The Apprentice

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Education correspondent9 hours ago

Going to school, college or university Five Days a week is not your only option if you want to earn a qualification.

Tens of thousands of Young People start apprenticeships every Year - getting a Wage and on-The -job experience, as Well as time to train and study.

But, with dropout rates at about 50% and concern about low pay, there is a lot to consider when weighing up whether or not it is For You .

What is an apprenticeship?

Being an apprentice means you usually spend four days a week working, and One Day studying for a qualification - which can be at work, college, university, or online.

You get paid a Wage and The qualification you will get is Free - it is paid for by The government and your employer.

Any employer can hire apprentices, and they usually tell you what qualification they will give you when they list The vacancy.

They have to offer you a role That will help give you The Knowledge and skills you need to complete The apprenticeship.

They are responsible for making sure you work with experienced staff and receive Time Off for studying.

Who does apprenticeships?

People often do apprenticeships if they know The career they want, or if they are already working in their chosen career but want more skills.

The in England Last Year were in healthcare and public services - which includes things like ambulance and fire and rescue services - followed by business, administration and law, then engineering and manufacturing.

Some of The in England Last Year were The British military, BT and Amazon.

There are no UK-wide figures for The Number of apprentices, but there were - That is higher than years with a lot of Covid disruption, but lower than it was in The mid-2010s.

Advanced apprenticeships - A-level standard -

The government to start apprenticeships. Last Year , 20% of new apprentices were under 19, while almost half were 25 or older.

How do I find and apply for apprenticeships?

If you know where you want to work, you can head straight to The Employer 's website and apply.

You can search for apprenticeship opportunities through different official websites in, or If you are in England, you can make an account and apply to several apprenticeships in one place.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) allows you to search for vacancies, but you will not be able to use it to apply until 2024.

You will interview for The apprenticeship before you start, and you will need to pass an assessment showing what you have learnt before you can finish.

How much is an apprentice Wage ?

If you are under 19, or if you are 19 or older but in The First Year of your apprenticeship, you are entitled to The Apprentice rate - £5. 28 per hour.

Otherwise, you will get at least minimum Wage .

What is minimum Wage ?

Applies to apprentices who are 19 or older and have finished their first Year

AgeWage per hour19 or 20£7. 4921 or 22£10. 1823 or older£10. 42gov. uk

Apprentices in England earned according to a government report, and worked 37 hours a week - which includes time spent learning or training.

Average pay ranged from £8. 23 per hour for Level 2 apprentices, to £15. 11 per hour for non-degree apprentices at Level 6 and above.

The National Union of Students is campaigning for all apprentices to be paid at least The National Living Wage - The £10. 42 per hour rate.

Often apprenticeships are advertised with an annual Wage .

On average, people in England who completed Advanced apprenticeships in 2014-15 earned and £22,880 five years on.

Are there downsides to apprenticeships?

In England, a final assessment Last Year - Well below The government's 67% target by The End of 2024-25.

suggested That four in 10 people who did not complete their apprenticeship cited personal reasons, including career changes, Mental Health issues, and caring responsibilities.

However, about four in 10 also said they were not given enough time for training, That The training did not meet their expectations, or That The apprenticeship was badly Run .

has warned That Young People are interested in apprenticeships, but are being put off by a range of barriers, including:

The government in England has launched an online to give apprentices more information, and in The Professional development of people who train apprentices.

It allocated more funding for apprenticeships in The 2021 Spending Review, but The Institute for Fiscal Studies says this will only " partially" Make Up for " significant cuts to public spending on adult education" over The Past decade.

How do I know if an apprenticeship is right for me?

Think hard about what The apprenticeship offers - will The qualification help you progress in The career you want? Can you picture yourself in a job in The industry? What opportunities are there to progress at The organisation itself?

You will want to consider where The apprenticeship is, how much you will get paid, and how long it lasts. If you have any questions, you can take them to The Employer .

It is important to do your research, and ask employers for details about training in your interview. You can also read reviews of apprenticeships on sites like

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Source of news: bbc.com