Getty PicturesThe choice of other people beginning an apprenticeship in England has risen, with upper apprenticeships an increasing number of well-liked, in step with the newest knowledge.
There have been 339,000 apprenticeship begins within the 12 months as much as July 2024, together with 122,000 upper apprenticeships – up 8.2% at the earlier 12 months.
It comes after the federal government introduced minimal wages for apprentices are going up from £6.40 to £7.55 an hour in April 2025.
However, with dropout charges at about 50% and worry about low pay, there’s a lot to believe when weighing up whether or not or now not it’s for you.
What’s an apprenticeship?
Being an apprentice approach you most often spend 4 days every week running, and at some point finding out for a qualification at paintings, school, college or on-line.
You receives a commission and the qualification you get is loose – it’s paid for by way of the federal government and your employer.
Since April, the federal government has paid small corporations the entire value of apprenticeships for other people elderly 21 or underneath to lend a hand small companies create extra apprenticeships.
Any employer can rent apprentices. They’re liable for ensuring you’re employed with skilled personnel and obtain day off for finding out.
In England, Wales and Northern Eire, the other ranges of apprenticeship are:
- Intermediate (Stage 2 – GCSE same old)
- Complicated (Stage 3 – A-level same old)
- Upper (Ranges 4, 5, 6 and seven – basis level or above)
- Stage (Ranges 6 and seven – bachelor’s or grasp’s level)
In Scotland, they’re:
- Basis (most commonly SCQF Stage 6 – Highers same old)
- Fashionable (most commonly SCQF Ranges 6 and seven – Highers or Complicated Highers same old)
- Graduate (SCQF Ranges 9, 10 and 11 – undergraduate or grasp’s level same old)
How a lot are apprentices paid?
In case you are underneath 19, or if you’re 19 or older however within the first 12 months of your apprenticeship, you’re going to be paid the apprentice fee, £6.40 in step with hour.
Another way, you’re going to earn no less than the minimal salary:
- £8.60 for 19 and 20-year-olds
- £11.44 for the ones elderly 21 or above. This fee is often referred to as the Nationwide Residing Salary
The Nationwide Union of Scholars is campaigning for all apprentices to be paid no less than the Nationwide Residing Salary.
How a lot are apprenticeship wages going up by way of?
In April 2025, the apprentice fee will upward thrust to £7.55.
That suggests apprentices’ annual wages will pass as much as £14,762, from £12,513 nowadays.
Who does apprenticeships?
Other people regularly do apprenticeships in the event that they know the occupation they would like, or if they’re already running of their selected occupation however need extra abilities.
There are not any UK-wide figures for the choice of apprentices, however there have been 752,150 in England closing 12 months – this is upper than years with numerous Covid disruption, however not up to it was once within the mid-2010s.
Complicated apprenticeships – A-level same old – are the preferred.
The brand new executive has promised to shake up the best way apprenticeships are funded amid issues that the present machine “has now not delivered for younger other people”.
From August 2023 to April 2024, 25% of recent apprentices had been underneath 19, whilst virtually part had been 25 or older.
The way to get an apprenticeship
If you recognize the place you wish to have to paintings, you’ll be able to head immediately to the employer’s web page and practice.
You’ll seek for apprenticeship alternatives via other authentic internet sites in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Eire. In case you are in England, you’ll be able to make an account and practice to a number of apprenticeships in a single position.
The Universities and Faculties Admissions Carrier (Ucas) means that you can seek for vacancies and plans to will let you practice for them.
You’re going to interview for the apprenticeship ahead of you get started, and it is very important go an evaluation appearing what you have got discovered ahead of you’ll be able to end.
The preferred apprenticeships for brand new starters in 2022-23 had been in well being, public products and services and care – adopted by way of industry, management and regulation.
Probably the most largest employers of recent apprentices in England within the monetary 12 months 2023-24 had been the British army, the civil carrier, and the pub and eating place team Mitchells & Butlers.
Are there downsides to apprenticeships?
In England, 54.6% of apprentices finished and handed a last evaluation in 2022-23 – smartly beneath the federal government’s 67% goal by way of the top of 2024-25.
A Division for Schooling record in March 2022 prompt that 4 in 10 individuals who didn’t entire their apprenticeship cited non-public causes, together with occupation adjustments, psychological well being problems and being concerned duties.
Then again, about 4 in 10 additionally mentioned they weren’t given sufficient time for coaching, that the educational didn’t meet their expectancies, or that the apprenticeship was once badly run.
Ucas has warned that younger persons are being get rid of by way of a spread of limitations, together with:
- low pay
- loss of availability
- having to use for apprenticeships in my opinion, somewhat than sending off one utility to a number of employers.
In keeping with Ucas, 430,000 scholars mentioned they had been involved in apprenticeship alternatives in 2023.
Then again, simplest 189,430 apprenticeships had been revealed at the authentic web page in England within the closing educational 12 months.
The closing executive mentioned that was once “nowhere close to sufficient” and introduced a web based apprentice fortify centre.
How do I do know if an apprenticeship is correct for me?
Suppose exhausting about what the apprenticeship gives – will the qualification assist you to growth within the occupation you wish to have? Are you able to image your self in a task within the business? What alternatives are there to growth on the organisation itself?
It would be best to believe the place the apprenticeship is, how a lot you’re going to receives a commission, and the way lengthy it lasts.
It is very important do your analysis, and ask employers for information about coaching to your interview. You’ll additionally learn critiques of apprenticeships on websites like RateMyApprenticeship.co.united kingdom.
