1. An introduction to apprenticeships
Hello. My name is ‘insert name’ and I’m here on behalf of the National Apprenticeship Service, part of The Department for Education, to talk to you about apprenticeships. Thank you for inviting me along today to speak to you.
We are increasingly receiving a lot of interest in parents wanting to find out more about apprenticeships which is really positive. As parents, we know that you want the very best for your child and previously this was probably assumed to be full time university – but there is another option.
Apprenticeships have been going through a huge reform and with more than 80 universities now offering degree apprenticeships – there have been lots of changes and we know it’s hard to keep up. A lot of parents perhaps remember their own personal experience of apprenticeships – that they were more suited to those who wanted a career in a construction trade – or worse, they link them to schemes like the old YTS!
We also hear concerns from parents that apprenticeships are ‘low paid’ that the employer will ‘let them go’ at the end and that they ‘limit your career’
We’re going to explain all of this as we get into the presentation, but I just want to say – this isn’t the case, apprenticeships have really changed and there are some phenomenal opportunities out there that could lead to a degree apprenticeship meaning that your child could still get a degree and instead of having to pay off £60k of university fees to get a degree through the traditional full time route, they could have all of their course fees paid and be paid to learn at the same time.
That’s got your interest hasn’t it!

2. Tackling the image of apprenticeships
What are apprenticeships?
What are the different levels?
How do they compare to full time university ?
So my role today is to really explain some of the basics so that you know the latest news and also where to go next if you want more information.
Over the next 15 minutes I’m going to try and tackle some of the biggest questions that we get from parents, which are:
What are apprenticeships?
What are the different levels?
Do they really offer the same opportunities as traditional higher education?
Where can I go to find out more?
Where can I find out more?

3. What are apprenticeships? Main components+ =
Aged 16+
A real job with a real employer
Paid a salary
Qualifications and experience
20% of time for study
Contract of employment, holiday, sick pay
Support from a training provider
1 – 4 years
So let’s start with the basics.
Lots of people get confused about apprenticeships or have a certain perception that they are only for less academic students.
That’s probably because they’ve been around for hundreds of years, but they’ve changed a lot in that time.
Apprenticeships are for anyone aged 16+ and this can mean new recruits, but also existing staff who have changed role or taken on a new area of responsibility.
So actually, as parents, many of you will be in employment yourselves and you may start to notice over the coming year that more and more of your in-house training is being converted into apprenticeships. So yes – even you might find yourself doing an apprenticeship in the future!
It’s important to understand that an apprenticeship is a real job, with a real employer.
There’s a myth that apprenticeships are just like work experience, where apprentices will only be given basic tasks but this isn’t the case.
Apprentices will be given real responsibilities and expected to work hard, just like anyone else in the company.
Apprentices will be paid a salary – and it can be a really good salary too! We’ll talk more about money later on.
The employer will invest their time and money in helping their apprentice to gain qualifications and valuable new skills and experience.
20% of the apprentices time (equivalent to 1 day per week) will be spent off-the-job, undertaking learning and this is paid time
Because it’s a proper job, every apprentice will have a contract of employment, holiday and sick pay - exactly the same as any other member of staff.
All apprentices are supported by a training provider, who will help them achieve qualifications and complete their apprenticeship.
An apprenticeship typically takes 1 to 4 years to complete (sometimes up to 6 for some areas like Solicitor). The total duration will depend on the delivery model that the employer selects, the level and the subjects being studied.
As a minimum, all apprenticeships must last for a minimum of 12 months.

4. Levels of apprenticeship Levels 2 - 7
TRAINEESHIPS
INTERMEDIATE APPRENTICESHIP
LEVEL 2
ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIP
LEVEL 3
HIGHER/DEGREE APPRENTICESHIP
LEVEL 4,5,6,7
We now have three levels: Intermediate, Advanced and Higher.
Higher apprenticeships cover all levels from 4 through to 7
Level 4, 5, 6 and 7 are equivalent to a Foundation Degree and above.
A degree apprenticeship contains a Level 6 or 7 Bachelors or Masters degree.
If you want to, you can now start an apprenticeship and work all the way up to achieving a degree.
Which level of apprenticeship you start at will depend on the kind of job that you are applying for. It’s really important not to be held back by only looking for a particular level e.g. degree apprenticeships, because it may be that you need to start at advanced or higher level and work your way up.
Doing a job is completely different to getting a GCSE or A Level and that’s why it can be a bit confusing.
The duration of your apprenticeship will depend on a number of factors including the delivery model that your employer selects and which level of apprenticeship you are studying. As a minimum, all apprenticeships must last for a minimum of 12 months.
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & BEHAVIOURS

