What is an apprenticeship ?

Anyone over the age of 16 living in Wales is eligible for an Apprenticeship. Apprenticeships bridge the gap between academic and vocational learning; students will spend most of their time in the workplace and, generally speaking, around 20% of their time studying. Apprentices will receive1:1 support from Educ8’s Trainer Coachers to make sure they succeed.

Apprentices will gain valuable job specific skills, working alongside experienced staff and studying to gain a nationally recognised qualification, whilst remaining debt free.

Apprenticeships are available from Foundation Level all the way up to Higher:

The Benefits

Apprenticeships offer the opportunity to gain experience, job-specific skills and a nationally recognised qualification all at the same time, earning and learning.
‍
Apprentices will:

• work in a real salon for a real employer
• gain valuable work place skills and experience
• get paid a salary and have a contract of employment
• get paid holiday
• work towards qualifications that the industry wants
• get support from colleagues and Educ8
• increase their employability as they have first-hand experience of work
• have better career prospects once their apprenticeship is complete
• Your learning journey begins here. You’ll meet your Trainer Coach, who’ll be your personal, one to one, support throughout your Apprenticeship

Apprenticeships in Wales are developed to ensure that all learners are given a package of tailored support that best suits their learning style and abilities meaning they’re a great choice for pupils of all abilities. Educ8 have recently recruited a Job Coach to support learners with a disability into work.

Raising Awareness

It is important that young people are given the chance to understand all of their options, particularly as they approach the decisive years 10 and up. Many students still consider university or dropping out of the educational system altogether to be their only options. We want to highlight that, that isn’t the case: setting Apprenticeships on a parity of esteem from KS2 and up.

Apprenticeships are unique in that they offer a combination of work and learning, immediately getting a step on the career ladder and for some this is the perfect choice to kick-start a successful career. We would suggest then that integrating Apprenticeship discussions into everyday learning, alongside other post-school options, is a great way to encourage pupil awareness of apprenticeships.

Where can learners find an Apprenticeship?

Finding an apprenticeship is similar to finding a job: learners will need to do their research, search for roles and send off various applications. Developing the skills to pick out buzz words from job adverts and having a stock CV or application that can be tailored to each role, however, will prove extremely helpful. You can find some CV tips and Apprenticeship Guide on our Activ8 page for learners.

Learners can also visit the Apprenticeship Vacancy Service to get an idea of the types of companies looking for apprentices, the variation of roles available and the requirements of recruitment. It is though, always worth students keeping an eye on companies that they would like to be employed by on social media, as well as signing up to the AVS notification service, as vacancies will often be advertised throughout the year as they become available. Getting a place on an Apprenticeship can be competitive as many students are eager to take advantage of getting an immediate step on the career ladder whilst getting paid, and thus preparation of a good application and CV is key. Research is vital for students to find the right fit of Apprenticeship sector, pathway and employer. Once learners have found a sector they would like to enter, e.g. digital marketing, hairdressing or social media they can start delving deeper, looking at specific roles within that sector.

You can find further advice, guidance, and resources to support pupils in the Welsh Government’s Teacher’s Toolkit here