LEARN AND EARN. Apprenticeship guide. WWW. GATESHEAD. AC.UK
HELLO. We know it s not always easy to decide what to study after your GCSE exams. So we re here to help. An apprenticeship could be a great way to start your career if you like practical learning. It s also a great way to: Get straight into work Earn your own money Develop your knowledge Gain practical skills THE ONLY OUTSTANDING COLLEGE IN TYNE AND WEAR. This handy guide will tell you all you need to know about apprenticeships, how to apply and how we can help you get job ready. Every effort was made to ensure that information in this guide was correct at the time of going to print (September 2017). Gateshead College reserves the right to amend information at any time. Copyright Gateshead College 2017. RESULT! We re rated Ofsted outstanding. Because we put in everything we ve got to make sure our students succeed.
Q&A WORK A paid job with an employer. What is an apprenticeship? An apprenticeship is a mix of work and training. + As an apprentice, you ll have a job with an employer where you ll work as a member of their team and be trained to do a specific role by your colleagues or supervisor. TRAINING Time at college developing your knowledge. You ll also spend time with Gateshead College staff developing skills and knowledge relevant to your chosen job. + SKILLS Develop specific skills and behaviours that you can apply in your role. 4 5
Are apprenticeships changing? Yes. Apprenticeships are becoming more relevant to the industry you are working in. You ll learn skills and behaviours specific to the career you have chosen, as well as English, maths and, for some apprenticeships, ICT. Are there different levels of apprenticeship? Yes. Apprenticeships are now available from level 2 through to masters degree level. Level 2 Apprenticeship This is the same level as GCSEs. Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship This is the same level as A levels. Level 4 to 7 Higher Apprenticeship This is the same as a foundation degree or above. What level will I start at? School leavers can start on a Level 2 or Level 3 apprenticeship, depending on your exam results, experience and the kind of candidate the employer is looking for. What will I get paid? The average salary is 170 per week. Some employers will pay more than this, some will pay less, but no less than a set national minimum wage. The salary will be advertised with the job. Will I get any holidays? Yes. You will be entitled to a minimum of 20 days holiday, plus 8 statutory days such as Bank Holidays. What are the entry qualification requirements? The entry requirements will be set by the employer advertising the apprenticeship. For some high level apprenticeships you may need GCSE grades C/4 or above including English and maths. Some apprenticeships will not require you to have any prior qualifications, but will expect you to demonstrate a great attitude. I don t have good English and maths GCSE grades. What can I do? If you don t meet the entry qualifications for English and maths, don t panic. You can start on a full time vocational qualification with us and we ll help you gain the grades you need. Then when you re ready, you can apply for an apprenticeship. How long will I be an apprentice for? It depends upon the type of apprenticeship and can vary from 12 months to four years. How will I be assessed? Assessments will take place during your apprenticeship and at the end you will then be awarded a grade based on your performance. I don t have any qualifications, can I still do an apprenticeship? At Gateshead College we offer a range of introductory training courses and pre-apprenticeships which are designed to give you the skills you need to progress onto an apprenticeship. For more information call 0191 490 2246. How much time do I spend at Gateshead College? This will depend on the type of apprenticeship you do. For some apprenticeships, you ll spend four days in work and one day with us. For others, you might spend several weeks in work, then spend a week at college. What can I do after an apprenticeship? With a CV bursting with work experience and job ready skills, you ll be ideally placed to secure a job in your chosen field following an apprenticeship. The majority of apprentices stay in employment with two thirds staying with their apprentice employer. Or you can progress onto a foundation degree or HND, many of which can be studied part time so you can continue to work. Can I still go to university? Yes. Some apprenticeships attract UCAS points or lead to foundation degrees and HNDs which enable you to progress on to a full honours degree programme at university. 6 7
