Learning About Apprenticeships: What You Need To Know As A Parent

Worryingly, a recent survey found that a third of parents don’t know what an apprenticeship is.

As a parent, wouldn’t you want to know about all of the opportunities available to your child?

Apprenticeships are increasingly becoming a great option for many young people as they move on from school and college.

We’ve broken down some of the big questions that parents should know the answer to when considering if an apprenticeship is right for their child.

Will your child be safe? 

The safety of your child is absolutely paramount. All apprenticeship providers should have safeguarding procedures in place and ALL staff involved in the delivery should promote and adhere to these.

Apprenticeships are regulated by Ofsted and apprenticeship providers are funded by the Department for Education. Meaning that every apprenticeship provider should have effective safeguarding procedures in place. 

When it comes to the safety of learners, apprenticeships are HIGHLY regulated.

Will, your child get a permanent job at the end of the apprenticeship? 

Whilst, not every apprentice gets a permanent job at the end of their apprenticeship, our statistics show that the majority of apprentices do go on to secure a permanent role.

8/10 of our apprentices go on to full-time work within their field after their apprenticeship has ended. Of those apprentices who gain a permanent role, 7/10 are offered the job from their current apprenticeship employer. 1/10 go on to university or further study, and 1/10 go on to a job with another employer.

That means nine times out of ten, your child will end up taking a really positive next step at the end of an apprenticeship.

How much will your child earn?

Apprentices are ALWAYS paid for their work within a role.

Here at LDN Apprenticeships, our apprentices are paid a minimum of £200 per week. We won’t work with employers who pay less than this, and we believe that this is a fair apprenticeship wage (the national minimum wage is much lower).

Many of our employers pay significantly more than this, and it is not uncommon for apprentices to start their apprenticeship earning the London Living Wage. There is lots of information on apprentice wage regulations here.

Will your child have to pay for any of the training? 

Absolutely not. Neither you nor your child should ever have to pay a penny for the training. If your child chose to follow the route of a degree apprenticeship, this means they could get that much-coveted university degree without any of the associated student debt!

How many hours is your child expected to work during the week?

All apprentices are expected to work a minimum of 30 hours a week. If they’re 16 or 17 years of age, they’re not expected to work more than 40 hours a week. Normal working regulations apply for those over the age of 18.

What are the industries that your child might end up working in? 

The possibilities for different pathways and courses are HUGE. Apprenticeships range from construction to software development and everything in-between.

Here at LDN Apprenticeships, we supply business and tech apprenticeships with digital skills at their core.

But the options for apprenticeships provide an unbelievable variety of opportunities for your child to get into a specified field of work.

It’s worth looking at the National Apprenticeship Service to investigate all the options available.

How do you know that the employer will look after your child when at work? 

Good apprenticeship providers will carefully vet every employer they work with.

At LDN Apprenticeships, we check-in weekly with our learners and have regular contact with all of the employers we’re working with. Apprentices also have the tools to contact us at any time during the day or night with any issues they may have.

What happens at the end of the apprenticeship? 

As mentioned earlier, 9/10 of our apprentices go on to a positive next step after completing an apprenticeship with LDN Apprenticeships. Permanent employment isn’t the only option available to those who finish an apprenticeship.

Qualifications, as well as experience gained during the apprenticeship, mean that apprentices have many options available to them – including the opportunity to go onto higher education. For those who go on to university after their apprenticeship, the year in work is essentially a productive gap-year!

An apprentice can continue to train for an advanced, higher or degree level apprenticeship if they would like to extend their education. This has the benefit of allowing your child to get a degree, but without any of the associated debt.

Does your child get a qualification?

If your child successfully completes their apprenticeship they will receive a nationally recognised and accredited qualification, in the form of an apprenticeship framework certificate or an apprenticeship standard.

There are different levels of qualifications available in apprenticeships: Intermediate (GCSE), Advanced (A-Level) and Higher (Foundation Degree). Here at LDN Apprenticeships, we offer Advanced and Higher apprenticeships.

How does your child apply for an apprenticeship? 

There are a number of different ways to apply for an apprenticeship, and we think the best place to find the biggest variety of opportunities is online. 

Applicants can directly apply through apprenticeship provider websites such as ours at LDN Apprenticeships. Or you can try a variety of different sites including NotGoingToUni, and GetInGoFar and of course, the National Apprenticeship Service.

How is your child financially supported in an apprenticeship?

The fear of not being able to apply for student loans and help financially is a worry for parents.

Grants and loans help thousands of those in further education across the country. It is worth noting that HSBC include apprenticeships as part of their student loan accounts.

On top of that, remember that apprentices are ALWAYS paid for their work within a role.

Making sure your child is making the best decision regarding their future poses a variety of different questions.

If you have anymore queries about apprenticeships. Please feel free to get in touch with us: hello@ldnapprenticeships.com.