Apprentice FAQs
What is an Apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is a technical course which is predominantly taught in the workplace through on and off the job training and accompanying study, normally through a day release to college. As an apprentice you will be employed by an organisation who will train you and support you throughout your learning, whilst also paying you a salary. Depending on the level of study and the industry you choose, your apprenticeship could take you between 12-48 months to complete.
What levels of Apprenticeship are there?
There are various levels of Apprenticeship to apply for depending on current skills and qualifications. Apprenticeships have equivalent educational levels:
Intermediate – Level 2
Equivalent Educational Level – 5 GCSE passed at grade A*-C or 9-4
Advanced – Level 3
Equivalent Educational Level – 2 A Level Passes
Higher – Level 4, 5, 6 and 7
Equivalent Educational Level – HND Level and above
Degree – Level 6 and 7
Equivalent Educational Level – Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree
All apprenticeships include elements of on and off the job training leading to industry recognised standards or qualifications. Some apprenticeships will require an assessment at the end of the programme to assess the apprentice’s ability and competence in their job role.
What can I expect to be paid as an Apprentice?
Your salary will be determined by your employer who’ll take into consideration your age, experience and potential. The minimum wage for an apprentice is £7.55 per hour. This rate applies to the first 12 months of an apprenticeship, regardless of age. It will then increase to the National Minimum Wage for your age group. However, your salary is at the discretion of your employer and in many instances you could be paid more than the National Minimum Wage.
If you are upskilling in a current job role, your salary may stay the same. Find more details at www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates
Do I need to be employed to do an Apprenticeship?
Yes. All apprentices must be employed, working a minimum of 30 hours a week before we can offer them a training programme.
Don’t worry – sometimes it can be hard to find the right role and employer to suit you. Our apprenticeship specialists will continue to work with you and our employer partners to find you the right apprenticeship. As soon as you secure employment, you can transfer from your college course onto your apprenticeship, no matter how far along you are on your course.
Can anyone become an Apprentice?
Apprenticeships are open to anyone 15+ years old and have officially left school, and not in fulltime education, you can become an apprentice.
As an apprentice, you must have an employer as they will support you through your apprenticeship and invest in your training. Many apprenticeships, just like other courses, will have entry requirements, so please check this with a member of our team or check out the course listings on our website.
However, competition for places with employers can be fierce, so you will need to show that you are committed, and aware of your responsibilities to both yourself and the company who would employ you. You also need to be happy to work as both part of a team and individually, and be able to use your own initiative.
Is an apprenticeship as good as any other levels of study?
Yes. An apprenticeship is an challenging, if not more so than any other type of study within a college or university setting. As an apprentice you will be expected to work a minimum of 30 hours per week. This may not include additional hours for your studies and a day release to college. It is hard work, but employers recognise the effort required to succeed and will know that you have shown a great level of dedication and commitment to your job role and qualification.
Do Apprenticeships have entry requirements?
All apprenticeships, including those at Preston College, have entry criteria, and some will differ from others depending on the type of programme and level you wish to study. It is definitely worth visiting our website to see what the entry criteria is for each apprenticeship – as they will all differ. All apprenticeships will require a level of maths and English. If you have not achieved your maths and English at Grade C/4 above, you may be required to study these alongside your apprenticeship. Please note that if you are over 19 years of age, you will not be required to study maths and English alongside your apprenticeship. Prospective apprentices will be asked to take an initial assessment and college interview.
How will I be assessed as an Apprentice?
Assessment for an apprenticeship is continuous throughout your programme, through a mix of on-the-job and off-the-job training. Most apprenticeships require written assignments, workplace or industry demonstrations and portfolio building. You’ll be assigned a work-based-tutor who’ll support and train you throughout, and a workplace mentor who will be a work colleague and ensure you are on track with your work. At the end of the apprenticeship you’ll be required to take an End Point Assessment (EPA) to assess you on everything you’ve learnt on your apprenticeship. Training for this will be throughout your apprenticeship, giving you plenty of time to prepare.
Can I do an Apprenticeship if I have a degree?
Yes. Apprenticeships can be funded at the same or lower level than a qualification you already hold, if the apprenticeship allows you to acquire substantive new skills and we can show that the content of the training is materially different from any prior qualification or a previous apprenticeships you have done.
How do I apply to become an Apprentice?
If you are a school leaver you can apply here.
If you are an adult or college student and are looking to secure an apprenticeship now, you can apply here or view our many vacancies here and apply direct to the employer.
What happens after I have applied to become an Apprentice?
If you find an employer, we will make arrangements to visit the company. We will also invite you to college to for an interview and initial assessment to ensure you enrol on to the correct type and level of Apprenticeship. If you haven’t yet secured an employer, we will invite you in for interview and initial assessment and then work with you to help secure employment.
What happens if I’m unsuccessful?
If you didn’t quite make the grade to get on to an apprenticeship, or you are struggling to find an employer, don’t worry! Apprenticeships can be very competitive and for some individuals your journey onto an apprenticeship might start with a full-time or part-time course at college. This will give you the opportunity to develop your skills and abilities to progress into an apprenticeship in the future. Many of our college students have made the transition from classroom-based study into apprenticeships.