Getting an apprenticeship after A Levels

[sheepdogdelight]

DS finished A Levels in the summer. No interest in university. He is looking for jobs, but ideally would like to get an apprenticeship (he wants to work in IT).

I'm slightly confused about the "etiquette" around this. He already has Level 3 qualifications so I figured he should be looking for Level 4 or higher apprenticeships. However his grades are not high enough for a degree apprenticeship and Level 4 apprenticeships seem to be extremely rare.

There are quite a few Level 3 apprenticeships offered, which require you to only have GCSEs, but I'm not sure if this is something he can apply for as he already has Level 3 qualifications? Or even whether they would be appropriate?

Any advice very welcome!

Yes, he can apply for L3 apprenticeships, very common post a level!

Lots of info here

https://amazingapprenticeships.com/resources/

My DS didn't know what he wanted to after finishing school. He didn't know where to look or the kind of qualifications he could get. His school recommended a magazine to us though: https://careermap.co.uk/careermag-parents-carers-guardians/, which has helped us both quite a bit. It has quite a lot about apprenticeships and the application process. Hope this help you both as well.

Some of the level 3 IT apprenticeships are very good, with Microsoft and network qualifications that are great for the CV.

Make a list of companies he's interested in and apply everywhere.

In spring there is a round of apprenticeship fairs too, depending where you are. Milton Keynes has a particularly good one for IT.

He should try and get a job in a company and do a L4 apprenticeship alongside it. Big companies have to spend a certain amount a year funding apprenticeships

Perfectly acceptable to apply for a L3 apprenticeship after A levels. My last company offered a L3 IT apprenticeship, followed by a L4. If they did well in both of those, then we gave them the opportunity to do an IT degree apprenticeship. A levels were irrelevant at that point, as the L3 and L4 in IT gave them enough to get on the degree.

He should think of the opportunity rather than the level of the apprenticeship.
If he has the opportunity to learn loads, then it doesn’t matter what level it is.

Employers set their own requirements so it is a good idea to look at loads of vacancies.

It is also possible to start at lower levels, and then move up

PS
He should look at Notgoingtouni , and Getmyfirstjob

Apprenticeships are like job applications and come out at different times of the year. Big companies have their own schedule (go onto company websites like Rolls Royce, JLR, Morrisons etc and look at their Early careers pages).
February is National Apprenticeship week and there will be lots of info about then.
The government has a main search site www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship , and a great site for hints, tips and opportunities is Rate my apprenticeship www.ratemyapprenticeship.co.uk/
Even UCAS has got in on the act now. careerfinder.ucas.com/

Make sure he has an up to date CV (try Barclays lifeskills for a templatebarclayslifeskills.com/ ) and practice interview techniques. Good apprenticeships can be competitive so be prepared for it to sometimes take a few tries.

(P.S For big companies offering IT try BAE, Siemens, Nationwide, IBM, Natwest currently, but more will be opening up over the next few months so don't panic, there will be more higher level ones coming up. )

What did your DS do @sheepdogdelight
Thanks everyone for all the helpful info on this thread - hopefully my DS will benefit from it.

@validnumber I've PM'ed you