During an apprenticeship, your child will gain hands-on work experience and learn new skills through their company, delivered by a training provider like Lifetime.
The government and employers have invested heavily so that apprenticeships can be a fantastic alternative to university, opening up new avenues for young people looking to kickstart their chosen career.
unlock potential
The benefits
Busting the myths
Apprenticeships are available for all ages, from 16 and up.
Apprentices are entitled to the apprenticeship national minimum wage as a baseline, however many employers pay at least or above national minimum wage.
Apprenticeships are available in hundreds of industries and have been developed to deliver essential skills, knowledge and behaviours that map to clear industry standards. An apprenticeship is a nationally recognised standard.
- Level 2 is the equivalent to two x GCSEs
- Level 3 is equivalent to two x A levels
- Level 4 is equivalent to Higher Education Diploma
- Level 5 is equivalent to a Foundation Degree
- Level 6 is equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree
“The apprenticeship, learner coach and my managers have supported me so much. I now have the confidence to progress and take on a level 3 apprenticeship and become a team leader.”
FAQs
Apprenticeships are a fantastic alternative to traditional educational routes, that develop the essential skills, knowledge and behaviours that an individual requires to succeed in their industry.
An End Point Assessment at the end of the apprenticeship is conducted by an Independent Assessor to show all the learning during the programme has been completed effectively. An apprentice can gain a pass, merit or a distinction.
Each level of an apprenticeship maps to a different educational level:
- Level 2 is the equivalent to two x GCSEs
- Level 3 is equivalent to two x A levels
- Level 4 is equivalent to Higher Education Diploma
- Level 5 is equivalent to a Foundation Degree
- Level 6 is equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree
There are no required qualifications to start an apprenticeship. If your child has not gained a level 4 or above in maths or English at GCSE, then they will complete their Functional Skills alongside their apprenticeship (Functional Skills are the industry equivalent of GCSEs).
There is no cost to you or your child. The apprenticeship is fully funded through apprenticeship funding provided by the company or via government funding.
Apprenticeships take a minimum of 12 months to complete plus an End-point Assessment period. The duration depends on the level and type of apprenticeship programme.
No, apprenticeships are available for 16+.
They will be allocated a dedicated coach from Lifetime, who will visit them in their workplace every 4-8 weeks and be on hand to answer any of their questions throughout their programme. They will also conduct their own self-study in their working hours, with the support of their manager and wider team.
Your child will have lots of opportunity to train and learn in their working hours, however some apprentices do like to do extra learning at home. With Lifetime’s online learning platform Aptem, your child will have access to brilliant resources at their fingertips. It can be accessed from a mobile, tablet or desktop device, offering the freedom and flexibility to learn whenever and wherever.
An Apprenticeship is a full-time job, so your child will get the same holiday allowance as any other employee. They will accrue this as normal, dependant on their working hours.
This depends on the company’s contract; however, they can expect to work 30+ hours a week.
This depends on the company’s contract, the current apprenticeship wage can be found here, however many companies pay over this wage.
Apprentices between 16 and 18 years old, and those aged 19 and over but in the first year as an apprentice, are entitled to be paid the apprenticeship wage. Once your child reaches 19 and they have completed their first year, they will be entitled to be paid the normal National Minimum Wage.
