Changes to the laws in England mean that from 2014 young people must be in some form of education or training until they are 17 years old, and from 2015 this changes to the age of 18. But what if you don’t want to stay in school until you’re 18? Well, don’t worry, there are many other options available. Why not consider an Apprenticeship? Apprenticeships are a great way to get started in your career. You will learn the practical skills that you need in your role. And the roles available are hugely varied, with options across a range of […]
Category Archives: Articles
Vince Cable’s recommendations on Apprenticeship wages
From 1st October 2014 the National Minimum Wage for apprentices aged 16 to 18 was increased to £2.73, although the majority of employers already tend to pay more than this. Vince Cable, Liberal Democrat Business Secretary is recommending, however, that this National Minimum Wage be increased by more than £1 per hour to help encourage more young people to take up apprenticeships. Mr Cable will be presenting his plans to increase the National Minimum Wage for apprentices from £2.73 per hour to £3.79 per hour to the Low Pay Commission (LPC). These recommendations will be reviewed by the LPC who will […]
Apprenticeships Pledge from Labour leader, Ed Miliband
As part of Labour’s Party conference in Manchester, leader Ed Miliband said that Apprenticeships would be one of his party’s “national goals” if they were in government. Mr Miliband stated that he would like to see the number of apprentices match the number of university goers by 2025 as part of a 10 year plan to transform the UK. Mr Miliband stated that many young people he has spoken to argue that schools are not giving the necessary support to for them regarding their apprenticeship options and that previous governments had been “useless” in making proper provision for alternatives to […]
Your Apprenticeship Interview – Example Questions
Previously on the ATG Apprenticeships news pages we’ve discussed our top tips for preparing for your Apprenticeship interview. In that article we suggested trying to think about the questions that your potential employer might ask you during the interview and start thinking about how you would answer these kind of questions in a way that relates to the job role and your relevant skills. Are you struggling to think of what types of questions you might be asked though? Well, although every interview is different, we thought we’d get your thinking started with this list of sample questions: What made […]
Emphasising your skills and experience on your CV
In a previous article here on the ATG Apprenticeships news page we discussed how to prepare your CV when you’re getting ready to apply for Apprenticeship vacancies, using our helpful Apprenticeships CV Hints & Tips. It’s also important to note, however, that there are certain skills that the majority of employers will be looking for in an Apprentice, no matter which industry they are operating in. These include communication skills, an ability to work with others, English and Maths skills, basic computer skills and organisation skills. So you need to bear these things in mind when writing your CV so […]
Social Media and Your Apprenticeship Application
Social media plays such a big part in our daily lives now. Have you stopped to think how your social media accounts and activity could affect your Apprenticeship application though? A lot of employers, when reviewing CVs and job applications, will search for the applicants on social networks to get a better idea of the person, their personality and their interests. This can help them to judge whether they think that the individual will fit in with the company. So when you’re starting to look at Apprenticeship vacancies and preparing your CV ready for applications, stop and think about how […]
Getting your parents on board with an Apprenticeship
It’s natural to seek advice and guidance from your school and your parents for when you’re planning your future. But what if you feel that an Apprenticeship is the right option for you and your future, but your parents aren’t on board? Or your school tries to discourage you and convince you to go down a more traditional academic route? It’s quite possible that you will find yourself in this position. Research from educational charity The Edge Foundation indicates that only a quarter of parents of young people judge vocational training to be worthwhile, and that 22% of students are […]
Apprenticeships and Gap Years
Gap years are something that many young people consider after school, before they begin at university. There’s no reason, however, that you can’t take a gap year after school and then begin an Apprenticeship. If you’ve decided that uni isn’t for you and that you’d like to find a position as an apprentice, you could take a gap year when you finish school, and then begin your search for an Apprenticeship vacancy. This is the clear difference between a gap year before uni and a gap year before an Apprenticeship. With universities you can apply for deferred entry – applying […]
Where to find guidance on Apprenticeships
Thinking about your options for the future? There’s lots of information around for university applications and course, but where can you go to find advice and guidance on Apprenticeships? There are a few good websites that will provide you with some general information and background on the types and levels of Apprenticeship that are available. Take a look at the National Careers Service website and apprenticeships.org.uk, for example. For further information about what might be involved in a particular type of Apprenticeship category, you can also take a look at our “Focus On…” series of news articles which provide more […]
ATG support all through your Apprenticeship
In their annual report on study programmes for 16 – 19 year olds Ofsted has raised concerns that many college courses are not effectively helping young people to secure the qualifications, training and work experience to progress in their chosen career paths. Increasing numbers of young people also appear to be dropping out of their training courses, raising concerns that there will be an increase in the number of young people aged 16 to 24 being classed as ‘NEET’ (not in full time education, employment or training). In regards to Apprenticeships and vocational training, the report highlighted the importance of […]
