Apprenticeships
With an apprenticeship you can earn while you learn
Some might say that apprentices have the best of both worlds, as they earn a wage while they learn relevant skills at college, all the while working alongside experienced staff.
What are apprenticeships?
Apprenticeships are opportunities for school leavers to receive training to work towards nationally recognised qualifications, often at a local college. This happens on days when they are released from work to study. Anyone living in England, over 16 and not in full-time education can apply. This is very much a vocational route, as apprenticeships are linked to particular job roles, rather than being academic courses, some of which are not related to any particular career.
The benefits
There are many benefits to being an apprentice, including:
- earning a salary
- getting paid holidays
- receiving training
- gaining qualifications
- learning job-specific skills.
Apprenticeships can take between one and four years to complete, depending on the level of apprenticeship, your ability and the industry sector.
The minimum salary for most apprenticeships is £2.50 an hour, but many apprentices earn a lot more. Employers increase wages as your skills develop, and research has found that apprentices earn an average of £170 per week.
Who offers apprenticeships?
Many organisations in Oxfordshire offer apprenticeships, with opportunities in such diverse areas as:
- education and training
- leisure, travel and tourism
- business, administration and the law
- information and communication technology
- Engineering and manufacturing
- retail and Commercial
- arts, media and publishing
- construction, planning and the built environment
- health and beauty
- agriculture, horticulture and animal care.
Apprentice Vacancy Matching Service
The best place to look for apprenticeships is on the Apprentice Vacancy Matching Service. After registering with the site, you will be able to search for apprenticeships, store information online so you can use it for more than one application, and apply online in some cases. The service can also send you alerts when new vacancies come along that you might be interested in.
More ways to find apprenticeships
Various different learning providers support young people to apply for apprenticeships. This includes local Further Education colleges like OCVC and Abingdon & Witney college, as well as learning providers like OCC Adult Learning. You can contact learning providers and colleges directly to find out more.
Individual employers may also advertise apprenticeships directly, so look for advertsising online.
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