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Degree apprenticeships not STEM but project management - any experience?

11 replies

Peasnbeans · 07/09/2024 10:09

Asking for a relative.
Her child is predicted A star / A star / A. Got an A in the EPQ.
Now considering applying for a degree apprenticeship in Management or PM or something else that's not STEM.
One of the A levels is a language (he is fluent).
Others are Geography and English Lit.

Has anyone experienced applying for apprenticeships? They just heard they're almost impossible to get.

OP posts:
PerpetualOptimist · 07/09/2024 11:45

There is a L6 Chartered Management apprenticeship and, as far as I am aware, a small number of large scale manufacturers and retailers recruit a small number of 18 year olds onto these eg Mondelez, Morrisons, Nestle, Unilever. These are organisations with typically large workforces spread across sites in the UK. There are also some purely project management type roles with organisations like IBM or some of the large construction groups.

Some things to bear in mind:

You must have a credible plan B worked up in parallel (ie uni options) as roles are hyper-competitive. Students with very good predicted grades also need to be absolutely clear about what they are giving up if they decide not go to university.

Academic grades only a small part of the mix and don't have to be stellar. Recruiters are looking at the whole person and candidates able to evidence existing experience of working with colleagues, customers, team mates etc in pressured situations are more likely to succeed.

Many/most organisations expect people to have some domain knowledge or core skill that is fundamental to the organisation and then develop managers after that; this is way the number if truly entry level 'pure' management routes (whether school leaver or grad) is limited.

Recruitment for September 2025 starts can happen at any time from now through to Jan/Feb time. There is no single source of information on these kinds of apprenticeships, so you need to be curious and scavenge the internet. Not ideal but does weed out the less committed you could argue.

The individual recruitment stages can be alternatively very intensive (and sometimes clashing with Y13 winter mocks) or painfully drawn out (and sometimes clash with A level exams), all depending on the efficiency of individual recruitment teams. So be prepared for that.

Peasnbeans · 08/09/2024 08:24

This is so useful, thank you!

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Decorhate · 08/09/2024 09:08

I think Civil Engineering companies also over these sort of degree apprenticeships if project management of construction projects would be of any interest?

Ds is just about to start a graduate job and mentioned that those doing the degree apprenticeship will probably get chartered at an earlier age than him!

Peasnbeans · 08/09/2024 13:18

Yes - they're not doing Maths or Sciences at A level, that's the thing - although did get mostly 8s and 9s at A level they're definitely more into the words than the tech.
Fluent in Spanish.
Quiet but elected by peers vice chair and then following year Chair of School Council or whatever it's called.
Volunteers in the village where he lives.
He wondered about TUI or Nestle or BBC - anyone who has experience of these, would be great.
Also - any more advice about work experience they could look for? They have a part time job but it's in a cafe so not hugely relevant.
Thanks

OP posts:
Dearover · 08/09/2024 18:27

On a slightly different vein, I work with a lot of 18 year old starting L7 apprenticeships with big name firms. They are not expected to have any relevant work experience, especially as this tends to discriminate against those who have to work and can't simply ask a family friend to arrange a week in a FTSE 100 or ask if they can witness them performing brain surgery etc. Recruiters are looking for potential, not connections.

Dearover · 08/09/2024 18:30

Has he considered procurement? There are some interesting supply chain roles with Rolls Royce, Jaguar Land Rover, Network Rail etc.

flarp · 08/09/2024 18:31

@Peasnbeans Civil Service do PM apprenticeship posts. End up with degree in Construction Mgmt if working in infrastructure for MOD. Starting salary is about £26k iirc.

greenjojocat · 08/09/2024 18:39

You need to look at the government apprenticeships website, filter by level and location. You can also look at the IFATE website, search for the apprenticeship name and it will tell you the providers of the standard so that you can contact them directly.

Peasnbeans · 10/09/2024 08:22

Thank you all - no, we don't know a project manager or someone in a FTSE company!
I'm not sure about construction.
Does anyone know anything about supermarkets? Morrisons looks promising.

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Investinmyself · 11/09/2024 08:54

BAE does project management degree apprenticeships.

SandyIrving · 11/09/2024 10:38

Amazon do a operations management one (degree awarded by Exeter). Not sure how many taken straight from school though. DDs GF worked for them (gap year). She liked it and decided to apply for degree apprenticeship instead of taking up deferred offer.

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