5. Some of the possibilities Get exploring!
When we talk about apprenticeships, instantly people will start to think of Plumbing, Electrical and some of the other construction trades. There are many brilliant apprenticeships in these areas, but there are also hundreds of new apprenticeships in exciting areas that you might not know exist.
You can see that even for those students who are considering becoming a teacher, solicitor, police officer or nurse – there is another option for them through apprenticeships.
This slide gives you an idea of the huge range of apprenticeships available and this is just a taster
Activity idea: Pick out a few of the job roles to discuss – will depend on the audience.
Activity idea: Can anyone spot an apprenticeship on the screen that has surprised them?
Activity idea: Does anyone know someone who is doing an interesting apprenticeship?

6. Which employers offer apprenticeships? Here are just a few…
Note to delivery team: Please update this slide with local companies if you feel that the logos are not representative of your area
Equally, the range of employers offering apprenticeships is incredible.
This slide shows you some really familiar logos of big companies in England who all recruit apprentices. Around 50% of apprenticeships started are with large companies like this, but 50% will be with smaller local companies.
It can be tempting to think that the ‘best’ apprenticeships are just with the big, well-known companies, but many of the smaller employers have absolutely brilliant schemes that enable fast-track career progression for their apprentices so it’s really important to encourage students to do their research and not to ignore smaller employers because they can be just as good.

7. What will I earn?
£3.70
Ask the audience a question: Does anyone know what apprentices are paid?
(Typically you will get lots of different responses)
Ok, so the first thing to remember is that … as an apprentice, you get paid a salary!
Presenter click for animation
Many people think that apprentices are low-paid, and this can be true, depending on the employer. Legally, an employer must pay an apprentice the National Minimum Wage for apprentices which is currently £3.50 per hour. This is lower than the normal National Minimum Wage, but it recognises that some people will be going into their first job with no experience at all.
The good news is that lots of employers pay a lot more than the National Minimum Wage for apprentices.
The average wage for apprentices is £170 per week which is a great starting salary for someone just leaving school.
Some apprenticeship schemes in big organisations have a starting salary of £18-20k.
It’s important to remember that if you see an apprenticeship you’re interested in, don’t be put off by the pay if it’s low: there’s room for progression and working your way to the top of an organisation.
Local info: Partners might want to display local opportunity pay rates or adjust this message depending on the local area.
Another common myth is that once you’ve completed your apprenticeship, your employer will let you go. This isn’t true. The majority of apprentices (around 90%) stay in employment. If they do change companies, it’s usually because they’re able to compete for a better job, perhaps with more pay or more responsibility.

8. Are there any jobs? How many vacancies are near me?
Find An Apprenticeship – Government website
28,000+ vacancies
In your area: 10 miles =213 vacancies 20 miles = 777 vacancies 30 miles = 1528 vacancies
Guidance notes: We would expect this slide to be updated by the delivery partner to reflect local opportunities by searching through Find an Apprenticeship
I had a look on the Find an apprenticeship website before coming along today.
If you notice, within 5 miles of this school/college today, there are xx vacancies.
You can see how this number grows the more you increase the distance.
You will need to think about how far you are prepared to travel for work each day.
If you want to think about working in the (insert name of an appropriate location) City, then you could be looking for vacancies there.
The one rule is that you will need to be able to get there, on time, every day.
Don’t worry if you don’t know too much about travelling to work. On the new Find an apprenticeship website, there is a journey planner so this will help you when you are applying for vacancies to work out which vacancies are going to be realistic, and which are not in terms of distance.
It is important not to restrict your searches for vacancies to just look at large companies as many small employers offer some excellent vacancies with great packages and career progression opportunities.

