20th March 2024
6th February 2023
National Apprenticeship Week 6th – 12th February
Chances are you’re starting to think about what you might like to do after you leave school or college. Did you know that an apprenticeship could be your ticket to a high-skilled job straight out of education? And what’s more, you’ll get paid a wage and gain qualifications without having to take on any student debt.
Here are our top 5 reasons to apply for an apprenticeship:
1.You’ll get paid a wage
Apprenticeships are now a gateway into jobs which require higher-level qualifications such as foundation degrees, bachelor’s degrees and even master’s degrees. You could train as an engineer, a software developer, a solicitor, a nurse – there are even apprenticeships in academia!
2. You’ll train in a high skilled job
There is a minimum wage for apprentices, called the apprenticeship wage. This year, it is set at £4.81. It goes up in stages until you get to the age of 23, when it reaches £9.50, so long as you have completed the first year of your apprenticeship. The apprenticeship wage is increased every year. Remember this is the minimum – in practice, many apprentices earn much more.
3. You could get a university degree
If you complete a degree apprenticeship, you will gain a university degree. But unlike with the traditional university journey, you won’t graduate with thousands of pounds of tuition fee debt because your employer will pay the costs for you.
4. You’ll learn on the job
As an apprentice, you will gain the knowledge and skills for your role on the job. You’ll spend most of your time in the office, lab, factory or field, where you will be trained up by experienced colleagues. Depending on your apprenticeship level, you will also study with a training provider, in college or at university, working towards a qualification which will support you in your day-to-day job.
5. You could work in the industries of the future
Research suggests that technology skills, social and emotional skills and cognitive skills are set to grow the fastest over the next decade (see our guide to the future of work). Apprenticeships offer you a way into the most employable industries, from tech and engineering to social care and the creative sector.
Take a look at our guide to 7 apprenticeships you never knew you could do.
Still undecided? Check out the guides below for more answers to your questions. And you don’t need to choose right away! You could apply for university courses AND apprenticeship programmes to keep your options open.
• Should I apply for an apprenticeship or go to university?
• How to find an apprenticeship
We’ve got tonnes of apprenticeships from big employers on the Success at School website, check them out today and get applying: