One common misconception is that apprenticeships are only available for young people and school leavers. In fact, there is no upper age limit for an apprenticeship, making them a great option for anyone looking to develop their skills and progress their career. 

Myth. The truth is, your employer can use an apprenticeship to support skills development for existing employees. So, you can undertake an apprenticeship to support your development, to reskill or to help you progress or change careers. To be eligible for an apprenticeship, all you need to do is prove that you’ll gain a significant amount of new learning.  

The pay rate for an apprenticeship is up to your employer to decide. But generally, existing employees undertake the apprenticeship on the same rate as their normal job.

Again, this is really your employer’s decision. You’ll enter into an apprenticeship agreement which may vary some terms, like your length of service, but your entitlements should remain the same.

No. The cost of your apprenticeship training and any associated membership fees for professional bodies are covered in full by your employer.

Yes, providing it’s not in the same subject or similar. The important thing to remember is that an apprenticeship is designed to help you gain a significant amount of new learning. So, if your previous qualification means that you won’t be learning anything new, then you wouldn’t be eligible for the apprenticeship. This can be determined by your training provider following a skills assessment – as well as any important information about regional variations to eligibility.

This depends on the level and type of apprenticeship you undertake. The training element of an apprenticeship lasts a minimum of 12 months, followed by a final assessment. Some higher-level apprenticeships (such as degree apprenticeships) can take up to four years.

You’ll be following a structured learning programme relating to a particular job. These are designed by employers, so you’ll be studying industry-relevant content that leads to recognised qualifications, often with membership to a professional body. There’s a mix of on and off the job learning and at the end you’ll take a final assessment of your knowledge, skills and behaviour. This is called an end point assessment, and it’s conducted by an independent assessment body. Again, regional variations can be explained by your training provider.

Apprenticeships are designed to help advance your career. They help you to develop your skills, gain industry-recognised qualifications and professional body membership. You put into practice the skills you learn straight away, have access to a range of learning resources and full support from a dedicated coach.

Yes. Because Maths and English is an essential part of the Government’s strategy to improve workforce standards, all apprentices must undertake an initial assessment to find out their numeracy and literacy capability. 

However, if you already have a Maths and/or English qualification at GCSE (or equivalent), you may be exempt from further study during your apprenticeship.