This week, the UK will be celebrating the 11th National Apprenticeship week. Employers and apprentices from across the country will come together to celebrate apprenticeship successes, as well as encouraging people of all ages to increase their skills through an apprenticeship.
Whether you’re about to join the world of work or are already well-established in your job, joining an apprenticeship programme is a great way of boosting your career for the long-term.
Here are a few reasons why you might want to consider an apprenticeship:
No age limit
Where apprenticeships were previously only available for young adults aged 16-18, changes introduced by the Apprenticeship Levy reform in April 2017 mean that apprenticeships are now available for people of all ages. This also includes existing staff who are looking to train and upskill for a role with their current employer, regardless of what industry they’re in.
Learn valuable skills for the long-term
You’ll not only get real-world work experience with on-the-job learning and training within your chosen industry, but you’ll also get the opportunity to work alongside experienced staff.
An apprenticeship can also help you to further develop important soft skills – also known as ‘interpersonal’ or ‘social skills’ – such as communication and collaboration. Most importantly, you can gain important life skills and grow as an individual.
All of these working and personal skills and capabilities will be highly valued in the workplace as you’ll be able to put them into practice in your future career.
Get a salary whilst learning
Working as an apprentice will mean you’ll be treated like an employee of an organisation – and as a result you’ll get paid a salary. Your standard rate may start at the National Minimum Wage however, once you’ve become more established and progress with your skills and role, you may get a pay rise.
In addition, you will also get paid holidays and potentially company benefits like other employees.
Jump-start careers and strengthen your CV
If you’re a school leaver and about to join the world of work, an apprenticeship is a great way to help you get started and progress in your career quickly, gaining the valuable experience which is often missing from a University education.
And if you’re already in employment, an apprenticeship could still help you to enhance your skills for your current role and ensure you keep pace with the latest changes in the industry you’re working in. It could help you to change direction in your career, or simply get you closer to taking the next step in your career. Either way, with this experience listed on your CV, you’ll have a lot to offer future employers, with the necessary skills and experience that organisations within that industry will be looking and willing to pay for.
Earn a qualification
It’s key to remember that apprenticeships aren’t only about getting relevant work experience and learning on-the-job skills. Once you complete the programme, you’ll also gain a nationally recognised qualification which, in many cases, hiring organisations have identified as a requirement.
Regardless of what apprenticeship programme you’re joining, whether you stay in your chosen profession or end up moving to an unrelated role or industry, your qualification will always be a valuable addition to your CV.
These are just some of the reasons why you could consider taking up an Apprenticeship. It’s not only a valuable way to gain vital experience and certified qualifications, but it can also help kick-start your career and employability opportunities in the longer-term.
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