In a nutshell, an apprenticeship is a chance to learn, to gain work experience and to earn a wage – a triple threat.
In terms of the training, the learning styles depend on the qualification you are studying to get, but you can expect your own learning style to be taken into account. This is a win-win situation where you pick up skills and your employer benefits from them.
A large chunk of your work time will be spent coached by someone senior at your employers. A minimum of 20 per cent of your working time will be taken up by off-the-job training, which might take the form of day release, block release or online study blended with class-room learning.
Off-the-job training may mean going to a college to study or it might mean tutors coming to the workplace with sessions taking place somewhere away from the distractions of the job. Details will be agreed with the employer.
If you’re under 18, you cannot be asked to work for more than eight hours a day or 40 hours a week and should have a 30-minute rest break every four and a half hours. You should also not work between the hours of 10pm and 6am.
Depending on the level of qualification, the apprenticeship could take between one and five years to complete. So, you might as well get cracking now.
Your progress will be assessed either by an end-point assessment organisation, who looks at your newly-won skills and knowledge and your behaviour in the role, or your training provider.
Show you’ve taken everything on board and the certificate is yours.