Degree Apprenticeship - tips

[stubiff]

If DC are going through the application process at the moment, or have just started one, would be grateful for any tips please:
How to sell yourself.
What skills/traits/behaviours do they look for the most.
What is the applicants to positions ratio (how hard are they to get, understand will be partly based on sector/size of firm).
That sort of thing.
Thanks.

@Fireworknight
Just came across this post, so apologies it's a few months old.
Can I ask if you supported your DC while they were living away doing the higher apprenticeship? I'm assuming they don't earn enough to cover rent and living costs?
My DC wants to experience living away so is thinking uni, but I think an apprenticeship would suit them/what they want to do more, so the option of doing that in another area sounds like something they could look at.

We paid his rent until Christmas (so four months) then he took over, so he paid for just rent, food etc out of his wages.

Dc earned above minimum wage , although not mega money initially (it has gone up). His rent was six hundred pounds a month (house- shared). We did help to kit him out, in the same way you would a uni student, and many years later, we still seem to be paying his phone contract. We obviously helped him With bits and bobs as needed, but he was pretty sufficient.

Admittedly dc isn’t a big boozer and he did manage to save a little, as well as joining a local golf club (reduced rates for teens) and go out socially as well.

Dc applied to both uni and apprenticeships, and deferred uni in case he didn’t like the apprenticeship.

www.ey.com/en_uk/careers/students

Thank you, this is really helpful.

Having no success looking for ds2 atm. Tried ngtu and other searches. Just can't seem to find much to suit him. I know they are held in high esteem, and like hens teeth, but I didn't realise it was going to be quite this bad. 😢

Have you looked for L4 apprenticeships? These can be a good starting point leading into L7

Degree apprenticeships are just jobs with training. Yes, they are highly competitive, because the degree bit is worth £30k of university fees. But they are job applications. I kind of think that parents need to back off and let their adult children get on with it.

@Oblomov25
What industry is DS interested in?

@AlphaApple
So you didn't/wouldn't support your 17 year old trying to get a job?!

Degree apprenticeships are so competitive to obtain that I can’t see any 17y old securing one without parental support.
I mentioned my colleagues dc who got a solicitor apprenticeship at 19, mum is an experienced solicitor, it would be bonkers not to have assisted her dd. There’s 140 solicitor apprenticeships for school leaving age nationwide odds of scoring one are so low.
Every dc I know who has got apprenticeship had switched on mc parents who often worked themselves or knew someone in industry.

I still support dh and him me with applications as we are in same profession and we are far older.

Help, yes. Lead, no.

@AlphaApple you do sound v appropriately named.

@Investinmyself
I agree that it would be very difficult for most 17-year-olds to apply for degree apprenticeships without considerable help.

Most 17-year-olds struggle writing one single personal statement for a UCAS application with their teachers and parents helping them amend multiple drafts.

Degree apprenticeships require students to write multiple CVs and cover letters tailored to the company not just one personal statement. This is much harder than one personal statement for UCAS.
Students also require preparation for interviews. Many adults get help with preparing for interviews and 17-year-olds need more support than adults. There also needs to be preparation for assessment centres, which again adults nevermind 17-year-olds need support for.

Student going for university interviews get lots of support in school and from parents. Clearly 17-year-olds applying for degree apprenticeships need lots of input too.

Sorry it's taken me ages to reply. Ds2 is interested in sports, loves football. He's only Yr 12, PE, Biology, Psychology. Took him to have a look at Loughborough, but it needs A*AA.

Hang on, if your DC is currently A level, surely they are looking a Level 6 apprenticeship? L7 is the Masters pathway which is being scrapped.

I hire for one of the most competitive degree apprenticeships in the country. The key factor we’re looking for is a strong desire backed by clear reasoning of why this course, at this company, in this location is right for you. The successful candidates and the ones that do best in role are the ones who know specifically what industry and why, why this company was the best fit for them. As we have several regional locations we also take a dim view of candidates applying to regional offices who clearly actually want to be in London because they perceive it to be “easier”- it’s not, it’s actually more specialised and we’d expect the candidate to know and have researched that.

Sorry, was that to me? Yes I'm looking for a L6. Or anything that might be of interest with prospects!

@user1471548941

Some degree apprenticeships (for post A-levels) are L7, e.g. Solicitor Apprenticeship, as the end qualification is the SQE (equiv of L7).
These are not being scrapped.
Funding is being removed for 22+ year-olds.

@user1471548941
This is an example of a level 7 open to school leavers. Not scrapped just restricted from 2026 to under 22 (or under 25 care leavers/ECHP)
www.weightmans.com/careers/early-careers/apprenticeships/solicitor-degree-apprenticeship/

Ahhh I didn’t realise that- my industry is very much that L6 is school leavers and L7 is more aimed at mid career, progressing to management.

@user1471548941 my son has recently received and “not a rejection, we’ll keep your application on file” from one of the huge engineering degree apprenticeship companies. Do we take this as a gentle rejection or is it really possible that it’s more a - we’re waiting to see who else applies before getting your hopes up kind of email. The job listing is still open for applications if that makes a difference.