introduction: USING THIS GUIDE Using this guide Apprenticeships have changed a huge amount in the past few years, and now offer access to more than 1500 different job roles, ranging from intermediate level through to degree apprenticeships. This guide has been put together by Amazing Apprenticeships to help you explore the exciting world of apprenticeships with your child, to understand the range of resources and support services available to you, and how to access them. We hope you find it useful. If you have any feedback or further questions, please contact: hello@amazingapprenticeships.com
CONTENTS: Getting started: Exploring apprenticeships
3
Building your knowledge: Researching the options
4
Making connections: Apprentices and employers
5
Nicola Hall: Director of Education
6
Meet Steve: A proud parent of an apprentice
7-8
Meet Amaarah: A chartered management degree apprentice
9-10
Find out more: Where to look for more info
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GETTING STARTED: exploring apprenticeships Exploring apprenticeships with your child It is very likely that your child will have had some information shared with them about apprenticeships through their school or college. This might have included receiving an assembly, a tutorial session, hearing from a past pupil, watching a film or attending a careers fair. Holding open conversations to find out how much your child knows about the different career paths is a great starting point. You can then start to plan the best way to discover more about the possibilities to make an informed decision on the steps to take. We have shared some conversation starters and suggested resources below: How much do you already know about the different job roles that you can do through an apprenticeship?
View the Apprentices are Amazing short film to hear from apprentices and be inspired. https://tinyurl.com/ycknh5dz
Have you tested your knowledge of apprenticeships with the Apprenticeship Quiz?
Take this quick apprenticeship quiz. Can you score 10 out of 10?
Have you heard about Higher and Degree apprenticeships?
Take a look at the latest Higher & Degree Apprenticeship Vacancy Listing, showcasing hundreds of live vacancies.
https://tinyurl.com/2p8ff5y6
https://tinyurl.com/2p85z22m
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BUILDING YOUR KNOWLEDGE: RESEARCHING THE OPTIONS Researching apprenticeships with your child Once you know what an apprenticeship is, the next step is to start researching the different apprenticeships available. Building up your knowledge of apprenticeships will help you to feel more confident when undertaking your research. Use the resources below to discover the different levels of apprenticeships, the types of employers that offer apprenticeships, the possible entry requirements and recruitment processes, and when employers are likely to be advertising. Here are some resources to help you:
A quick introduction to the different apprenticeship levels available and which level might be right for you. https://tinyurl.com/2thhz67b
Finding the best apprenticeship for you A useful summary of where and when to look for different apprenticeship opportunities. https://tinyurl.com/mrxezthd Apprenticeship Recruitment Methods A short 6 minute film setting out the different types of recruitment activities you may experience with an apprenticeship. https://tinyurl.com/535zsdmv
What is a degree apprenticeship? A quick guide to degree apprenticeships, how long they take and how much they cost. https://tinyurl.com/ypead27v
INSPIRE ME!
Apprenticeship levels explained
To hear from real apprentices explaining how they found their apprenticeship and what they love most about their job roles, scan the QR code with your phone, or visit: www.amazingapprenticeships.com/ apprentice-stories
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MAKING CONNECTIONS: APPRENTICES & EMPLOYERS Questions to ask when speaking to apprentices and employers When attending live or online events about apprenticeships, you will often hear from employers, training providers and apprentices. You will have the opportunity to learn what it is like to work for the organisation and more details about the apprenticeship scheme. It is a good idea to have a list of questions ready. These may be answered through a presentation or conversation, but for any that are not covered, you could ask them at the end. Below is a list of questions for employers and apprentices you could ask: Questions to ask employers How many apprentices do you take on each year / in each cohort? How does the ‘off the job’ training work at the company? Where is the training provider based and does the apprentice go to the training provider or does the training provider come to them? Why do you employ apprentices? What are the expectations of an apprentice when they start? What responsibilities will the apprentice have, and how quickly? Will the apprentice have a mentor or someone to shadow? What will happen if the apprentice falls behind with their training? What are the career opportunities at the end of the apprenticeship? What is the apprentice salary? How many hours per week is the apprentice expected to work? Where and when do you advertise your vacancies?
