How to find an Apprenticeship that's right for you
4th March 2019
Thinking about an Apprenticeship as your next step? Here’s the essential information to help you find an Apprenticeship that’s right for you.
What is an Apprenticeship?
Before you do anything, your first step should be to make sure you fully understand what an Apprenticeship is.
Apprenticeships are a mix of learning on the job and studying for anyone aged 16 and over. They are real jobs with training: you work and you get paid, as you are an employee. At the same time, you get to work towards a nationally-recognised qualification.
There are many more types of Apprenticeship available than you might think. Apprenticeships aren’t just for traditional ‘trades’ such as carpentry and bricklaying. You can get an Apprenticeship in virtually any area of work, from Business & Administration to Engineering, Digital Marketing to Childcare, Customer Service to Dental Nursing – and many, many more!
For more information about Apprenticeships, check out our What is an Apprenticeship? page.
Where to look for Apprenticeship vacancies
Once you’ve decided that an Apprenticeship is the route for you, you will need to find Apprenticeship opportunities.
You can search and apply for Apprenticeship vacancies through the Gov.UK website, which allows you to search for vacancies within a specified distance from your home.
We also have a list of current Apprenticeship vacancies on the City College Norwich website.
If you are very clear about the sector you want to work in, it is also worth searching for vacancies on the websites of organisations you’d be interested in joining. If you are looking for an Apprenticeship in the health sector, for example, you could look at NHS job vacancies.
Be proactive to boost your Apprenticeship chances
One of the best pieces of advice for anyone wanting to do an Apprenticeship is this: Don’t just limit yourself to vacancy searches alone, but be proactive in your approach. Can you find an employer who might be willing to take you on as an Apprentice?
It could be that you already work part-time for an employer who would consider you for an Apprentice position. Or it might be a company or organisation where you have done some work experience. Ask them whether they would consider you for an Apprenticeship position. If any of your family, or family friends, run a business that you’re interested in, talk to them too about whether they could take on an Apprentice.
Yes, this approach requires more effort on your part – but by being proactive you are already increasing your chances and showing that you have some great attributes as a potential Apprentice. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
Don’t worry if the company doesn’t have an Apprenticeship scheme in place. If they are interested in taking you on as an Apprentice, City College Norwich can work with them to do the rest!
Have a back-up plan
Finally, it is advisable not to put all your eggs in one basket. Even with a proactive approach, it can take time to secure an Apprenticeship place. Have a back-up plan in place.
You might be 100% sure that an Apprenticeship is the path for you, but it is still a good idea to apply for a college or sixth form course for September. That way you can be sure you have something to go to, even if you don’t find an Apprenticeship straightaway. You can always transfer on to an Apprenticeship later.
We’re here to help
If you want to find out more about Apprenticeships, the Advisers in City College Norwich’s Advice Shop are here to help. You can call up on (01603) 773773 to arrange to speak to an Adviser.
If you have an employer who is interested in taking you on as an Apprentice, please get directly in touch with our Apprenticeships Team on (01603) 773365 or email employerpartnerships@ccn.ac.uk. They will work with your employer to get you started as soon as possible!