Is an apprenticeship right for you?

What's in it for me?

Apprenticeships combine real work with training and study. You’ll apply what you learn directly on the job, gaining hands-on experience and skills.

Get paid to learn

Apprentices are employees too, which means you'll get a salary, employee rights like sick leave and holiday pay, while learning and gaining experience. You’ll earn at least the National Minimum Wage for apprentices or the National minimum wage, depending on how old you are when you start.

Nationally recognised qualifications as you work

You’ll get a qualification and training that’s recognised and valued by employers throughout England and the UK. You’ll do this all during your working hours, so you can fit it into your life, whatever your circumstances.

No student debt

Apprentices do not pay tuition fees, so there’s no student debt to worry about. You’re still entitled to student discounts though and can get an NUS card.

A supportive community

There’s many networks you can join to get academic, practical and emotional support during your apprenticeship. See connect and network with other apprentices.

Support and bursaries

If you have a learning difficulty or you’re disabled, you're entitled to support during your apprenticeship. You can also get mental health support and help with work and finances. See support during your apprenticeship.

If you’re are in care or have been in care, you could claim a bursary of up to £3,000. See support for care experienced apprentices.

What I'll do as an apprentice

Training

In an apprenticeship, you’ll learn new skills and apply them in a real work environment. You’ll get training from a registered training provider, such as a college or a university. This is usually called ‘off-the-job training’, or ‘OTJ’.

You’ll spend a proportion of your working hours doing your OTJ training, which will happen during your working hours. This might be a few hours across the week, 1 full day a week, or a week every couple of months.

You’ll learn in a range of ways - potentially in a classroom, in a college, or by doing online lectures.

Assessment

Throughout your apprenticeship, your progress will be regularly evaluated. You’ll usually finish your apprenticeship with an assessment, or you’ll be regularly assessed throughout. Your training provider will tell you when and what these assessments are, and we can help you prepare when it comes to it.

Find out more about what you’ll do in preparing for your apprenticeship.

Who can do an apprenticeship

Apprenticeships are not just for school leavers, they’re for everyone.

To apply for an apprenticeship, you’ll need to be: 

• 16 or older 
• not in full-time education 
• living in England 

How long an apprenticeship takes

That depends on the course. The shortest duration an apprenticeship can be is 8 months, or it can be up to 6 years long.

What qualification I'll get

Apprenticeship qualifications vary, and are available between level 2 and level 7. The qualification and experience requirements get higher with each level. 

Remember that you can apply for any apprenticeship you meet the requirements for. It’s also OK to start at level 2 if you’re new to an industry. 

Level 2  

No previous experience needed, equivalent to GCSE. Foundation apprenticeships are also set at level 2.

Level 3 

Might need some qualifications or experience, equivalent to A level. 

Levels 4 to 5 

Relevant qualifications and experience expected, equivalent to HNC or HND. 

Levels 6 to 7 

Expert-level study in an industry, equivalent to university.

English and maths

Some apprenticeships may require:

• previous qualifications such as English or maths GCSEs
• training in English and maths to ensure you’re at the right level

Other ways to learn on the job

If you’re not sure about doing an apprenticeship, there are other things you can do.

Foundation apprenticeships

Foundation apprenticeships are set at level 2 and are designed to help young people get started in an industry. Foundation apprenticeships are available across a range of sectors, including construction, engineering, digital and social care. You do not need to have any specific qualifications or experience to apply.

Anyone between 16 and 21 can start a foundation apprenticeship. 

If you're between 22 and 24, you can start if you: 

• have an education, health and car (EHC) plan 
• are in care or have been in care 
• are in prison or have been in prison 

You cannot apply for a foundation apprenticeship if you’re 25 or over.  Search for foundation apprenticeships on Find an apprenticeship.

Apprenticeship units

If you’re 19 or over, already employed and you want to do a course in artificial intelligence, digital, or engineering, you could do an apprenticeship unit. Apprenticeship units can last from 1 week to a few months. Your employer will take responsibility for organising this for you. Search for apprenticeship units on Find an apprenticeship.

Where to find out more

Find an apprenticeship

To find apprenticeship opportunities, go to Find an apprenticeship.

Not sure an apprenticeship is right for you?

If you’re not sure if an apprenticeship is right for you, you can find career advice and other training courses on the National Careers Service course search.