Questions to ask apprentices Why did you choose an apprenticeship? What do you enjoy most about your apprenticeship? What do you enjoy least about your apprenticeship? Tell us a little bit about your daily responsibilities? How do you find balancing the apprenticeship ‘off the job work’ and the daily job? What is your training provider like? How do they support you? How did you find the apprenticeship? What was the recruitment process like? Do you have any tips for searching for an apprenticeship? What are the best bits about being an apprentice? What career opportunities has your employer offered you? What are your plans for progression when you complete your current apprenticeship?
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NICOLA HALL: DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION 5 Top Tips for Parents and Carers Nicola Hall is the Director of Education at the Careers & Enterprise Company. Through episode 1 of The Parent Perspective Podcast, Nicola shared her 5 top tips for parents and carers who are supporting their child to explore apprenticeships and other options. To listen to the full recording, please see the link at the bottom of the page.
Be open-minded and prepared to explore a range of options with your child You may be really surprised at what you find out. Try to put to one side your preconceptions of what you think is best, and be open to look at everything. Think twice - Technical or Academic? There is no one better route, but there are many quality options available within both. It's important to explore all of the options that are available. Think about your child's preferred learning style It doesn't matter what their ability level is, but thinking about their learning style may help you to think about the appropriate options to explore further. Use the support available to you Don't be afraid to ask your child's school or college for support. They have a responsibility to help your child to prepare for their next level of transition. Don't expect your child to know what they want to do We know from research that many young people are not yet ready to select a career, and will want to try out many different career options in their lifetime.
To listen to previous episodes of The Parent Perspective podcast, please visit https://tinyurl.com/ mwpeu5u9
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Meet Steve: a proud parent of an apprentice We spoke with Steve, father of Ben, who is an apprentice with the BBC. In this interview, Steve shares his thoughts about apprenticeships from the perspective of a parent.
How much did you already know about apprenticeships before Ben started looking to apply for an apprenticeship? I was aware of apprenticeships, especially those associated with trades. I think they are a great idea and would like to see more courses available.
How did you feel when Ben told you he was interested in doing an apprenticeship? Ben always wanted to work in media and production and had spent a lot of time looking at the benefits of taking the apprenticeship route, particularly at the BBC and he had his heart set on this being the right step towards the career he wanted. When Ben showed me all of the research he had done, it was a nobrainer. I could see the benefits an apprenticeship would bring, and I supported him with his decision.
"Ben is very happy. You can hear the smile in his voice, and that is great!"
How did Ben find his apprenticeship? Because of the detailed apprenticeship research that Ben had carried out, he knew where he needed to search for vacancies. The hardest part for Ben was securing the apprenticeship. Ben had previously applied for an apprenticeship at the BBC but was unsuccessful. This didn’t put him off though as he was determined to secure an apprenticeship. Ben continued his research into the BBC, and he contacted past BBC apprentices to find out about their recruitment experiences. The following year, Ben applied again. This time, he was successful with his application.
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Meet Steve: a proud parent of an apprentice How has the apprenticeship benefitted Ben? Ben has always been confident, but this is now showing in his professional progress too. Plus, he has built some great working relationships. Ben is learning on-the-job professional skills, gaining the full work experience which has let him flourish into a professional young man. All with the bonus that he will not be leaving university with debt.
What has been your proudest dad moment since Ben started his apprenticeship? In July 2021, Ben’s name appeared on the credits of the BBC Dominic Cummings documentary - ‘Camera Assistant Ben Barnett’, which was amazing. To view Ben's story in full, please visit: www.amazingapprenticeships.com/ apprentice-stories
Since starting the apprenticeship, Ben has moved away from home to London, and he lives with other apprentices. He is gaining life skills and earning a wage, so he really can enjoy his free time. What would you say to parents who may have concerns about their child looking for an apprenticeship? University has its place in the right industry (for example, surgeons), but an apprenticeship can be a better way of learning. It allows young people to gain important employability skills like time management alongside a recognised qualification and industry recognition. I would strongly recommend the apprenticeship route and I will be actively encouraging my other children to do an apprenticeship.
