November 21st 2008
Mercia Management - Our Business Is Your Future

What is an Apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships are a combination of work-based training and college education. An apprenticeship gives you the opportunity to earn while you learn, providing the dual benefit of gaining a nationally recognised qualification whilst being paid as you work. Over the course of an apprenticeship, you will work to achieve NVQs, Key Skills and a Technical Certificate in order to complete an Apprenticeship or an Advanced Apprenticeship.

There are two levels of apprenticeship in England and Wales:

An Apprenticeship

If you join an Apprenticeship programme, you will be employed with a wage. An Apprenticeship takes up to 24 months to complete and requires the achievement of NVQ level 2, a Technical Certificate level 2 and the appropriate Key Skills. You will develop excellent practical and technical skills, and gain valuable work experience. You also have the opportunity to progress to an Advanced Apprenticeship.

Advanced Apprenticeship

If you take up an Advanced Apprenticeship, you will be training towards becoming a qualified craftsperson. This can lead to a technical, supervisory or junior management role.

You will be in full-time employment and receive an appropriate wage. The training programme can take up to four years to complete and requires the achievement of NVQ level 3, Technical Certificates level 2 and 3 and all relevant Key Skills. An Advanced Apprenticeship can also provide a route to higher education and NVQs at Levels 4 and 5, as well as a sound base to career progression.

What qualifications do I need to start an apprenticeship?

In England and Wales, applicants should have, or expect to achieve GCSE grades A-C in maths, English language or literature and a science or resistant materials technology or equivalent to GCSE or GNVQ intermediate. To qualify as a student engineer, applicants should have, or expect to achieve GCSE grades A-C in maths, English language or literature and a science or resistant materials technology and one other subject or equivalent to GCSE or GNVQ intermediate.