Parent FAQs

An apprenticeship is a paid job with training, meaning that an Apprentice can earn a wage, learn about the industry they want to go in and gain a nationally recognised qualification.

Apprenticeships are offered at varied levels and are equivalent to other qualifications; For example, a level 3 Apprenticeship is equivalent to two A Levels and a level 7 is comparable to a Master’s degree, meaning that Apprenticeships offer a route from A level to a Degree level qualification in a progressive, sustainable manner.

The entry requirements for an Apprenticeship vary depending on the level of the course; as a guideline Apprentices must have a Grade 4 (C) in English and Maths; if your child doesn’t have these, it isn’t a problem as we will support them in working towards these qualifications while on their Apprenticeship journey.

No! One of the advantages of a Degree Apprenticeship is that you don’t incur student loans but get paid like a regular job instead.

An Apprenticeship works by providing a blend of “off-the-job” training, which equates to 20% of an Apprentices normal working hours where they will be training with one of our tutors or carrying out self-learning, and “on-the-job” training which their employer will deliver, teaching them skills and knowledge to help fulfil their job role and gain a qualification.

Apprentices get paid at different rates; although there is a national minimum wage for Apprenticeships, Apprentices tend to get paid at standard job rates depending on experience and knowledge.

Table accurate as of April 2023

The Apprenticeship guidelines state that an Apprentice should do at least 30 hours a week, but most Apprentices work full-time. If an Apprentice doesn’t meet the minimum hours they can still become an Apprentice and have the Apprenticeship take longer to complete, allowing them enough time to develop the required knowledge and skills.

Most Apprenticeships take between 18-24 months but some can last up to 6 years depending on the standard, level and their experience.

There are many advantages to Apprenticeships when compared to University, such as:

• Learning Experience – Apprenticeships offer a more practical hands-on learning approach when compared to University because it allows Apprentices to learn and directly apply their knowledge on the job instead of just learning all the theory and not knowing how to apply it in a job environment.
• In-Demand Skills – Another advantage of Apprenticeships is that the Apprentices gain the skills that employers are looking for, as Apprenticeship standards are designed with the needs and wants of employers in mind.
• Workplace Experience – As Apprentices will be spending most of their time at work, they’ll gain instrumental skills to excel in a work environment, helping them gain confidence and core skills such as working as part of a team, critical thinking and problem-solving which they can easily transfer to all future jobs.