What You Need To Know About Becoming An Apprentice

Taking the next steps after you complete your A Level or GCSE exams is an important decision for every school leaver.

Apprenticeships give you the opportunity to not only gain valuable experience within a working environment, they also help you to continue your education and expand on the knowledge you’ve already gained throughout school.

So what do you need to know about becoming an apprentice?

We’ve answered the three BIG questions to help you make that all important decision below.

Why should I do an Apprenticeship? 

Whilst the opportunity to earn a wage whilst gaining a qualification is a clear advantage, there are many unspoken advantages to becoming an apprentice!

Apprenticeships provide amazing work experience whilst you gain a qualification in a field that you’re interested in! This is a brilliant chance to show your line manager or colleagues your employability skills. Opening the potential for you to progress in your career quickly.

Not only is the experience and qualification a huge benefit, there are also student discounts available to apprentices. Cheaper travel and online shopping make budgeting on an apprentice wage that little bit easier.

How do I become an apprentice?

There are a variety of different ways you can become an apprentice and you can find them just like you would with any other job role.

A great thing about apprenticeships though is there are designated websites and job boards specifically for young people looking to find an apprenticeship.

The likes of Not Going To Uni, Centre of Apprenticeships and of course, The National Apprenticeship Service are great places to start looking.

Each apprenticeship provider require a different application process.

At LDN Apprenticeships for example, we don’t ask for CV’s. Instead, we look for something called EEWAP – Energy, Enthusiasm, Willingness to learn, the Ability to take feedback and the Propensity to take action in our applicants.

Take a look at the opportunities page on our website here: https://ldnapprentices.secure.force.com/opportunities

What happens when I complete my apprenticeship?

This is the burning question! Do you get hired full-time? Do you go to university? Can you do another apprenticeship?

Many of these outcomes are down to you! The reward of doing well throughout your apprenticeship can most certainly result in you being hired full-time by your employer.

This is the most common outcome for LDN Apprentices. A massive three out of four LDN Apprentices who complete their apprenticeship with us are hired full-time by their employer. Result!

But it isn’t the only positive outcome. Some apprentices go on to further their education. Either progressing onto a more advanced apprenticeship or heading to university.

Hear it from the LDN Apprentices…

We caught up with Lambeth Made, Network Engineer Apprentice, Joseph to find out how he’s finding being an apprentice in the IT industry.

“Being an Apprentice in the IT industry is very fast-paced and very demanding, but it can also be very rewarding if you enjoy what you are doing. It is also a great opportunity for you to get a deeper understanding of the IT industry and gain more knowledge from experts in the field.

Being an Apprentice also comes with a lot of dedication to studying, but if you put your head down and plan your time effectively you will achieve great things!”

Lukas started his Apprenticeship back in August and has since thrived within the recruitment sector. Lukas shared with us his aspirations for life after an apprenticeship.

“Working as an apprentice in the Client Services sector is some hard work. However, this sector gives you loads of unique skills and develops your existing ones for a healthy financial lifestyle in the future.

I would say it’s amazing! As I like to say, I want to be part of the one percent financially and this sector will help me get it!”

Digital Marketing apprentice, Elliot spoke to us about how his current role inspired him to develop his industry knowledge.

“Being a digital marketing apprentice is fantastic as it covers such a wide spectrum of roles, meaning it will interest almost anyone.

I realised my passion lied in analytics, and found that SEO was a great option for me – and it hasn’t let me down.

Every day I tackle new challenges, use new tools, and gain new skills to further my progress in becoming a fully-fledged digital marketer. Best of all, I’m loving every moment of it!”