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Meet Ammaarah: a chartered management degree apprentice Ammaarah is a degree apprentice with BAE Systems. In this interview she shares her experience of researching, securing and succeeding through her apprenticeship. Finding the right path was important When I was studying my GCSEs and A levels, I was focused on going to university. I went through the UCAS process, and I received three university offers. However, I became conflicted with the reality of university. It would mean I would leave university with a significant amount of student debt and have limited work experience in a very competitive job market. I made the very bold but difficult decision to reject my university offers and take a gap year to research alternative options and gain work experience.
I took time to find the right opportunity for me I was lucky and started a job as a Care Navigator at my local authority. In this role, I saw the benefits of on-the-job training. I developed vital communication and teamwork skills. The experience helped boost my confidence, and I realised I was ready for another challenge and additional developmental opportunities. I wanted to continue to gain work experience but complement it with academic progression.
The best of both worlds I researched what apprenticeships had to offer, and this is how I identified the Chartered Management Degree Apprenticeship with BAE Systems. I read up on the job advert and job description, and also visited their website to understand more about the role. Through this, I could see that the degree apprenticeship would allow me to gain valuable work experience in the different functions across the business, and also to achieve a degree in Business Management with Chartered Accreditation, all debt-free. And so, I decided to apply for the position and to see what happened.
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Meet Ammaarah: a chartered management degree apprentice The recruitment process was comprehensive I was required to complete an application, do an online test, visit an assessment centre, and carry out security and health checks. To prepare for this, I researched techniques and spoke to my careers adviser at Sixth Form to help me to manage each stage of the recruitment process. It was a difficult and long process, but it was definitely worth it in the end! No two days are the same I've had placements in Finance, HR, IT and Early Careers where I've been able to work on exciting projects and learn from many inspirational people. I've experienced multi-million-pound transformation programmes, multimillion-pound contract renegotiations and large-scale organisational design and implementation. I am currently driving my Business Improvement project and working with stakeholders in delivering my project. I've had lots of personal development opportunities too My apprenticeship has provided lots of exciting enrichment opportunities to support my development, including; trips to the Lake District (Outward Bounds), hosting the BAE Systems Apprenticeship Awards and supporting young people in our communities.
Award-winning achievements My achievements were recognised in the 2021 BAME Apprenticeship Awards where I won the category of Management, Legal and Professional Services Apprentice of the Year. It was incredible to be shortlisted alongside such amazing candidates, and to celebrate the achievements of all apprentices.
My advice to others I would advise anyone looking to start their career to do plenty of research and ask lots of questions to help understand the opportunities and find the best pathway.
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FIND OUT MORE: WHERE TO LOOK for more info. Where to find out more Discover more about apprenticeships at www.amazingapprenticeships.com. There are also lots of other ways that you can continue learning about apprenticeships. As you explore, make sure to look out for upcoming careers and apprenticeship events and sign up for newsletters and alerts to stay up to date with the latest information. School or college Your child's school or college will have a named Careers Leader (you can find this out by visiting their website). The school's careers programme should also be published on the website and they will also share details through newsletters and at parents evenings. The school may hold careers events for parents and students to join or advertise others that are taking place in the local community. The Government Website - Apprenticeships.gov The Government Website has apprenticeship resources, real stories from apprentice ambassadors, plus details on how you can register and sign up for alerts to find apprenticeships. Visit: https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/influencers/support-forparents-and-guardians Social media Social media is a hive of useful apprenticeship information. You can find out about different events taking place, hear from employers and apprentices, find out about apprenticeship vacancies that are recruiting and much more. When visiting company websites, check their social media details and how to follow them. We also recommend you follow these accounts: s eu ! v i G llow o af
Linked In
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