Active Thames Valley Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships - A Guide for Parents

All parents want their children to have the best possible opportunities, but finding the right path can be challenging. You need to be fully informed about the choices available - vocational and academic. As well as the traditional option of completing  A-levels with a view to going to University, there is now a viable vocational, work-based progression pathway. Apprenticeships enable young people to continue to learn and gain qualifications whilst working and earning an income.

Young people these days have a huge variety of choices and many of them find the work-based learning route the preferred option for their learning style. Employers definitely prefer their staff to have some work experience and occupational qualifications reflect the ability to perform. Vocational qualifications completed in an industry specific working environment are also accepted by Higher Education establishments as entry to their courses, so an Apprenticeship can give access to higher level qualifications in the future.

Apprenticeships

Apprentices learn on the job, building up knowledge and skills, allowing them to gain qualifications and earn money at the same time.

Apprentices work towards a sector specific NVQ to give them the practical competency they require for their job. They also undertake a knowledge based Technical Certificate as well as Functional Maths, English and IT within their Apprenticeship programme.

Apprentices earn a wage and work alongside experienced staff to gain job-specific skills. Some of the job training also forms part of the work towards their NVQ. Anyone living in England aged 16 or over and not in full-time education can apply.

Apprenticeships can take between one and three years to complete depending on the level of Apprenticeship, the apprentices’ ability and the industry sector. The legal Apprentice minimum salary is £2.73 per hour; however, many apprentices earn significantly more than this and employers will usually review their salary, along with performance regularly.

Key benefits of an Apprenticeship:

  • receive training
  • gain qualifications
  • learn job-specific skills
  • earn a salary
  • receive a holiday entitlement.

Employers all over the country recognise and value Apprenticeships, as they show that they individual has been trained in the skills they need to help their business to remain profitable.

Searching for Apprenticeship Vacancies

ATG Training has a long history of providing high quality Apprenticeships focusing on the Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire areas. Many employers choose us to recruit talented Apprentices for their work force and these apprenticeship vacancies can be found on this website. Just choose a sector from the green menu bar on the left and if an employer is seeking apprentices in that market, then the jobs will appear on screen.

To be alerted to all the new opportunities that arise please click the ‘Register/Login’ button at the top of the page and complete the web form.  

Safeguarding: Download our policy (safeguarding-atg.pdf)

ATG Training is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults engaged in the breadth of its activities.

This includes the Prevent duty which is about protecting young people from the risk of radicalisation.

If you have any concerns about safeguarding, please contact:

Further Reading

Unfortunately, no one from our support team is available right now. If you pop in your name and telephone number, we will get back to you between 08:30 and 16:30 (Mon to Fri excluding Bank Holidays).