
Construction is a sector that is bouncing back strongly after the pandemic and there will be a lot of projects that have been on hold now getting the green light to proceed . There will be a lot of demand for skills like yours in years to come.
Find the Best Apprenticeships in Wales
The best way to take a step toward finding the best apprenticeships in Wales is to peruse the specialised job board. If you would like to learn more about apprenticeships including apprenticeship levels, how to apply for an apprenticeship and apprenticeship criteria, visit Employing an Apprentice.
If you are not yet decided on whether or not you want to do an apprenticeship, take a look at our reasons to start an apprenticeship page.
