The benefits of an apprenticeship

Apprenticeships are an exciting option - you get hands-on training and also the chance to put your skills into practice.

Apprenticeships are available at multiple levels. Gone are the days of the school leaver stereotype for apprentices. An apprenticeship is for EVERYONE! From school leavers, people up-skilling in their careers or for those that fancy a complete career change.

There are hundreds to choose from too, in all different types of industries and there are all different levels from level 2 (equivalent to GCSE) right the way up to level 6/7 which is equivalent to a degree. An apprenticeship can take anything between one to six years to complete, depending on the level that you choose.

There is so much choice, and it may even seem daunting at first, but fear not, help and advice is out there to get you on the right path for your career. So why an apprenticeship? Read on for our summary of the benefits of becoming an apprentice…

There are many benefits to becoming an apprentice:

• No cost: Apprenticeships are funded from contributions made by the government and your employer. This means you will not have any student loans or tuition fees. You'll just need to cover the cost of your day-to-day expenses, such as lunch and travel.

• Invaluable hands on experience: The best part of an apprenticeship is that you train whilst you work. Learning on the job from skilled professionals is incredibly invaluable and a great way to put your learning into practice.

• Earn as you learn: With an apprenticeship you get to earn a salary whilst you learn. What you earn will depend on the industry, location and type of apprenticeship you choose. Apprenticeships.gov.uk states that If you're aged 16 to 18 or in the first year of your apprenticeship, you’re entitled to the apprentice rate. If you're 19 or over and have completed the first year of your apprenticeship, you’re entitled to the National Minimum Wage. This is the minimum you’ll earn - many employers pay a lot more and offer their apprentices a competitive salary.

• Become skilled in your chosen field: You will receive the training required and gain the qualification that you need for a certain job within your chosen field.

• Study whilst you work: You will study for at least 20% of your working hours - usually at a college, university or with a training provider (like us!) you then complete assessments during and at the end of your apprenticeship to gain your qualification.

• Build a career: With an apprenticeship you are learning the skills that you need to succeed and be on a career path with lots of future potential.

So, to learn a new skill whilst benefiting from on the job training and a salary, an apprenticeship is definitely a good option to consider no matter what your age or experience.

Here at Choice Training we have successfully trained 1,221 apprentices since we opened our doors in 2012. We are a small and friendly college with expert training staff with years of industry experience, in fact, we like to think of ourselves as a “family”!

So, ​if you are employed and over 16, and you work within the industry of the desired course, you can apply to study for an apprenticeship with us even if your employer isn't currently registered with us. If you are interested in an apprenticeship and not currently employed click here to go to the National Apprenticeship Service website to find out how you can get started.

Find out what some of our apprentices have to say about their experience here

Take five minutes to read Harry’s story over on our blog Harry Deller, a former Choice Training student, qualified with a Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Planned & Reactive Maintenance. He is now a Senior Engineering technician at Bank of England. In this story he tells us about his time at Choice Training and where he is now in his career.

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