MYTH VS FACTDISPELLING THE MYTHS AROUND APPRENTICESHIPS

Learning & Skills

LEADING THE WAY IN LEARNINGTHIS ISSUE: PUTTING THE SPOTLIGHT ON APPRENTICESHIPS

THE FACTS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT APPRENTICESHIPS

TAKE TEN HANNAH BROWN TALKS ABOUT HER APPRENTICESHIP

APPRENTICESHIPSTHE FACTSAPPRENTICESHIPS TAKE BETWEEN ONE AND FOUR YEARS TO COMPLETE AND ARE AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE FROM THE AGE OF 16 ONWARDS

You may already be employed and looking to enhance your skills and progress in your chosen career or you may be starting a new job which requires training.

“An apprenticeship is a job with an accompanying skills development programme. Apprentices can gain the technical knowledge, practical experience and wider skills they need for their immediate job and future career. The apprentice gains this through a wide mix of learning in the workplace, formal off the job training and the opportunity to practice new skills in a real work environment.” - Skills Funding Agency

Benefits of continued learning:

• Boosts confidence and personal development

• Develop your employability skills• Earn while you learn• Gain practical and relevant experience• Strengthen your CV• Build your contacts• Gain a nationally recognised qualification• No fees or debt• Become an essential part of a team• You’ll meet new people

Example Apprenticeship Programmes:

• Business and Administration • Customer Service• Information Technology • Team Leading • Management • Health & Social Care• Digital Marketing • Early Years • Teaching Assistant

899,400 funded apprentices participated on an apprenticeship in the 2015 to 2016 academic year.

Up to 28,000 apprenticeship vacancies are available online at any one time.

Apprenticeships are available in 1500 job roles, covering more than 170 industries.

There are currently 100 higher and degree apprenticeships available, with more in development, including foundation degrees, HNDs and full honours degrees.

46% of apprentices had received a pay rise since completing their apprenticeship.

899,400

28,000

1,500

100

46%

36% of higher apprentices report getting a promotion after completing their apprenticeship.

92% of apprentices in work felt that their apprenticeship had a positive impact on their career.

89% of apprentices were satisfied with their apprenticeship overall.

83% of apprentices said their career prospects have improved.

Apprentices completing a higher apprenticeship could earn £150,000 more on average over their lifetime.

36%

92%

89%

83%

£150,000

APPRENTICESHIPSMYTH VS FACT

APPRENTICESHIPS ARE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE LEAVING SCHOOLApprenticeships are available to everyone from the age of 16 onwards.

APPRENTICESHIPS COME IN VARYING LEVELS ENABLING YOU TO PROGRESS YOUR LEARNING & QUALIFICATIONS OVER TIME

Apprenticeships come in varying levels enabling you to progress your learning and qualifications over time. The levels include:

Name Level Equivalent Educational Level

Foundation 2 5 GCSEs at grades A* to C

Advanced 3 2 A Level passes

Higher 4, 5, 6 and 7

Foundation degree and above

Degree 6 and 7 Bachelor's or Masters Degree

APPRENTICESHIPS MUST DO THEIR LEARNING IN THEIR OWN TIME

Apprenticeships combine on the job training with qualifications. 80% of your learning will be led by your employer and completed on the job. The other 20% will be delivered by a training provider (face-to-face or via webinar) and you will be given time off work to participate. You may wish to study out of work hours to increase your learning and improve any exam pass rates.

THERE ARE LOTS OF APPRENTICESHIPS TO CHOOSE FROMThere are currently over 700 Framework Apprenticeships available in 1500 job roles and this number will keep growing.

YOU CAN’T GAIN A DEGREE BY DOING AN APPRENTICESHIP

You can complete a level 6 or 7 appren-ticeship programme which is equivalent to a Bachelor’s or Masters Degree

I DON’T LIVE IN ENGLAND SO MY APPRENTICESHIP WON’T BE FUNDEDIf you spend at least 50% of your working hours in England and have the right to work in England, your apprenticeship will be funded.

