What is an apprentice?

An apprentice is defined in the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (SOED) as:

“A learner of a craft; one who is bound by legal agreement to serve an employer for a period of years with a view to learning a handicraft, trade etc, in which the employer is reciprocally bound to  instruct him/her.”

The origin of the word comes from Latin apprehendere ‘apprehend’;  from Old French aprentis (from apprendre ‘learn’); and from Middle English.

Thus, an apprenticeship (from 1631 in the SOED) means: “to bind as an apprentice; to indenture” and, from 1780, “for a period of seven years”.

apprentice

Guide to apprenticeships

A modern guide to apprenticeships has been produced for the UK government by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) and is available in a simple two-page downloadable format on the GOV.uk website.

This answers your questions about the who, what, why, when, how, and  where. Here is a summary.

1. Who

Apprenticeships are available to anyone over the age of 16 living in England and with no upper age limit.

There are 4 levels of  apprenticeship and equivalent educational level:

Intermediate, level 2: 5 GCSE, grade 9-4 or A*- C.Now people with learning difficulties can access an apprenticeship as long as they achieve Advanced, level 3, qualification during their apprenticeship. (For more details search Disability Confident at GOV.UK).

Advanced, level 2: 2 A level passes/ Level 3 Diploma/International Baccalaureate.

Higher, levels 4,5,6,7: Foundation degree and above.

Degree, level 6 and 7: Bachelor’s or master’s degree.

 2. What

“An apprenticeship is a genuine job and under all circumstance an apprentice will be employed from day one”.  Practical training in a job is combined with study.

An apprentice will

  • work alongside experienced staff

  • gain job-specific skills

  • earn a wage and get paid holiday

  • be given time for study related to their role (equivalent of 1 day a week).”

You can earn a minimum of £3.90 per hour.

Under 18, £4.34ph;

Aged 18-20, £6.15

Aged 21-24, £7.70

Aged 25 and over,  £8.21.

The Apprenticeship survey in 2016 found that the gross average hourly pay was £6.70ph for levels 2 and 3 which equates to nearly £14,000 a year.

Hours

A minimum 30 hours per week include off-the-job training of at least 20%. Support must be given in English and Maths if required.

3. Why

You can

  • Earn a real wage

  • Get trained in the skills employers want

  • Set yourself up for the future.

4. Where

Find information at:

www.amazingapprenticeships.com

or

Find an Apprenticeship GOV.UK

At  www.amazingapprenticeships.com there are employer factfiles, videos, vacancies, and interviews with potential employers in live broadcasts. Meet some apprentices and members of the Young Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (YAAN).

5. How to apply

At any one time there are 12,000 to 20,000 vacancies for apprentices in England.

Contact

NAS help desk on 0800 015 0400 or

Email: nationalhelpdesk@findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk

6. The role of the training provider

They work closely with the employer to ensure that the apprentice gets:

  • an induction programme on starting

  • a detailed training planners

  • regular progress reviews

  • opportunities to put into practice  off-the-job learning

  • mentoring and support throughout

“This will all be documented in a commitment statement that is part of the Apprenticeship Agreement. This is an individual learning plan that the provider, the employer and the apprentice will all sign up to.”

Visit: www.apprenticeships.gov.uk or call 0800 015 400.

Guest User