If you’re considering undertaking an Apprenticeship, as well as looking at the type of work and training you will gain, the working hours and salary you will receive, you will need to look at the qualifications that you will achieve. These are usually a range of NVQs, Functional Skills qualifications, technical certificates and, at higher levels, a Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Higher National Diploma (HND).

What is an NVQ?
An NVQ, or National Vocational Qualification, is often referred to as a ‘competence-based’ qualification. To achieve an NVQ, students are assessed on-the-job by an NVQ assessor who evaluates their performance when undertaking a series of job tasks. NVQs are based on National Occupational Standards, which lay out the definitions of best practice and understanding required in a given job role or occupation and identify the outcomes to be assessed.

What are NVQ levels?
NVQs range from Level 1 to Level 5, with a Level 1 NVQ equivalent to GCSEs at grade D-G, a Level 2 NVQ equivalent to GCSEs at grade A-C, Level 3 equivalent to A Levels, Level 4 equivalent to an HNC or Certificate of Higher Education and Level 5 equivalent to an HND or Foundation degree.

What NVQs will be part of your Apprenticeship?
The NVQs that form part of your Apprenticeship will be those that are most closely related to your job role. For example, a Service Maintenance Engineering Advanced Apprentice may take an NVQ 2 in Performing Engineering Operations and an NVQ 3 in Maintenance Engineering.

For more on our engineering apprenticeships take a look at our engineering section on the website

What are Functional Skills?
Functional Skills are essential skills that you will need in your job role, or indeed any job role. These include English, Maths and ICT.

When you’re browsing through any of the vacancies on the ATG Apprenticeships website, you’ll see the qualifications and training listed there under the heading ‘Training to be Provided’, so you’ll always know what will be included in each Apprenticeship.