This National Careers Week we’re looking at apprenticeships and busting a few common myths about the qualifications and career opportunities they bring.

Apprenticeships are a legitimate and nationally recognised route to career development. From entry level qualifications, to degree apprenticeships, they’re growing in popularity among employers and learners alike, which is changing their perception somewhat positively. In this blog we challenge a few misconceptions, so you have a better understanding of the benefits apprenticeships unlock:

• Only school leavers can do apprenticeships
• Apprentices only get an apprenticeship wage
• Apprenticeships can take a long time to complete
• The application process for apprenticeships is long

Only School leavers can do apprenticeships

There is no age limit for becoming an apprentice – as long as you are over 16 and meet the criteria of the qualification entry requirements, people at any age can enrol.

There are many benefits of an apprenticeship programme and they have a positive effect on all involved.
Apprenticeships can offer you the chance to leave school at 16 and go straight into work, enhance your
skills if you’re already in work, or give you the opportunity to take your career on a new path or in a new
direction.

So, whether you’re 16 or 60, there are apprenticeships suitable to match your level of experience, skill and industry.

Apprentices only get an apprenticeship wage

This is a common misconception when we discuss various apprenticeship with both employers and learners. And, while the apprenticeship wage is usually paid to entry level qualifications, it is not the case for higher level apprenticeships.

If you are acquiring a new skill, straight from college or school, with an entry level apprenticeship in a work-based role, the apprenticeship wage is often paid. However, apprenticeships take many forms and therefore pay is often considered based on the type of qualification and the employment circumstances.

For example; if you wanted to take a level 5 Early Years Practitioner qualification, we’d work with your current employer to deliver the apprenticeship and you would receive your normal salary. For people seeking apprentice qualifications to progress professionally, employers often have a vested interest to ensure career development and have an apprenticeship scheme in place to ensure these opportunities are available to staff.

Apprenticeships can take a long time to complete

Apprenticeships are an effective way to become skilled and qualified in an area of expertise, through on the job training. Like all qualifications, there is time and dedication required to complete, however, apprenticeships don’t usually take a long time to complete, when considering you are instantly putting your skills into action.

Most of the apprenticeships we offer can take up to 24 months or less to complete and, as part of your qualification your employer is obliged to allocate ample time so you can complete elements of your training and course work, within work hours.

The application process for apprenticeships is long

While there are some preliminary criteria to pass before your apprenticeship begins, the general application process is relatively straight forward, if you are currently employed or have an employer ready to take on an apprentice.

What can make the application take longer than usual is if you require functional skills or if you are yet to secure employment, for your work-based apprenticeship. Thankfully, here at HOT Apprenticeships, we work with over 20 employers across Calderdale and Kirklees, who often reach out to us for apprentices to join the team – so we can usually support learners with a placement.

How do I apply?

If you’d like to learn more about the early years, childcare, business and teaching assistant apprenticeships we have to offer, please review our prospectus.