9. Apprenticeship jobs in the local area
Job opportunity
Closing date
Weekly salary
Annual salary
Legal Administration Apprentice
HARRISONS SOLICITORS THAMES VALLEY LIMITED
Advanced
4th July 2018
(to start 30th July 2018)
£230.76
£12,000
CFAB Audit Apprenticeship
Crowe Clark Whitehill Llp
Level 4
31st August 2018
(to start September 2018)
£355.76
£18,500
Technician Scientist, Cell and Gene Therapy
Oxford Biomedica (Uk) Limited
Foundation Degree
20th July 2018
Competitive salary
Chartered Surveyor Apprenticeship-Commercial Property Pathway
Page Hardy
Degree and Chartership
7th August 2018
(to start October 2018)
£269.23
£14,000
Digital Degree Apprenticeship
Wipro Technologies Degree
£326.92
£17,000
We would expect this slide to be updated by the delivery partner
Guidance notes: Search through Find an apprenticeship using the establishment postcode and find some interesting jobs.
Try to find a selection of closing dates so that you can reinforce the need to be using Find an apprenticeship regularly
Try to find a range of salaries so that you can show that there are employers who are prepared to pay more
Try to find a job title that might sound a bit confusing and then explain what that role really is – make it sound exciting and explain that they should not be put off by the titles of some jobs, it’s important they read the job advert attached to it.

10. Higher and Degree apprenticeships
Higher and degree apprenticeships are a real alternative to following the traditional route of going to University as a full time student.
They offer all the benefits of higher education with none of the cost. You will not only be learning, but earning a salary, from day one.
So with a degree apprenticeship, you’re much less likely to build up any debt. Your tuition fees are paid for by your employer and the Government, so you will not be expected to pay £9000 a year.
More than 80 Universities in England offer their degree apprentices exactly the same student experience as other students, so you will still have access to the student union, sports facilities, clubs, societies and student discounts.
In the past, going to university was seen as the best way to advance your career to a higher level. But with the current level of competition for jobs amongst graduates, it might not be the best route for you. With an apprenticeship, you gain the competitive advantage of gaining at least 3 years’ work experience whilst completing your degree.
But remember – it’s hard work as a degree apprentice. You’ll be working full time and fitting in the equivalent of a full time degree alongside it. It might take a bit longer than studying full time – for example, 4 years instead of 3, but you’ll achieve exactly the same degree.
No matter what kind of career you want to follow, you need to do your research and find out if there’s a way to get to the role you want through an apprenticeship. That way, you can decide if you would prefer to study full time at college or university, or if you would prefer to go into work as an apprentice and gain qualifications and experience on the job from day 1.

11. The facts about degree apprenticeships
Whilst we’re talking about higher and degree apprenticeships – let’s just explain this in a bit more detail.
Not a lot of people realise that more the 80 universities in England now offer degree apprenticeships. This includes many Russell Group universities too.
The degrees that are offered through degree apprenticeships are exactly the same as the degrees that would be achieved if you were studying full time.
Apprentices can still achieve a first (or a 2:1 or 2:2) and would be able to potentially progress onto a Masters level programme if they needed to for their job.
Many degree apprenticeships also combine professional status – so it’s a double bonus. For example, if you are studying a degree apprenticeship in Chartered Surveying, you will also achieve your membership of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors – and if you only study a full time degree you won’t achieve this until you can evidence that you have experience of the workplace, so this actually puts apprentices ahead of their peers.
One of the main differences will be that the employer will select which university they want their apprentice to study with.
This could depend on the location of the university, the type of programme that they offer and their planned delivery model e.g. one day a week / online
Because apprentices will be studying part-time, it is likely that it may take a bit longer for them to achieve their degree – possibly 4 years instead of 3. Also the way that it is delivered could vary. Apprentices may not attend lectures on site at the university all of the time, some of the learning may be on-line and a lot of the learning will take place in the workplace too.
But one of the areas getting the most attention with degree apprenticeships is the funding.
The cost of the degree is still the same as studying full time (£9000 per year) but the apprentice will not be expected to pay for this.
All fees will be paid for by the employer and the government, therefore apprentices will not have any student debt.

