What is an Apprenticeship?

• An Apprenticeship offers a practical balance between learning a trade and earning a living
• You're paid a small sum to work within a skilled environment and get the skills you need while learning with a local training provider, like a college
• It's becoming a popular career option; since 1996/7 over two million people have started an Apprenticeship and numbers of new starts are increasing every year
• The length of time it takes to complete an Apprenticeship varies; they generally last between one and three years

Find out what Martin and Owain think of their plumbing apprenticeship.

What are my rights as an apprentice?

• You will be paid a minimum of £95 per week, but the average salary is £170 per week and some apprentices even earn over £200 per week
• If you're aged 16-18 your Apprenticeship will be fully funded; for 19-24 year-olds your employer will be expected to contribute to your training costs
• You'll receive work benefits such as pension contributions and holiday periods; each year you will be given at least 20 days' paid holiday as well as bank holidays

What's in it for me?

You can take all kinds of apprenticeships; there are over 180 different career choices in 80 different industries, from childcare to plumbing, tourism or even design. Whatever you choose to pursue, they all lead to National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs), and Key Skills qualifications. Some apprenticeships also offer BTEC or City & Guilds certificates and some can even help you build up UCAS points to apply to university.

If you're clear about your career path, and it requires mastering a practical skill, then an apprenticeship could benefit you. If you're still unsure, it gives you the opportunity to experience a certain industry first-hand. It doesn't guarantee a job for life, but it will give you the opportunity you need to learn on the job and gain valuable skills and experience - which can only appeal to future employers.

Applying for an apprenticeship

Applying for an apprenticeship is very much like applying for a job; you choose where you would like to work and then apply for a place. Search for vacancies on the website for the country you live in (listed in our Next Steps box, right). You can apply at anytime during the year, but if you're successful, the start date for your apprenticeship will be decided by your employer. It's likely that you'll be interviewed, and you might also be asked to take some tests to make sure you're the right person for the job.

For more information on apprenticeships see the article on our sister site Lifetracks.com.

Updated: 12/01/2012