Results day can be a nerve-wracking and exciting time. For some, it’s a green light to progress on to their plans for the future, but for others it may leave them wondering ‘what’s next?’ – if this is you have you considered an apprenticeship programme?
The outcome of exam results will inform future careers. For those that didn’t quite get the results they expected, it’s not a time to panic or spend sleepless nights worrying. It simply means their plans may need adjusting a little.
Busy Bees Education and Training is an award-winning national training provider who delivers Ofsted ‘outstanding’ training to businesses across the UK, specialising in apprenticeships in care, education, management, and hospitality. Here, Chief Operating Officer, Anthony Bromirski, talks about how vocational training and apprenticeships may be the answer they’re looking for.
“Apprenticeships are a great option for school leavers about to embark on their first steps. Apprenticeships are particularly beneficial in vocational industries because they offer hands-on experience alongside theory-based learning. Also, there are GCSE exit requirements in place, no qualifications are needed to gain entry onto a Level 2 apprenticeship programme. This entry level qualification is ideal for school leavers with little or no work-based experience.
“Apprenticeships range from entry Level 2 through to higher apprenticeships Level 5 and are unique in the fact that they provide both monetary value to both businesses and learners, as well as providing important academic and practical skills. And, contrary to some understanding, they are valuable throughout a person’s career, with higher apprenticeships in management and other specialist areas available.
“There are lots of apprenticeship opportunities for school leavers, with funding available to businesses who recruit apprentices recently increasing by 50 per cent, with an extra £1,000 granted to businesses for every apprentice they hire under the age of 19.”
What to expect
Anthony Bromirski goes on to explain what to look for when choosing an apprenticeship programme.
“An apprenticeship programme runs for a minimum of 12 months, but an exact timeframe will be decided following an initial review by an assessor, which will take into consideration a learner’s experience and existing qualifications.
“Work-based qualifications, such as apprenticeships, are assessed through course work or competency in work-based situations rather than exams, appealing to those with more practical than academic ability. However, theoretical knowledge is an important part of learning and any good training provider will make sure an apprenticeship programme supports both. Busy Bees Education and Training have found that offering learners theory-based short-courses alongside apprenticeships helps to put academic learning into context and can be reinforced by the apprenticeship assessor through questioning at the end of observations.
“A good apprenticeship programme will ensure an apprentice is assign a work-placed mentor, who will be on hand to give support, guidance and constructive feedback along the way. Apprentices can benefit from the knowledge and experience of the team around them as they work alongside qualified and experienced workers, who will be on hand to provide words of wisdom and encouragement.”
Progression routes
There are plenty of career progression routes available for those who chose to undertake an apprenticeship programme. As Anthony Bromirski explains;
“After all that hard work, an entry-level apprentice will be rewarded with a recognised Children and Young Peoples Workforce qualification, Level 2. At this point, they should be given helpful and impartial advice from their training provider on what their options are for the future, whether that’s employment or further education. Many of our apprentices decide to enter into higher education with support from their nursery’s management team or some stay in their current setting to carry out a higher apprenticeship; it really depends on their career aspirations.
“Apprenticeships offer a number of progression routes and options to school leavers, and with the added benefit of earning while you learn and no hefty student loans to pay, they can offer a great alternative to traditional academic qualifications.”
To find out more information about apprenticeships and the options available, visit https://busybeestraining.co.uk/apprenticeships or sign up to the upcoming Refresh Your Future Event to get more advice on career opportunities for school leavers https://busybeestraining.co.uk/refresh-event/school-leaver-event
