Apprenticeships & Training for Work
An introduction to apprenticeships
What is an apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is a real job. You will be employed, earn a salary and get paid holidays while working towards qualifications and gaining skills that employers want. You will learn at a pace that suits you and be supported by a mentor.
Across the country there are over 600 approved apprenticeships available, covering a wide variety of occupations in different job sectors from surveying to accountancy to veterinary nursing.
Apprenticeships are available to anyone over the age of 16, so you could apply for one after leaving school, college or sixth form, university or even after having worked for several years.
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How much does it cost to do an apprenticeship?
Any course fees and your wages are paid by the employer with nothing to pay off when you've finished your training.
However you may have to pay transport costs for getting to and from your workplace and training provider.
For some apprenticeships you may have to live away from home for certain periods, for example if you need to attend on-site training with a training provider who may be located in another part of the country. You may get help with living costs from the training provider.
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How do I get an apprenticeship?
Firstly you'll need to find an employer who either has a vacancy for an apprentice or would be willing to take one on. Apprenticeships Norfolk has some great information on how to find one.
You can also search for apprenticeship vacancies online at the National Apprenticeship Service Also check your school or college careers noticeboard for vacancies. Some companies recruit directly so take a look at the websites of any employers you are interested in working for, and check out job websites such as Indeed, Not Going to Uni and Get My First Job.
Remember, you need to approach this as you would if applying for an actual job.
Check the job description carefully and write the best application you can as you may be up against lots of other people. So don’t just apply for a single one. Keep your options open by considering applying for similar apprenticeship roles and make sure you have back up options too.
It’s tough isn’t it, applying for jobs? Good news though! An employer you know could also put you onto an apprenticeship. That could be an employer you have worked with on work experience, a family friend or even a job you currently work at. If you do know an employer who is willing to take you on as an apprentice they can find out more about employing an apprentice and possible course funding opportunities on the Apprenticeships Norfolk website.
To help you with your search, download Top tips to get an apprenticeship
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How much will I get paid?
Your wage is set by the employer, so it can vary. It depends on a number of factors such as the sector you're working in, your role and the level of the apprenticeship. Remember that they are paying for you to study at your education provider roughly one day a week, so don’t expect to get the same wage as a full time employee. The minimum salary for an apprentice is currently £8.00 per hour (from April 2026). This applies to all apprentices aged under 18 or to those in the first year of their apprenticeship.
Additional standard rates of pay can be found at National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates - GOV.UK
Some companies will review your pay after you've hit certain milestones. It could be every three months, every six months or every year. So don’t be put off by the starting wage. Read the job description fully to find out if there are pay reviews as part of your apprenticeship role. Not all companies offer this, but it’s something to keep an eye out for.
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How will I be trained?
Most of your training will take place on the job, which amounts to around 80% of your working week. You'll be assigned a workplace mentor who will ensure you can carry out your day to day tasks.
You’ll also have a tutor who will support you with your apprenticeship qualification. This makes up the other 20% of your paid time and is called off the job training, which is around 6 hours a week on average. This could be one day a week at a college, university or training organisation, like CITB or AAT. Or it could be for a few weeks of the year where you'll attend every day like a full-time student. It all depends on the industry you're working in, and is up to the company and the education provider. Bear in mind that you'll also be given coursework to do in your own time.
You'll also be required to complete an assessment at the end of the apprenticeship programme to assess your ability and competence in your job role. This is known as an End Point Assessment or EPA. Apprentices do not pay for their training – all training costs are paid for by your employer and/or the government.
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How long will I be on the apprenticeship?
The minimum apprenticeship duration is eight months, from when you are officially signed up by your apprenticeship training provider. So while in theory that means you could finish after eight months, in reality it could be that you're with your employer for a little longer, as you are not always signed up with your apprenticeship training provider on day one.
The length of the apprenticeship also depends on the job sector and on the level of the apprenticeship standard. Level 2 could be around a year. Level 3 could take between one and two years. Level 4 could be up to four years. Make sure you read the job description carefully so you know what you are committing yourself to.
Remember, there is no obligation to stay on an apprenticeship. It’s just like any job. You won’t be charged for your training if you leave, but you also won’t be able to keep working towards your qualification.
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Apprenticeships are organised into different levels which are equivalent to educational levels. If you're thinking about an apprenticeship after your GCSE's you'll be looking at an intermediate or advanced apprenticeship.
Foundation apprenticeships are available for young people aged 16 to 21, and also aged 22 to 24 for learners who:
- are a care leaver
- are prisoners or prison leavers
- have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
They are for those looking for a broad grounding in an entry level occupation, leading to opportunities for progression to a more specific or higher-level apprenticeship.
The sectors they are available in are:
- construction
- digital
- social care
- engineering and manufacturing
Intermediate Apprenticeships are a foundation step in some businesses, where you will gain on the job knowledge to get you started in a career where you don't need to have had any prior experience. The qualification is the equivalent of 5 GCSEs at grades 4-9 so an Intermediate Apprenticeship could be a great way to get you started in a variety of occupational areas such as education, mechanics, animal care, construction among others!
Advanced Apprenticeships (equivalent to two A level passes) are the most plentiful apprenticeship out there. For many of you it will be the first apprenticeship you'll move on to after you leave school, sixth form or college. It may even be a route for you to do some retraining after having worked in a different industry - remember apprenticeships are for anyone of any age! It’s also a great next step if you've completed an Intermediate Apprenticeship.
If you’re looking to work in legal, finance or marketing, the Business Administration Level 3 Apprenticeship is a very popular route, and will lead you onto Higher and Degree Level options. Every industry has a level 3 option so you can forge similar paths in sectors like healthcare, engineering, science, IT and many, many more.
Higher Apprenticeships are available at levels 4 & 5 meaning they're equivalent to a Higher National Certificate (level 4) or Higher National Diploma (level 5). While vacancies for these apprenticeships do exist, they are frequently offered as career progression opportunities within companies and other organisations, like the NHS, local government and the education sector. This means that you may find you're able to complete one to further your career once you have worked in a particular sector for a while. It's therefore important to look at the different routes you could take to get into and further your career as working your way up inside a company might mean that you can take a Higher and/or Degree Level Apprenticeship.
Degree Apprenticeships offer a real alternative to full-time higher education and make it possible for you to achieve a Batchelor's or Master's Degree as part of your apprenticeship, but without the tuition fees. You will be employed and working whilst also studying part-time at a university. Degree Apprenticeships can take between three to six years to complete and require commitment and self-motivation as you will be working as well as studying.
To find the right apprenticeship you may have to relocate or travel (for instance, the degree part of the apprenticeship may be at a university that is located in a different part of the country to where you are working).
Degree Apprenticeships are available in a growing number of sectors, including: social media and digital marketing, law, automative engineering, banking, construction, chartered surveying, electronic systems engineering, aerospace engineering, aerospace software development, defence systems engineering, laboratory science, nuclear, power systems, financial advice, human resources, nursing, teaching and public relations.
The UCAS website has lots of information and videos on degree apprenticeships
