Apprenticeship Mythbusting – Part 2

The main tagline of apprenticeships is “earn while you learn” but there are so many more benefits to them, for both the apprentice and the employer. Despite the recent surge in apprenticeships, there are still many apprenticeship myths that are discouraging people and companies from becoming or taking on an apprentice, and these need explaining.

For the apprentice:

• Entry Requirements

Many assume that there are just as many requirements for an apprenticeship course as there are for a university or college course, particularly school leavers but depending on entry level, some companies will require minimum English and Maths qualifications. The priority of many companies is the attitude of the apprentice, such as their willingness to work and skills such as taking their own initiative; these attributes are often more useful in a position of employment and the only training required will be provided throughout the apprenticeship course.

• Sectors Available

Although apprenticeships have become more popular in recent years, there are still misconceptions about which sectors are available, with the majority assuming Business Admin or Engineering are the main courses. In fact, apprenticeships can be found across a wide range of sectors, Oracle Training in particular offers apprenticeships in all of the following sectors; for more information on the variety of courses in each sector, visit our Apprenticeship Page here.

• Apprentice Stereotype

Similar to the myths about which sectors are available to an apprentice seeker, there are also myths about the kind of person an apprenticeship should attract. For example, many consider apprenticeships to be for those seeking a more “manual” job, potentially due to the misunderstanding that only Engineering is available to them; however, as the range of sectors above proves, apprenticeships can suit a variety of people. Each apprenticeship listed above can offer an apprentice a completely different workplace experience to another, for example the Finance apprenticeships could mean an office job as an Assistant Accountant, it could mean visiting clients in various locations as a Mortgage Advisor.

• Salary

Whilst the minimum pay for an apprenticeship is £3.90, this can differ based on company, entry level and role – some companies can choose to pay their apprenticeships more and as an apprenticeship progresses, this salary can increase again. This salary is also on top of the training provided unlike an apprenticeship course, in which you would accumulate debt and are not always ensured a high paying role at the end of the course.

For the employer:

• Age Requirements

While apprenticeships are becoming a popular alternative route to college or university, they are in no way limited to school leavers and are available to anyone aged 16 or over. Of the vast amount of courses available, several are available at a higher level therefore anyone with the necessary knowledge or experience could be employed on a Level 5 apprenticeship or somebody of the same age could take on an entry level apprenticeship to develop new skills or change their career. For employers, this means that they can upskill any member of their staff, or take on new members from the age of 16 and employ them on a course that can be adapted to their company and business goals.

• Progression Options

A common myth of apprenticeships is that they are temporary courses, beneficial to the apprentice and not the employer for that time period and don’t lead to a full-time job. In fact apprenticeships have many opportunities for progression and are a successful way to work through a sector, starting on an entry level apprenticeship and progressing to the following levels. In a recent survey, 90% of apprentices were proven to gain a full-time job or move on to further training after finishing, and 92% thought that their initial apprenticeship had a positive effect on their careers.

• Off-The-Job Training

A key aspect of apprenticeships is that they feature 20% off-the-job training; however it is commonly misunderstood that this must be completed in a college or other establishment. In fact, as part of an apprenticeship, apprentices will have a tutor to deliver the content of their course and this tutor can provide them with the necessary theory work to complete at their place of work or from home, depending on the industry. This therefore means that there is no need for the extra expense for the company of sending an apprentice to college once a week.

• Expenses

Apprenticeships are government funded which naturally benefits the apprentice, but this is also extremely advantageous to a business. The government now offers companies incentive payments of £3000 for new apprentices of any age who join their organisation between 1st April 2021 to 30th September 2021. This incentive is then in addition to the £1000 that companies receive for taking on an apprentice that is either 16-18 years old or under 25 with an education, health and care plan / who has been in the care of their local authority.

For further information, check out the Government website or our Apprenticeship page and find out more about how an apprenticeship can benefit you.

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