Discovering Higher and Degree Apprenticeships with UWE Bristol, get free advice >>

Ask me apprenticeship questions

Hello current and prospective apprentices,

I hope you're all doing well.

Just want to offer advice to anyone with questions about apprenticeships. I have done 2 myself (Business and Administration Level 3 and IT Level 3 2010-2012) and have so far continuously climbed the career ladder since so much so that I currently have 3 apprentices who I manage.

So yeah any questions you have please ask away and I will try my best to give you the best advice... no matter how brutally honest it may be :u:

Reply 1

Who_Cider

What factor made you decide to go down the apprenticeship route rather then the degree route?

Reply 2

Quintilius

Original post by Who_Cider

What factor made you decide to go down the apprenticeship route rather then the degree route?

Good question. At the time, a lot of my older siblings friends had graduated from various unis and were struggling to find work due to lack of experience.. vicious cycle of companies not wanting you because you don't have exp but how can you get exp if the companies won't hire you? And also because most of them chose degrees with minimal prospects like art, music etc etc (nothing wrong with those degrees they're just not very er... useful in todays world unless you want to be a musician or artist etc).

Apprenticeships were the hot topic at the time and were just taking off. After months of research and looking at various job specs I found a B&A apprenticeship offering work exp, a qualification and moneeeyyyyyyy (not going to lie money was a BIG deciding factor) so I thought f*** it! Can go uni for 3 years and possibly struggle to get a job at the end + ££££'s in uni 'debt' or can do an apprenticeship and get a qualification while earning and working. Haven't regretted doing an apprenticeship at all but have kinda regretted not experiencing the madness of uni and freshers parties etc even though my mates always invited me along to them.

So to cut that short - Learning ,earning and work experience teamed with seeing my sisters friends struggling to get a 'job job' (not stacking shelves) were the main factors that made me decide to go down the apprenticeship route.

Reply 3

pinshooter

what is the pay like?

Reply 4

tlc98

What was it like on the first day of an apprenticeship? and what happened on the first day?

Reply 5

Quintilius

Original post by pinshooter

what is the pay like?

The pay for the nvq level 2 was £95 per week which was decent at the time which I got via the apprenticeship website.

Pay for level 3 was £22k - I got a full time job after completing level 2 and sourced an apprenticeship provider myself to do the level 3 which didn't cost me a single penny.

Nowadays I see some level 2 apprenticeships pay much better than £95 per week which is good to see

Reply 6

Quintilius

Original post by tlc98

What was it like on the first day of an apprenticeship? and what happened on the first day?

The first day was nothing spectacular apart from the excitement of doing your first 'job job'. Got shown around the office, introduced to people you'll be working with and then given a tour of the building. They gave me some stuff to read up on to learn about the roles and the organisation and that was it really.

Second day is when they gave me work to do which was just filing and photocopying and doing all the sh*t that they couldn't be bothered to do lol.

Reply 7

MeganJonessssc

Original post by Quintilius

Did you have to go to college as well for your apprenticeship?

Reply 8

Quintilius

Original post by MeganJonessssc

Did you have to go to college as well for your apprenticeship?

Hi Megan,

For the level 2 apprenticeship I did. 2 days a week at college and then 3 days a week at work. It was quite easy to do. The level 3 however was 5 days at work with an assessor coming in twice a month to assess me and give me tests

Reply 9

Valenska

Hello Quintilius,

Thank you for being generous and offering us a place to ask questions regarding apprenticeships.

I had just learned about apprenticeships yesterday so please excuse me for any gaps in knowledge. I am also awaiting results day for my GCSEs on the 25th, which I predict I will be getting all As.

To start with my series of questions, I would like to ask what will I need to do during Year 13 of sixth form to become an apprentice. The tradition university route is creating a personal statement, applying to universities, applying for student financing and lastly studying to getting the grades for their university. What would an apprentice need to do? Do they apply during the summer or claim a place a year prior?

Secondly, I am looking into a career into investing. What companies would you recommend me to look towards and companies to avoid? Perhaps a few tips on what to do when looking for an investment/stock exchange apprenticeship.

Lastly, what websites that you would recommend when looking for an apprenticeship and general advice on apprenticeships.

Thank you.

Reply 10

CrazySkittles

Original post by Quintilius

Hi, I'm interested in apprenticeships but I'm wondering whether we have to apply after we finish college or sixth form or can we apply whilst we're in college. I'm in my last year of sixth form so, I was wondering if it would be too early to apply when school resumes.

Reply 11

Bittah Demon

Original post by CrazySkittles

Apply alongside university applications so that you can go straight into your apprenticeship after school, rather than waiting a year.

Reply 12

CrazySkittles

Original post by Donkey******

Apply alongside university applications so that you can go straight into your apprenticeship after school, rather than waiting a year.

Thank you so much! I guess it makes sense, but I was worried that if I did get accepted to a place on a apprenticeship they might not wait for me to finish college.

Reply 13

MeganJonessssc

Original post by Quintilius

Hi Megan,
For the level 2 apprenticeship I did. 2 days a week at college and then 3 days a week at work. It was quite easy to do. The level 3 however was 5 days at work with an assessor coming in twice a month to assess me and give me tests

Roughly how long were you at college, hours in a day. And the apprenticeship that I am interested in is advanced level so which one would that be?

Reply 14

MeganJonessssc

Also I have got a place in uni for Accounting and finance and also a lab assistant apprenticeship interview. I don't know which route to take, what do you think I should do. I just want another opinion and thank you for your help.

Reply 15

Bittah Demon

Original post by MeganJonessssc

What drives you? Are you after money or job satisfaction?
Which would make you happier?

Personally I'd go for the job I'd find more interesting, and I reckon I'd have more fun in a lab than an office.

Reply 16

MeganJonessssc

That's true, thanks for your opinion.

Reply 17

StrangeLife99

Hi,
I failed maths and need to retake it do you think it would be possible to do it
while I am doing the apprenticeship?
And can I go to a Univerisity after my apprenticeship is over?
Plus what If I get aapprenticeship in a small company that doesnt want to keep me?
PS:Thanks for offering to answer all the questions :smile:

Reply 18

NN123

Hi I wanted to know what sort of things they teach in the college and what do u have to do get the qualification like what are the exams like? Easy or hard?