With Scottish Apprenticeship Week kicking off today, we take a look at how apprenticeships work, what you get out of it and how to get involved
It’s one of the biggest crises we all face – what am I going to do when I finish school? Continuing with education at college or uni isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s another learning option which could pay off – literally!
Modern Apprenticeships offer Scots the chance to get started in the workplace, earn money and pick up a qualification all at the same time – a pretty sweet deal. It’s a mixture of practical work and studying, so great for those who enjoy learning but want to get working ASAP. Many MAs continue working with the company they start with and work their way up, while others take their experience and qualification to further their career elsewhere.
GREAT OPPORTUNITY
So how does it all work? Apprenticeships take between one and four years, and it’s a great opportunity to get hands-on experience, as well as formal, industry recognised training that’ll make your CV shine. Apprentices have a proper job with responsibilities, tasks and duties within a company – and you’ll be expected to work your socks off and show you have what it takes.
You’ll be part of a structured training programme and you’ll have certain aims and goals to meet while you work. The employer will be signed up with a training provider and agree that you will carry out specific tasks to help you gain a qualification.
The qualification you work towards is called a Scottish Vocational Qualification, or SVQ, and there are four different levels for MAs, starting at level 2. How this is assessed varies, depending on the training provider the employer is linked up with – some MAs attend college on day release or for a few weeks, some might have to attend courses here and there, while others are assessed by their training provider based on the work they’re doing day to day.
Apprenticeships are offered in a huge range of different industries, from admin to transport, and lots of massive employers offer them too, like Arnold Clark, BT, Morgan Stanley, Petrofac, Scottish Water and local authorities Scotland-wide. It’s a good way of getting your foot in the door with a major employer and learning from some of the best people in the business too.
FINDING A ROLE
Before applying for apprenticeships, do a bit of research into the different industries and job roles – look into individual apprenticeships to see what qualifications and experience is required. Some may ask for a few Standard Grade or Nationals, while other employers don’t ask for any formal qualifications. You can search for vacancies through job boards like Apprenticeships in Scotland (www.apprenticeshipsinscotland.com) or My World of Work (www.myworldofwork.co.uk), and most local authorities have apprenticeship portals where local opportunities will be advertised – ask your school or college careers adviser or search online for more info.
Once you find a job you like the look of, you’ll usually be asked to fill in an application form detailing your education and work experience to date. Some sectors, like construction and oil and gas, might ask that you undertake an aptitude test before you start your application to assess your strengths and weaknesses in certain areas. If the employer likes the look of you, you’ll be invited to interview, where it’s time to impress! Be honest, open and be prepared to blow your own trumpet – competition is fierce in the apprenticeship market, so you want to stand out.
Apprenticeships give you an edge over those who continue with traditional classroom-based learning because you’re getting vital work experience and learning more about the working environment straight away. You’ll grow in confidence, mature quickly, learn skills vital for your chosen industry and you’ll not have the student debt that your mates at uni have!
There’s thousands of apprenticeship opportunities on offer right across Scotland – so get online and see where you could be kick-starting your career now. It could be the best decision you make this year…
On the web
My World of Work
www.myworldofwork.co.ukSkills Development Scotland
www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.ukApprenticeships in Scotland
www.apprenticeshipsinscotland.com
