Shropshire Youth A guide to understanding apprenticeships

Getting the apprenticeship you want

Apprenticeships are the main way 16 - 18 year olds are employed. You're usually at work four days a week and then working towards a qualification at college one day a week. 

There are two main ways you can find an apprenticeship

Complete the points below and it should improve your chances of getting an apprenticeship:

  1. Search for all apprenticeships five miles away or further. Apply for apprenticeships you are interested in. Employers will then invite some candidates for interview and will offer someone the job. 
  2. Ask employers if they have any vacancies. You can do this by: 
    1. Emailing your CV and covering letter to employers. Explain that you're looking for an apprenticeship and ask if they're taking any apprentices on
    2. Phone and/or visit businesses you would like to work at

For both of the above, it is good to use www.yell.com to find places to take or send your CV to, for example search garages or stables near to the closest town to you. Make sure you dress smartly and appropriately if you take your CV to companies/organisations.

Use the job diary to write down where you've taken your CV and applied to. This will help you keep track of who you've been in touch with and what you have applied for. 

Top tip

If you've not heard from the employer after one week of you emailing/handing in your CV, call and ask the manager whether they've had time to look at your CV and whether they do have any vacancies. If they haven't, ask whether they could keep you in mind for any future vacancies. This will make you stand out from the crowd and employers will usually be impressed by you using your initiative.

Remember

There's no guarantee of getting an apprenticeship so it's useful to have a back-up plan in place i.e. a college course or a programme at a training provider.