What do young people want to know most about Apprenticeships?
The Apprenticeship Support Team by Be More are always on hand to provide impartial information and advice about apprenticeships. Last year they supported thousands of residents across the Liverpool City Region. From the start of the year young people begin to think about leaving school and starting a career. Many think about heading to University and may not have heard about or considered an Apprenticeship. Here are the six most common questions that are asked when the Apprenticeship Support Team deliver their information sessions into schools.
Q1. What types of Apprenticeships are there? There are over 580 different apprenticeships that provide training and experience across a wide spectrum of businesses. Many think apprenticeships are for plumbers and hair stylists, the more practical skilled professions. In fact there are all sorts of professions that you can train for now with apprenticeships from accountancy to aircraft pilots. Each have different entry requirements and different levels, so you can follow initial apprenticeships with further ones as you progress through your career. Each apprenticeship has an apprenticeship standard that details what you’ll learn and the skill sets you’ll build.
Q2. Where can I find an Apprenticeship? The vacancy search page on the Be More Website. You can put your chosen job role into the key word search and even the distance you would be prepared to travel to the business that you will be an apprentice with. The Be More website is the one stop shop for apprenticeships in the Liverpool City Region. In addition to looking on this website you may have a shortlist of companies that you might want to work for in your chosen profession and you should search the vacancy pages on their websites too if you don’t see them on the Be More site.
Q3. Will my friends get an apprenticeship with me? When you leave school and college, your career gets underway. While you’re likely to keep your friends from school, apprenticeships are more like being at work than continuing academic study. It is unlikely your friends will also get the same apprenticeship with you with the same employer. But, you will make more new friends during your apprenticeship.
Q4. What sort of support can I expect during the apprenticeship? An apprenticeship is a unique type of training as you will be employed and training at the same time. You’ll spend time in a business and at College or University where you’ll learn the theory you need to be qualified in your chosen profession. In the business you’ll have a manager who will guide you to be the best you can be together with work colleagues who will mentor you to ensure you progress well. The College, training provider or University will also have a tutor who will be helping to train you and build skills that are relevant to the business you work in and the qualification you will be working towards.
Q5. Do all employers pay the same rate per hour? There is a minimum hourly rate that an employer has to pay an apprentice and this is dependent on an apprentice’s age. Businesses with apprenticeship programmes understand that they are investing in their apprentice and building a future member of their team. They will want their apprentice to stay with them once they are qualified, so they often pay a higher rate than the minimum legal hourly rate.
Q6. Is there an upper cut off age to be an apprentice? There is no upper age limit to being an apprentice. The minimum age limit is 16 and sometimes 18 for particular specialised apprenticeship roles. Many mature people build their skills or retrain with an apprenticeship.
For more impartial information or advice about apprenticeships in the Liverpool City Region contact the Apprenticeship Support Team by Be More.