MY EMPLOYER WILL FUND MY APPRENTICESHIPThe government introduced a new levy in the 2015 Summer Budget, which aims to see an additional 3 million apprenticeship starts in England by 2020. The levy, which is paid by your employer and topped up by the government, will fund your apprenticeship.

COMPLETING AN APPRENTICESHIP WILL ONLY BENEFIT MY EMPLOYERCompleting an apprenticeship will develop your employability skills, boost your confi-dence, strengthen your CV and could open the door to new opportunities.

Apprenticeship opportunities can be offered to current employees to support their development.

APPRENTICES MUST BE NEW RECRUITS

TAKE TEN......WITH HANNAH BROWN, MARKETING APPRENTICE

TELL US ABOUT YOUR ROLEWhilst working within the Marketing Department, I am developing close and highly responsive relationships with team members and colleague’s to provide marketing support across the organisation.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR ROLE?There is a lot I enjoy about my role- I am always presented with exciting new challenges and opportunities. Being treated as a valued member of the marketing team means I can contribute my ideas and support with business decisions to influence the overall success of the business.

WHICH APPRENTICESHIP ARE YOU COMPLETING?I am currently completing a Level 3 advanced apprenticeship in Business and Administration.

WHAT DID YOU DO BEFORE YOUR APPRENTICESHIP?Before starting my advanced apprenticeship, I had recently completed a Level 2 Business and administration Apprenticeship working in the marketing department for a local business.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE UNIT/SUBJECT?My favourite unit of my apprenticeship framework would be ‘Contribute to the organisation of an event’. This unit involved me supporting the organisation of an event from start to finish. This helped me to build up an entirely new set of communication and organising skills that I have never previously had the opportunity to achieve.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT BEING AN APPRENTICE?Upon completion of my previous apprenticeship my goal was to take the next step in my career and gain further experience and knowledge within Marketing. Being an apprentice has allowed me to gain relevant, first-hand experience and achieve nationally recognised qualifications within the industry I wish to build my career in.

IF YOU COULD DESCRIBE BEING AN APPRENTICE IN THREE WORDS WHAT WOULD THEY BE?Rewarding. Inspiring. Challenging.

WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED SINCE BECOMING AN APPRENCTICE?‘It can be daunting having responsibility within a big company so early on, but it’s a fantastic starting point for your career- so get stuck in!

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS CONSIDERING AN APPRENTICESHIP?I would advise anyone taking up an apprenticeship to ensure that they stay focused on the learning programme and always strive for high standards throughout their work. This will allow them to progress within their role, and contribute to the goals of their organisation.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO AFTER YOUR APPRENTICESHIP?Should the opportunity arise, I would look to complete a higher apprenticeship to gain more qualifications. Alternatively, I would seek full time employment to continue growing my Marketing Experience.

“There are many points of an apprenticeship that are great for me – one being the opportunity to earn while I’m still learning. Being able to go to a common point where

I can meet other people who are going through the same training as me, offers great support.” - Jason Thomas-Horton, Teaching Assistant Apprentice

“The skills that I’ve gained through my apprenticeship and employment over the last 15 years have been quite diverse and I’d like to say I’ve developed myself

along the way to be a fully competent graphic designer.” - Rob Langer, Graduate Apprentice now Marketing and Graphic Design Executive

“I chose an apprenticeship because I wanted to do something that would allow me to earn whilst gaining a qualification. Whilst I don’t know exactly what I want to do after my

apprenticeship I’ve got the confidence that with the new skills I’ve gained I’ll be able to get a job in the field that I’m interested in.” - Amy Swift – Business Administration Apprentice

“It’s a fantastic opportunity – it’s been fantastic for me! I’ve met so many people and learnt so many things – things I’d never even thought of. It’s really had a big impact

on me personally.” - Tom Underwood – Business Administration Apprentice

“I’ve gained a lot of confidence since starting my apprenticeship. I feel I can achieve a lot more in the future now!” - Lydia Bradley-Lonbridge, Teaching Assistant Apprentice

APPRENTICETESTIMONIALSWe think apprenticeships are a great idea. But don’t take our word for it...