12. Degree apprenticeships
So – just in case you thought you mis-heard me then….let me say that bit again…
The cost of the degree is still the same as studying full time (£9000 per year) but the apprentice will not be expected to pay for this.
All fees will be paid for by the employer and the government, therefore apprentices will not have any student debt.
They will be earning a salary, gaining experience, given time off to study and all tuition fees will be paid for.

13. What are the differences with full time university?
Advertised all year
Employer and Government pay for the study
Start throughout the year
UCAS deadline
Student pays to study / student loan
Usually start once a year
When they are advertised
Apprenticeships are advertised throughout the year. They do not have one closing date – each employer can decide when they advertise and how long that advert will stay open for.
University has one main deadline, set by UCAS
Who pays
Both options have training costs associated with them. However, as an apprentice, you will not pay for your study – this will be paid for by your employer and the government. As a full time student, you will need to pay for your tuition fees.
When do they start?
Apprenticeships are real jobs and therefore they start throughout the year. University usually has an intake of once per year (although some universities do start more often than this)

14. What are the similarities with full time university?
You need to do your research
You have to apply and it is competitive
Entry requirements
You need to research
You wouldn’t dream of applying to a university for a full time course without doing your research – and exactly the same is true for apprenticeships
You need to look at the location, the benefits, the social life, the transport, if you’re going to be moving away from home – both options require research
You have to apply and it is competitive
Both apprenticeships and university are a competitive process. You are not guaranteed either – you have to put in a good application and go through a competitive process for the best places.
Entry requirements
For apprenticeships, each employer will have their own entry requirements
If it is a degree apprenticeship, the employers will work with university to agree on the entry requirements

15. Useful resources for parents
Which? Guide to Higher and Degree Apprenticeships
The Apprenticeship Guide
So, just to sum up….
There are lots of useful resources that you can access, completely free of charge. Here are some of our favourites:
The A-Z of Apprenticeships
Published on gov.uk this fantastic guide lists all of the different apprenticeships that are available. You will be completely amazed at the different options out there.
The Apprenticeship Guide This guide is like the prospectus for apprenticeships. It lists every apprenticeship available and also has really useful case studies. So if you’ve got students wondering if you can be an apprentice nurse, solicitor, tattoo artist or teacher through the apprenticeship route (and the answer is yes to all of those by the way!) then use this guide to help them with their research.
Which? Guide to Higher and Degree Apprenticeships
This is a great guide and will really help students to look at the 80+ universities who are offering degree apprenticeships so that when students are visiting universities through open days or trying to find out if there is a way to achieve the degree without the debt, it gives them a starting point for their research.
Recruitment techniques being used
We’ve had lots of feedback from teachers throughout the year that they would like some help to understand the latest techniques being used in apprenticeship interviews, including psychometric testing, video interviews and assessment days. This great 5 minute film is a brilliant resource to use to help you and your students to understand it a bit more.
The A-Z of Apprenticeships

16. Higher and degree apprenticeship vacancy listing
You may be aware that the government has issued a list of higher and degree vacancies from over 40 employers that are starting in September Students are able to apply for many of these apprenticeships and a place at university at the same time!
The link for this is:

17. Things to remember An apprenticeship is a good option
We are still talking degrees – but a different way of doing it
Apprenticeships are not the easy route
My main messages to you today are these:
An apprenticeship is a good option There is absolutely no shame at all in your son or daughter wanting to pursue their career through the apprenticeship route
It is the way forward – so much so that universities are now offering degree apprenticeships. It is a serious offer with serious benefits.
It’s exactly the same degree With degree apprenticeships, you are still talking about university and bachelors or honours degrees – but you need to let them know about a different option to getting this funded. We know parents are extremely worried about student debt, they won’t be upset with you for wanting to explain all of their options properly.
Apprenticeships are not the easy option
It’s competitive, especially for the best jobs. Holding down a full time job and studying takes a certain skill, and it won’t be right for everyone.
Parents – you are going to need to support your children just as much with their research, applications and preparation for interviews
Have a plan A and a plan B
We meet so many apprentices who went to university and changed their mind or got to results day and decided not to continue with their application to university but they didn’t have a plan B. All families need to know about apprenticeships and full time university equally, so that if plans change, you know what your options are.
Have a plan A and a plan B