By Fab Futures team
As you enter Year 2 of your Level 3 qualification you will be starting to finalise your plans for what you will do at the end of your course. As well as doing your final preparations for university you may be considering other options including higher and degree level apprenticeships.
We hope our blog helps you to focus some of your questions and provides
a few of the answers as well as directions for your research.
What is a degree or
higher apprenticeship?
Degree and higher apprenticeships are exactly what they say
– an apprenticeship programme that leads to a level 4, 5 or 6 (full degree)
level qualification.
Who are they for?
These apprenticeships can be for new recruits progressing
straight from college courses or they can be for existing employees looking to
upskill or retrain in their job role.
How long do they take
to complete?
Apprenticeships at this level can take between 2-6 years to
complete depending on the level. As an
apprentice you would split your time between working with your employer and
studying.
Do they cost
anything?
As an apprentice you would not be required to pay towards
the cost of training as this will be funded by a combination of the employer
and the government. You will earn a
salary throughout your time on the apprenticeship.
How do you find a
degree or higher apprenticeship?
These apprenticeships are competitive and you will need to
be pro-active in your search for opportunities.
You will need to look in a range of different places in order to ensure
that you are aware of as many opportunities as possible. Top places include:
Find an
Apprenticeship
www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
This is the government website where you can set up an
account to search, apply and receive alerts for different apprenticeship
vacancies. In addition, each year a
listing of higher and degree apprenticeships is published on this site
containing a wide selection of opportunities and links to apply www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-and-degr...
UCAS Career Finder
The UCAS site also hosts some higher and degree
apprenticeship vacancies.
Not Going To Uni
https://www.notgoingtouni.co.uk/
An apprenticeship website where you can search for a range
of opportunities.
There are a number of other good websites that you can
explore. Your Career Coach will be able
to provide you with a full list.
Opportunities are
already beginning to be advertised. You
need to be starting your research and exploring options NOW!
Some of the larger employers tend to recruit every year. These include companies such as British Aerospace, the BBC, Deloitte, EY, IBM, MACE and Unilever. If you have companies that you would like to work for start to research their websites to find out as much as possible about the company and what opportunities they may offer.
Your Career Coach can help you to highlight
potential employers. Some of the bigger
employers allow you to register your interest on their websites and then they
will alert you when their apprenticeship opportunities become live.
Is a degree
apprenticeship a real degree?
Yes – it is exactly the same degree that you would receive
if you studied full-time but it is studied in a different way. This can be a challenging route as you will
be expected to maintain a job while studying for a degree or higher level
qualification. This requires a certain
set of skills to ensure you can strike a balance between the two demands.
How do I apply?
Once you have found the vacancies you will need to complete an initial application. This is usually done on-line either through the vacancy site or the employer’s own website. There could be additional applications and assessments that you are then required to undertake as part of the recruitment process.
The application
process can be long and challenging with aptitude tests and assessment days as
well as interviews. To prepare for the
process you need to be considering your skills and strengths and good examples
of how you have displayed these.
Stronger applications can make reference to tasks undertaken in college
as well as any additional activities outside of college such as part-time work,
voluntary work, sporting activities or hobbies and interests.
What’s next?
Attend the UCAS
Apprenticeships Fair on 30th November – This is a virtual event
with employers with real vacancies plus you can find out more about the wide
range of employers you can look at for future opportunities. Use the link below to book a place
https://view.email.ucas.com/?qs=c1b7e22874301bfe75...
What if I don’t secure a Higher/Degree apprenticeship
this year?
We would highly recommend you still apply for a Higher
Education course, either at a college that offers HE courses or University. You
can still search for an apprenticeship while you are studying.
If you think this is an option that may interest you please get in touch with your Career Coach. They will be able to show you how to find opportunities suitable for you and how to prepare yourself. We can also offer your group Degree Apprenticeship workshops, ask you tutor to contact the FAB Futures team if you are interested.