Beyond the Classroom
Employment & Apprenticeships
Welcome to our Employment & Apprenticeship information page! Whilst many of our student progress into further and higher education, a growing number of students apply for apprenticeships and school leaver schemes with local and national employers.
Please book an appointment with a member of the Careers Team for one-to-one advice and guidance on available opportunities. The website links on this page also provide lots of information on apprenticeship and school leaver schemes.
Why Labour Market Information Matters
Local Labour Market Information (LMI) is at the heart of every effective careers decision you will make. It is very difficult to realise your occupational aspirations and progress your career without an awareness and understanding of the labour market trends.
The Careers Team have up-to-date and accurate information about local labour markets, that they use to inform the advice they give to both students, parents and colleagues about;
- What opportunities are out there
- What the future trends are likely to be in different sectors
- What qualifications and skills are needed to access specific career pathways
- What preparation is needed to be ready to compete for jobs in some sectors
For more Information on Labour Market Information (LMI) please see the links below:
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships can be an exciting alternative to higher education or employment. Apprenticeships give you valuable occupational and workplace experience and the opportunity to gain recognised qualifications, technical certification and key employability skills.
As an apprentice you will:
- work alongside experienced staff
- gain job-specific skills
- earn a wage and get holiday pay
- study towards a related qualification
The length of time taken to complete an apprenticeship will depend on the level of the qualification but most apprenticeships are achieved in 1-5 years.
Apprenticeships have equivalent educational levels as follows:
| Name | Level | Equivalent educational level |
|---|---|---|
| Intermediate | 2 | 5 GCSE passes at grades A* to C |
| Advanced | 3 | 2 A level passes |
| Higher | 4, 5, 6 and 7 | Foundation degree and above |
| Degree | 6 and 7 | Bachelor’s or master’s degree |
Apprentices’ opportunities for career progression are increasing with the expansion of Higher Apprenticeships. Equivalent to degrees, more of these specialised and highly skilled apprenticeships are being offered each year, giving you the chance to continue your professional development and fully realise your potential. See section below on School Leaver Schemes.
Apprenticeships can lead to:
- National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) at Level 2, 3, 4 or 5
- Functional Skills qualifications, e.g., in Mathematics, English or ICT
- A technical certificate, such as a BTEC or City & Guilds Progression Award
- Knowledge-based qualifications, such as a Higher National Certificate (HNC), a Higher National Diploma (HND) or degrees.
How to apply for an apprenticeship
You can register for an account and search for the majority of apprenticeships on the following site: https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
Local Council Websites will also post apprenticeship opportunities throughout the academic year, so keep a look out on the website links listed below:
Telford and Wrekin Council: Apprentice opportunities and job vacancies within the local authority.
Wolverhampton Council: Apprentice opportunities and job vacancies within the local authority.
Shropshire Council County Training: Apprentice opportunities and training provider for Shropshire.
wmjobs: Apprentice and job opportunities within the West Midlands
Apprenticeship Information
School Leaver Programmes
These schemes, often called Higher Apprenticeships, are aimed at bright year 13 students with A levels or equivalent qualifications, who are intelligent enough to go to university but have decided instead to enter the world of work.
There are many advantages to such programmes. They are:
- You will have no student debt
- You will start to earn a salary immediately
- Most programmes involve studying for further professional qualifications or a degree. These are paid for by the employer
- It is often easier to secure a role with a leading company as a school leaver than it is as a graduate, when competition is tougher.
- Increasingly more and more companies are offering school leaver programmes as they find taking students on at this stage very attractive
- You will often end up, after 3-4 years at a similar stage as a graduate would entering the organisation
There are now School Leaver programmes in all business sectors, from technical, commercial to creative. They are generally with FTSE 100 leading employers who offer great training programmes and pay good starting salaries.
University is not the only choice for bright students. Take a look at some of the programmes on offer.
Alternatively, there are also a number of sponsored degree programmes, where companies will sponsor you through your degree providing work placements during that time and generally a job on graduation.
Employment Website Links
Here you can find links to employment search engines, which you can use to search for employment opportunities by location, job type, or company. Please make an appointment with The Careers Team to help to fine tune your CV, make applications to employers and prepare for interviews.
