Apprenticeships support group

[SingingAvocado]

Following on from a thread started by @Citygirlrurallife and with encouragement from @Dontlookup1 perhaps there is an appetite for an apprenticeship thread? To repeat what I said on the original thread, 'my DD (Y12) wants to go for an apprenticeship too so I'm grateful to hear of others pursuing the same route. I've signed up to apprentice job alerts on LinkedIn and we have a spreadsheet to note down anything interesting and when it was advertised this year in the hope they follow a similar pattern next year. She'd like a degree apprenticeship but would be willing to do a level 4 if it is a foot in the door. She's also wanting something creative, which are a lot more rare (her favourite is the Christie's programme). We are under no illusions that it is going to be difficult. Would an apprenticeship thread be useful (plenty of uni ones here)? A central gateway would be great. We've done all the legwork ourselves …'
All welcome!

They have 1 week a year on campus for all apprentices on the programme as well (different gov depts, bank of England and some businesses).

I recruit our apprentices and grads . Part time work, work experience in the field they are interested in, volunteering and DofE all set applicants apart from those that haven't done anything.
We had nearly 6,000 applicants for this year's intake, so read and reread applications carefully, make sure you have mentioned the correct company, so many students send out multiple applications and forget to change the name of the company. Don't t send a copy and paste list of all the projects that a company mentions on their website (we know what we're working on !) Keep the reason for wanting to join the company short and sweet.
Research what the job entails, don't just put 'I like drawing' (architecture for example)
Sign up to LinkedIn and make sure they apply as directed on their website and don't just email a cv to HR.

That sounds good. DC considering accounting so there wouldn’t be a uni element.

My son's doing an accountancy apprenticeship and he's really glad he made that choice. I thought he might feel he was missing out but he's made some good friends with the other apprentices and there are a lot of other young people in his office. I think having other apprentices to hang out with is really important

Ohh any tips for applying?

As others have said take all the work experience opportunities you can. He did several virtual ones with banks etc. He also did the EY work experience which was very competitive to get on but meant he then went straight through to the 2nd round of the application process

Thanks. He has his unrelated part-time job, but hopefully can still pick up something over the summer virtual or local.

Mine took a year after A levels (actually both did). He worked for a year in an unrelated job, plus had a job during sixth form, which meant he had experience of holding down a job when applying . He originally had a deferred place at uni. He applied for apprenticeships whilst working. It is was a lot of work (tailored applications, videos, assessment questions and assessment centres for at least two). I think it would've been difficult whilst doing A levels for him, so glad he did it that way round.

I don't know about dentistry but if your DD is science focussed then some pharma companies offer apprenticeships. Pfizer (https://www.pfizer.co.uk/careers/apprenticeships) and Astra Zeneca (careers.astrazeneca.com/laboratory-scientist-apprenticeship) for example.
There are also a few NHS apprenticeships if her science bent is more health sciences: https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/career-planning/study-and-training/nhs-apprenticeships/nhs-apprenticeships-see-what-you-could-do (she couldn't do dentistry but could do dental nurse or dental technician via the apprenticeship route, for example).

Anyone in London/ South East TfL have some interesting looking finance / business/ construction apprenticeships at level 4

@Bufftailed my dd started in September 2025 as an apprentice to study ACA. It was hard at the beginning 2-4months…studying as well as working. My dd felt she was treated like all the graduates which was hard. Make sure you join an organisation where there are other apprenticeship so they can vent and work together. She has now made a lovely group of friends who are also apprentices and in her cohort and are going on holiday with them- this has taken 9 months.

she has kept in touch with her uni friends but it has been hard…I genuinely think the first 6-9minths is tricky…adjusting to working and studying and only having limited holiday - I would say they still need a lot of support but they will find their feet just need a bit more time.

When I ask her do you have any regrets- her answer is no. It was the right decision, I have a job and have met some nice people. Every child is different- my ds is completing his final year at Uni and is loving Uni.

@Blubell46 the first 2 months are an eye opener for ACA as they plunge straight into their AF & ARF papers. Quite often they are more used to structured learning, whilst the grads have forgotten how tough it is being back in a classroom for 7 hours a day. It sounds as though she made a great start. By the time she gets to her finals, nobody remembers who were grads or school leavers.

A couple of useful websites for students interested in apprenticeships include:

Prospects.ac.uk - though aimed at students at university, this site has a gallery of 'job profiles' which can help students get a better understanding of what certain roles and sectors actually entail; after all, applying for an apprenticeship in college/sixth form means narrowing down and firming up your career route at an early stage

Higherin.com - this incorporates ReviewMyApprenticeship; the latter is useful in being able to hear apprentices describe their experiences directly; the overall site also have some well laid out advice about the communication and other non-academic skills employers generally are looking for.

DS interested in engineering apprenticeship though only going into year 11. Did manage to secure some work experience in year 10 but probably applied to 10 placements to do so.

I think the biggest challenge will be keeping up with A levels and applying at the same time. I have seen apprenticeships offered with smaller companies, though I would be slightly concerned if they went under there is no one continue the qualification, tho to be realistic , you go with anything , you can get

Its also worth looking at good training suppliers , for example i know someone with elevatedknowledge.co.uk and they have cracking teaching staff and normally arrange the placements for you . I thinks thats possibly easier in a 'trade' based apprenticeship than in something like marketing shere I have seen people just employed by a company as the only person doing that job, which really shouldn't be allowed!