WHAT CAN I TRAIN IN? No longer just for the traditional trades, apprenticeships can be the starting point for a wide range of exciting careers. We offer training in: Beauty Therapy Bricklaying Bus & Coach Engineering and Maintenance Business Administration Business Improvement Techniques Building Maintenance Children and young people s workforce Community Arts Creative and Digital Media Cultural and Heritage Venues Customer Service Driving Goods Vehicles Electrical Installation Engineering - General Engineering - Maintenance Hairdressing Health and Social Care 8 Hospitality and Catering 9 IT Leadership Health and Social Care Live Events and Promotions Management Manufacturing Music Business Plastering Plumbing and Heating Rail Retail Skills Social Media and ICT Supply Chain Team Leading Technical Theatre Vehicle Body Repair and Paint Vehicle Mechanic (Light and Heavy) Warehousing/Storage/Logistics
HOW TO APPLY. 1Apply for a vacancy All our vacancies can be found on our website. Simply find the one you like, send us your details and we ll take it from there. Find vacancies here: www.gateshead.ac.uk/apprenticeships www.joblabgateshead.co.uk www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk 2Sign up to alerts If you can t find a vacancy that s right for you, you can sign up to our apprenticeship alerts. As soon as a vacancy becomes available we ll let you know and help you prepare. Sign up for alerts here: www.gateshead.ac.uk/apprenticeships 3Fast track from a vocational programme If you re not sure if an apprenticeship is right for you or you don t have the right GCSE English and maths grades to be able to apply, no problem. You can start on a full time vocational course in the relevant subject area and we ll help you gain the grades you need to apply for an apprenticeship, alongside the vocational qualification. Then, when you re ready, you can fast-track to an apprenticeship. Find our vocational courses here: www.gateshead.ac.uk To apply, simply come along to an open event. For dates, see our website. Taking up the apprenticeship is the best career move I could have made. Stephen McCarron Nissan apprentice 10 11
WE LIKE TO BE SOCIAL! @gatesheadcollege Follow us on social media to stay up to date with events, competitions, news and see what our students are up to. gatesheadcoll THE AVERAGE SALARY FOR AN APPRENTICE IS... 170 A WEEK 1 2 3 c @gatesheadcoll 4 5 6 X 7 8 9 #gatesheadcollege 12 13 0
OUR CAMPUSES. Get s to help you with travel to all our campuses. We have four different campuses across Gateshead, all with world class facilities including: Relaxed social spaces Gyms Salon & Spa 83m indoor athletics track Music recording studios Restaurants Costa & Starbucks Science labs Construction trade workshops Sports science and medicine facilities Mechanical maintenance workshops Welding and fabrication workshops Electronic lab Pole vault, long jump and throw area Spray paint booths Free parking To find out more about each of our individual campuses facilities and transport links, visit www.gateshead.ac.uk 14 15
NEED HELP? NO PROBLEM. Apprenticeship contact form For more information and to sign up for apprenticeship alerts, please complete this form. Personal details Name Address Our Apprenticeship Team is here to help with: General information and advice Completing application forms Writing a CV Preparing for interviews GET IN TOUCH OR POP IN AND SEE US. Postcode Mobile number Email Nationality GCSE English grade (or predicted grade) GCSE maths grade (or predicted grade) Date of birth www.gateshead.ac.uk/apprenticeships 0191 490 2364 apprenticeships@gateshead.ac.uk You can sign up online at www.gateshead.ac.uk/apprenticeships More over the page... 16 17
Please tick the type of apprenticeship you re interested in. You can select more than one. Administration (Business) Beauty Therapy Business Management Construction Creative Industries Customer Services Driving goods Early Years & Childcare Engineering & Manufacturing Hairdressing Health & Social Care Hospitality & Catering IT & Computing Live events & production Motor Vehicle Retail Warehousing/Storage I d also like information on Vocational Study Programmes I d also like information on A Levels Data Protection Gateshead College is registered under the Data Protection Act 1988. We may use the information we process about you for planning, analysis, marketing and other purposes related to your studies. Your information may also be shared with other official organisations, such as your school and Local Education Authorities. Please contact the College Data Protection Officer (Tel: 0191 490 2265) if you have any concerns about the use or accuracy of your information. I confirm the information given is correct Please return to: Corporate Administration Team, Gateshead College, Baltic Campus, Quarryfield Road, Gateshead NE8 3BE
GATESHEADCOLL #GATESHEADCOLLEGE @GATESHEADCOLLEGE WWW. GATESHEAD. AC.UK