Live Life Team
If you are planning to leave school and begin working straight away it is important that you find work that will allow you to train towards a nationally recognised qualification. If you know what type of work you want to do, then an Apprenticeship may be a suitable option for you.
An Apprenticeship will give you a fully-paid job (usually around £95 per week), whilst train you towards a relevant qualification. The scheme is not for everyone, as it means that you will need to find the time to work as well as study. The time that it takes to complete can depend on the type of work. However, Apprenticeships can typically last between one and five years.
Although there are no entry requirements for most Apprenticeships (other than being a resident of England), for some technical positions GCSE grades of A*-C may be required.
The qualifications that you can obtain through an Apprenticeship include NVQ’s, key skills qualifications, and BTEC and City & Guild Awards.
If you have decided to do an Apprenticeship but not yet found an employer, you can begin a Programme Led Apprenticeship at college. This means that you begin your studies at college and gain some work experience before moving on to find employment.
You can search for Apprentice vacancies on http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk. You can also find out more information on opportunities from Connexions. They can be contacted either by phone (08080 013 219) or their website (www.connexions-direct.com).
