Apprenticeship Student Guide

APPRENTICESHIPS Student Guide

APPRENTICESHIPS WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF APPRENTICESHIPS? ● Earn a wage while you are training ● Gain job specific skills ● Learn as you work alongside experienced staff ● Achieve recognised qualifications ● Get paid holiday ● Progression to university or higher level qualifications ● Fast-track your way into full-time employment

WHAT IS AN APPRENTICESHIP? Apprenticeships are a great alternative to traditional learning. They give you the opportunity to earn while you learn as you work alongside experienced staff at your place of work, and gain nationally recognised qualifications as you go.

HOW OLD DO YOU HAVE TO BE? You are never too old to become an apprentice! If you are living in England, are 16 years old and over at the time of application and not in full-time education, you can apply to become an apprentice with Wiltshire College.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF APPRENTICESHIPS?

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Name

Level

Qualifications

Equivalent Educational Level

Intermediate

2

Diploma/NVQ Level 2 Maths and English (if applicable) Other accredited qualifications

5 GCSE passes at grades 9-4

Advanced

3

Diploma/NVQ Level 3 Maths and English (if applicable) Other accredited qualifications

2 A level passes

Higher and Degree

4, 5, 6 and 7

Foundation Degree and above

Foundation Degree and above

HOW MUCH DO YOU GET PAID? The minimum wage for an apprentice is £3.50 per hour, however, we have found that many employers are willing to pay more than this depending on the sector and level of apprenticeship in which you are employed. The average weekly wage for an apprentice is £150-£200 per week.

HOW DOES AN APPRENTICESHIP WORK?

Apprenticeships are made up of competence, knowledge and skills elements.

The competence element is undertaken in the workplace where you will learn the skills, knowledge and behaviours necessary to complete your chosen apprenticeship.

The knowledge element is delivered via day or block release at college, or as part of a blended learning programme in the workplace.

The skills element is developed in the workplace supported by a college assessor and your workplace mentor, who provide off the job training and assessments to ensure you are on track.

Progression Opportunities Advanced apprenticeship Further employment Higher apprenticeship Diploma Degree level study Further employment Further Degree study Further employment

If you have not already achieved a GCSE grade C/4 and above (or equivalent) in Maths and English, you may be required to undertake Functional Skills alongside your apprenticeship.

You will also be required to complete an End Point Assessment (EPA) to prove competence in your chosen field.

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WHY BECOME AN APPRENTICE? 97%

OF APPRENTICES SAID THEIR ABILITY TO DO A JOB HAD IMPROVED

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90%

OF APPRENTICES CURRENTLY GO INTO WORK OR FURTHER TRAINING

92%

OF APPRENTICES FELT THAT THEIR APPRENTICESHIP HAD A POSTIVE IMPACT ON THEIR CAREER AND THAT THEIR PROSPECTS HAD IMPROVED

89%

OF APPRENTICES ARE SATISFIED WITH THEIR APPRENTICESHIP

ARE YOU READY TO BECOME AN APPRENTICE? FOUND A HAVE YOU ALREADY OYER? PL EM AN H IT JOB W

NO

YES

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WE HAVE APPRENTICESHIPS AVAILABLE IN‌ iltshire College currently offers apprenticeships in over 40 W occupational areas which is now increasing with the delivery of the new apprenticeship standards.

Apprenticeships are becoming increasingly more specialised with pathways designed to suit specific job roles within a business and your employers needs.

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BUSINESS & IT Accounting Business & Administration Customer Service IT & Telecoms Leadership & Management Social Media & Digital Marketing

CONSTRUCTION & TRADES Bricklaying Electrical Painting & Decorating Plumbing & Heating Bench Joinery & Site Carpentry

CREATIVE ARTS & DESIGN Cultural & Heritage Design Live Events & Promotion Technical Theatre

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ENGINEERING Engineering Technician Maintenance & Operations Engineering Technician Science Industry Maintenance / Manufacturing Technician Welding

HAIR & BEAUTY Beauty Therapy Hair Professional (Barbering & Hairdressing)

HEALTH, CARE & EARLY YEARS Adult Social Care Children & Young People’s Workforce Care Leadership & Management Supporting Teaching and Learning Healthcare Assistant Practitioner Healthcare Support Worker

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HOSPITALITY & CATERING Chef de Partie Commis Chef Hospitality Supervisor Hospitality Team Member

LAND BASED Agriculture Construction Plant Maintenance Horse Care & Management Game & Wildlife Management Horticulture Land-based Service Engineering

AUTOMOTIVE MAINTENANCE Motor Vehicle Service & Maintenance Technician (Light Vehicle) Motor Vehicle Service & Maintenance Technician (Heavy Vehicle)

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MOLLY YATES

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION APPRENTICE pprenticeships are a valuable step into a career in any given A field. It provides people with an opportunity to show employers that they are dedicated to working and learning and can progress within a company.

