National Apprenticeship Week 2022 is here!
At Wiltshire College & University Centre, we are proud to work with so many apprentices and employers from across the county and beyond.
Once again, the theme for this week is ‘Build the Future’ — something that we are all focussing on as we begin to think about a world post the pandemic. We know that apprentices will create a skilled and qualified workforce for the future – helping to drive businesses out of these Covid times.
We will be diving deeper into a range of interesting subjects throughout the week as we look at all things to do with apprenticeships, so please join in with our activities.
And
whether you are a student thinking about an apprenticeship, a parent
thinking that an apprenticeship might be right for your child, or an
employer thinking about having apprentices join your team, we have a
range of advisers ready and waiting for your questions.
Apprenticeships are a great alternative to traditional learning. An apprenticeship is a job where you learn and gain experience as well as getting paid. You are an employee who will benefit from having the right skills and knowledge needed for your chosen career.
What are the benefits of apprenticeships?
- Earn a wage while you are training
- Learn job specific skills and gain practical experience
- Developing professionally alongside experienced colleagues
- Achieve nationally recognised qualifications
- Support from a dedicated College assessor
- Paid holiday
- Progression onto higher level qualifications or university
- Fast track into full-time employment
Anyone can be an apprentice, no matter if you’re a school leaver starting your career, wanting a career change, or looking to upskill your existing experience of qualifications. To be eligible you need to meet the following enrolment criteria:
- Aged 16 or over (there is no upper age limit)
- Have been living in the UK for 3 years prior to enrolling
- Not in full-time education
An apprenticeship gives you the opportunity to work alongside industry professionals while simultaneously gaining nationally recognised qualifications. Afterwards, you can progress into work, a degree-level apprenticeship or onto university.
To mark National Apprenticeship Week, we have arranged a series of expert guest talks from current apprenticeship students, successful apprenticeship graduates and some of our great employer partners. Click on a link below to find out more.
At Wiltshire College & University Centre, we work with around 1,000 employers and deliver over 70 apprenticeships across a wide range of sectors and skill levels.
Our apprenticeship growth has been phenomenal in the past few years and it shows no signs of slowing down.
Our dedicated Apprenticeship Team, Student Recruitment Consultants and Careers Advisors are available to offer you the support you need to be a successful apprentice, provide the right career advice and guidance and match you with appropriate employers.
Find out all about
the College’s apprenticeships offering on our dedicated apprenticeships
page.
- The minimum wage for an apprentice is £4.30 per hour
- Apprenticeships range from Level 2 to Level 7
- Apprenticeships at Level 4 are the equivalent of degree-level qualifications
- An apprenticeship lasts for a minimum of 12 months and most range between 12-48 months
- Most apprenticeships are for a minimum of 30 hours a week, including any College attendance
- 100% of the tuition costs will be met by the employer and/or Government depending on your age and the size of the business
- Depending on the apprenticeship programme, assessments and training are carried out in the workplace or via day release
Whether you are a student thinking about an apprenticeship, a parent thinking that an apprenticeship might be right for your child, or an employer thinking about having apprentices join your team, we want to make sure you have all the information you need.
Head over to our Apprenticeships FAQ page, which will hopefully answer any question you have.
Our dedicated Apprenticeships Team are always on hand to answer any additional questions you may have. You can contact them via apprenticeships@wiltshire.ac.uk.
Our amazing apprenticeship students have continued to do incredible things in the 12 months since National Apprenticeship Week 2021.
Whether that’s achieving promotions in the workplace, being recognised with awards, competing in national competitions or taking part in insightful industry trips, there is always something going on.
And our entire apprenticeships offering continues to go from strength to strength too as we strive to create the best possible programmes for our students.
Take a look below and discover some of the highlights achieved by the College’s apprenticeships department over the past year.
College
apprentice competes in WorldSkills Landscaping Final
Horticulture apprentices benefit from expert insight at SALTEX industry show
NHS nurse promoted after completing management apprenticeship
College shortlisted as national finalist in FE Week and
AELP AAC Apprenticeship Awards
