Choosing which path of education or training you want to follow after school can be tough –you may be considering an Apprenticeship, but how will you know if an Apprenticeship is right for you? Well, Apprenticeships certainly have their advantages! You’ll be earning while you’re learning – all Apprentices get paid at least the Apprentice Minimum Wage, but the average is around £170 per week. You’ll achieve a great quality national qualification. You get to combine studying and on-the-job training – you learn real skills by applying them in the workplace. You’re future prospects are also great – many Apprentices get the opportunity to work towards promotion within the company following their Apprenticeship. There’s a huge choice of Apprenticeships available too, across a range of industries and sectors, so your options for career paths are really varied.

It can be really helpful to gain some insight into whether an Apprenticeship is right for you by seeking some work experience with a similar company to the sort of company you might be working for. This gives you a chance to see first-hand the type of environment that you might be working, to ask questions about the type of work that you might be doing, and if they currently have Apprentices you can ask them about their experiences.

Take a good look around the ATG Apprenticeships website too – there are articles in the news area that provide more detail about particular types of Apprenticeships. We also have videos featuring current Apprentices – you can hear their thoughts and views on their work and training. And our new case studies section has examples of ATG Apprentices, with information on the Apprenticeship they are undertaking or have completed, the type of work they’ve been involved in and their thoughts on the whole thing.