Molly Yates, a 20-year-old Business Administration apprentice within the Business Development team at Wiltshire College said: “I think that when people think of apprenticeships, they believe you either become an apprentice straight from school or that apprenticeships are only for people wanting to learn trades, but there are so many opportunities available.”

Prior to her apprenticeship, Molly studied A Levels in English Language/Literature, Media Studies and Psychology. She said: “I chose subjects that I enjoyed as I wasn’t sure what career I wanted to pursue at that time but I did know that I definitely didn’t want to go to university.”

After completing her A Levels, Molly then went into full-time work at a coffee shop.

She said: “I really enjoyed talking to 12

customers and learning how a business works behind the scenes.” After working in a coffee shop for a year, Molly learned that business was a career she wanted to develop which could be done without having to go to university. This was why Molly started looking into Business Administration apprenticeships as this would give her the opportunity to learn about business whilst being paid and learning on the job.

Molly is now nine months into her apprenticeship and said: “I have learned so much and have been given lots of opportunities to gain as much knowledge

“WHAT I LOVE ABOUT MY APPRENTICESHIP IS THAT EVERY DAY IS DIFFERENT AND I AM ENJOYING EVERY MINUTE OF IT!” and skills as I can. I have learnt how to manage my time, organise and priortise my work and develop my communication skills.”

Molly’s day to day duties include helping to run one of the College’s software systems, managing diaries, answering external telephone calls and helping to organise events.

The 20 year old said: “Overall, I feel that by doing an apprenticeship, my career prospects have improved massively and I’ve gained real-life experience that I wouldn’t have had by doing a full-time course or going to university.”

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ADAM McGARRY LANDSCAPING APPRENTICE

ll the hard work and effort has certainly paid off for one former A Landscaping apprentice who won gold at the world’s most prestigious vocational education and skills excellence event.

Adam McGarry is currently the number one landscaping apprentice in the UK after winning the WorldSkills National Final competition in November and says it was a fantastic way to mark the completion of his landscaping apprenticeship.

The 21-year-old joined Wiltshire College in 2012 starting on an Intermediate Apprenticeship, working with Matt Turner Landscapes in Calne.

He then progressed onto the Advanced Apprenticeship and was promoted to supervisor with his employer and took on responsibility for all maintenance work.

In March 2017, Adam was awarded Horticultural Apprentice of the Year at the College’s annual Apprenticeship Awards for his hard work and effort.

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“IT’S BEEN A REALLY GREAT YEAR AND TO WIN THE WORLDSKILLS COMPETITION IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.”

He said: “It’s been a really great year and to win the WorldSkills competition is absolutley amazing.”

“I really enjoy landscaping and seeing the reaction on people’s faces when I’ve transformed their garden.

“I take a great deal of pride in my work for other people.

“My favourite part of landscaping is the hard landscaping, particularly block paving and constructing driveways and patios, is an area I feel I excel in.

“Wiltshire College has been really supportive throughout my apprenticeship, as has my employer, and I am really excited about the future and furthering my career with all the skills and experience I have gained over the past few years.”

JAMIE GAY

CHEF DE PARTIE APPRENTICE hen Jamie Gay started his career in catering, he couldn’t W have dreamed that within a few years he would be working for a Michelin star chef.

The 18-year-old apprentice has been working as a trainee chef at the Red Lion pub in East Chisenbury since September alongside owner Guy Manning and said: “I couldn’t not take this amazing opportunity and even though I’ve only been here a short amount of time, it has been fantastic!”

Jamie joined Wiltshire College straight from school in 2015, Where he studied the Level 1 and 2 courses in Professional Cookery. He said: “I really enjoyed my time at the Trowbridge campus. I learned so many skills and being able to work in the White Horse Restaurant was an added bonus as it gave me real life experience.”

Alongside his course Jamie worked at his local pub, The Kings Arms, in All Cannings, where he had the opportunity to work with different chefs, which he believes is a positive in the catering industry.

“Every chef has their own way and that was one of my reasons for wanting to do an apprenticeship, so that I could work with a different chef as well as further the knowledge I learned on the Level 1 and 2 courses,” he said.

A typical day for Jamie, who is studying a Chef de Partie Advanced Apprenticeship through the College, begins at 7.30am when he will check the orders, make stocks and help the other chefs in the kitchens.

Jamie said: “The hours for a chef are long, so it needs to be something you love doing like I do, but Guy has shown me the importance of preparation, which is absolutely critical. We are almost working two days in advance here.”

Guy and his wife Brittany, who is a pastry chef, have been running the pub for the past nine years, and were thrilled that he was awarded a Michelin star in 2013, which they have retained ever since.

Guy said: “I want perfection but you never stop learning and that’s what makes it interesting. That’s why I want to help train the next generation of chefs. It is definitely an investment of my time, I’m teaching him but it is also very rewarding and Jamie has a great attitude.”

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0845 345 2235 APPRENTICESHIPS@WILTSHIRE.AC.UK APPLY ONLINE AT WWW.WILTSHIRE.AC.UK