We’ve canvassed some of our apprenticeship experts from across Adviza to produce a list of amazing apprenticeship facts for anyone considering this fantastic form of “earn while you learn” education.

Apprenticeships are rightly gaining recognition and popularity as a fantastic way to earn while you learn, but there are still lots of assumptions and myths about them. Here we take a closer look at some to see just how accurate they are.

Myth 1: Your GCSE results are not important when applying for apprenticeships.
The reality:

In many circumstances, they are important. You need to have English and Maths at grade 4 or above if you want to do a degree apprenticeship (it’s also difficult to get into university without English and Maths) but you can often study English and Maths while doing a level 3 apprenticeship. The better grades you get generally, the more open employers are to you.

Myth 2: Employers won’t offer you a job when you complete your apprenticeship.
The reality:

Employers do quite often offer apprentices a job, and this is one of the many advantages of doing an apprenticeship! However, it’s not a foregone conclusion and depends a lot on how well you perform during your apprenticeship. You’re far more likely to be offered a permanent job if you work hard, complete your duties, demonstrate a good attitude and generally perform well. Things like punctuality and attendance are important, too: employers will take a dim view of anyone who takes a lot of sickness without good reason, or who is consistently late. If you don’t perform well in your role, you won’t be taken on.

Myth 3: Apprentices don’t have fun.
The reality:

Yes they do! Okay, apprentices may not be able to party like university students can, because they have a day job to do and they need to be on form to go to work. But many employers will have activities for their apprentices like awards, team building exercises and so on. And unlike their university counterparts, apprentices earn while they learn, rather than accruing debt. That’s a nice feeling to have when you’re enjoying lunch with your colleagues.

Myth 4: Apprentices are glorified tea-makers.
The reality:

On the contrary, as an apprentice you will do the job you are taken on to do, and you have to meet the standards of your course criteria. Without that, you won’t pass your apprenticeship. Employers who take on apprentices are fully aware of this.

Myth 5: Apprenticeships are an easy route into a job.
The reality:

Not at all. Apprenticeships are hard work and often quite a shock to the system for people who have just left education, because as an apprentice you will be working and learning at the same time. You’ll have some allocated study time in your week, but it’s still a challenge to mix work and study. You’ll spend some evenings and weekends on the academic side of your apprenticeship, or writing reports evidencing what you do at work. Though not easy, it is very rewarding, and when you finish your apprenticeship you could be several years ahead of your graduate counterparts – often having earned the same qualification.

Myth 6: You can apprentice in almost anything today.
The reality:

This is true! There are over 600 different apprenticeship “standards” (training programmes) linking to many different careers—some of which are very glamorous, such as architecture or law. However, these are highly sought after and very competitive, and often only available in certain parts of the country.

Myth 7: You won’t progress in a company if you join as an apprentice.
The reality:

Nonsense! Like anybody else, if you work well and achieve your targets you can increase your pay and progress through a company, sometimes even whilst apprenticing. Obviously this happens when your employer has decided they like you and want to keep you on. But the possibility of someone being kept on after they graduate as an apprentice and not progressing simply because they were an apprentice? Not a chance!

 

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