THE JOURNEY OF ANAPPRENTICE

Your training provider will provide you with a dedicated Skills Coach who will guide you through the whole process from start to finish. They will be available to contact throughout your apprenticeship to support you and your learning.

Your Skills Coach...

MEET THEENTRUST LEARNING & SKILLS TEAMWHAT IS YOUR TEAM RESPONSIBLE FOR?We deliver high quality, nationally recognised apprenticeship training programmes to support learners to develop their skill-set and gain a new qualification. The team are enthusiastic about helping people to reach their full potential and gain a job that suits their passions and skills. We offer information, advice and guidance on all aspects of qualification structures and career progression ensuring learners choose the perfect apprenticeship for them.

DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY IN THE APPRENTICESHIP TEAM No two days are ever the same and we spend our days working and communicating with apprentices and their managers to CEO’s. A typical day for one of our Skills Coaches would include:• Visiting apprentices in their workplace to undertake

various activities from training/coaching, observation through to assessing and marking work produced by the learner.

• Completing three way progress reviews with apprentices and their Line Managers, keeping all informed of progress and identifying key tasks and activities and identifying any support required.

• Facilitating tests / assessments for apprentices.• Time management and organising diaries.• Caseload management to ensure all apprentices

progress and achieve their apprentice in a timely fashion.

WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE SKILLS REQUIRED OF A SKILLS COACH?Communication, organisation and the ability to manage time to meet deadlines.

HOW DO YOU DELIVER THE TRAINING PROGRAMMES?To ensure our learners receive a high-quality learning experience, at whatever level, we offer a broad range of teaching and training methods. We combine direct

classroom teaching with interactive webinars and assessment through our online electronic assessment portfolios, ensuring learners have a strong and robust support network from our extensively experienced and qualified skills coaches.

HOW DO YOU ENSURE YOUR TRAINING MEETS THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF THE APPRENTICE?We agree a personalised training plan and identify any additional needs with each apprentice and their employer at the start of the apprenticeship and then monitor progress against milestones at monthly progress reviews.

We are always happy to make modifications to learning materials and plans to support learners who may be struggling – for example, we may print materials on coloured paper for dyslexic learners or we may modify the assessment method. On the flip side, we often have learners who are more able and we may adapt the learning plans so they become more challenging. An integral part of our role is to mentor our learners and support them to reach their full potential. We do everything we can to support individual needs and learning styles.

WHAT IS THE PROUDEST MOMENT FOR YOUR TEAM?We are extremely proud of all our learners who achieve their qualifications and apprenticeships. For those learners achieving level 3 apprenticeships we have an annual graduation ceremony, providing an excellent opportunity to celebrate their success. Through our apprenticeship programmes some of our learners have progressed in their career to become managers, teachers, mentors and team leaders.

We are also proud of the fundraising that we do with our learners. Previous apprentices have taken part in the Brathay Apprentice Challenge, organised a University Challenge event and taken part in fancy dress days, all to raise money for their chosen charities including the Donna Louise Trust and the Princes Trust.

Find out more about Entrust Learning and Skills

Visit www.entrustskills.co.uk

ENTRUSTLEARNING & SKILLS

We work across the Midlands and the North West supporting a variety of roles including IT, customer service, business administration and team leading.

By building on our reputation for excellence and delivering what we promise, we will support you to learn new skills, gain a qualification and open the door to new possibilities.

• We understand the public sector – over 80% of our workforce have worked for a Local Authority.

• We have 16 years’ experience of delivering apprenticeships and a proven track record of success.

• We have a professional, friendly and dedicated team.• Our Skills Coaches will ensure you receive a

personalised service.• Our Careers Advisers can support you to find the right

learning experience for you.

GRADED AS ‘GOOD’ BY OFSTED, OUR DEDICATED TEAM HAVE DELIVERED APPRENTICESHIPS FOR 16 YEARS AND ALWAYS PROVIDE A HIGH QUALITY LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

European UnionEuropean Structuraland Investment Funds Learning & Skills

CONTACT US www.entrustskills.co.uk 0300 111 8030skills@entrust-ed.co.uk