Apprenticeships are an exciting way to start or progress your career, develop new skills, gain qualifications and build your experience in the workplace. In this article, Anna Morrison, Director of Amazing Apprenticeships, explores how they work and what to expect from the apprenticeship application and recruitment process.
1. Apprenticeship employers
In every town and city throughout England, there are employers offering apprenticeships. Some are with bigger employers whose products or services you recognise, but many are with smaller companies that you might not have heard of. Although it might be tempting to look at the big names that feel more familiar, there are thousands of fantastic vacancies with smaller employers too.
2. Apprenticeship job roles
There are thousands of apprenticeship job roles. The knowledge, skills and behaviours for each apprenticeship job role are set out by the apprenticeship standards, but each apprenticeship will be completely unique, as the employer will design the job role they need for their business.
3. Apprenticeship job titles
All apprentices have a job title and job description, decided by the employer. Some job titles might sound familiar, but some might sound more obscure and could even be based on the apprenticeship standard being followed. For example, you could see a vacancy for an ‘Apprentice Pharmacy Assistant’, or ‘Marketing Apprentice’. But you might also see job titles like ‘Operations Apprentice’ or ‘Mobile Plant Operator’ (which have nothing to do with medical operations in hospitals, nor mobile phones or household plants!). If you see a job title that you don’t recognise, try looking at the job description - this should give you a better idea of the role, and typical tasks you will undertake.
4. Apprenticeship levels
There are different levels of apprenticeship, including Foundation (new from August 2025), Intermediate, Advanced, Higher and Degree apprenticeships. The level you start at will depend on your prior qualifications and experience, along with the tasks that the job role involves. It’s important to remember that apprenticeships are designed to support progression in your job role, so you may start as a level 2 (Foundation or Intermediate) apprentice, or a level 3 (Advanced) apprentice, but you can progress up to another level of apprenticeship. There is no limit to the number of apprenticeships that you can undertake throughout your career.
5. Finding apprenticeship vacancies
Apprenticeships are real jobs, so it can be helpful to think of finding apprenticeships as more like searching for a job, rather than like applying to college or university. Employers decide when and where they advertise their apprenticeship vacancies, and also the deadline for applications. There isn’t one central place that you apply through, nor a central date in the year when applications need to be submitted by. While the government’s Find An Apprenticeship platform is a great place to start, it ‘s also useful to explore other jobs sites, social media and ask friends and family to help look for vacancies that come up.
Join our free webinar ‘How to search and apply for apprenticeships’ to hear top tips for finding apprenticeship vacancies.
6. Apprenticeship recruitment
Employers decide on the recruitment process for their apprenticeship. Most apprenticeships require you to submit an application, and some will ask for a CV and covering letter. Some apprenticeships, particularly the more competitive programmes that receive high volumes of applications, have multiple stages to their recruitment process spanning a number of months. This could include online / virtual assessments and interviews before moving onto assessment centres, and in-person interviews. Other apprenticeship recruitment processes are relatively straightforward, with the whole process taking just a few days or weeks.
Visit Meet The Employer to explore the different ways that employers recruit, and the support that they give to candidates.
7. Apprentice salary and benefits
Employers decide the terms and conditions for each of their apprentices. They decide what to pay (as long as it meets the minimum wage for apprentices). They also set the amount of holiday, and decide any extras or benefits. Most apprenticeships advertised are assumed to be full-time (around 37 – 40 hours per week) however it is possible to undertake an apprenticeship in fewer hours by agreement with the employer.
Written by
Anna Morrison, Director Amazing Apprenticeships.
Visit AmazingApprenticeships.com for more information, resources and inspirational apprenticeship stories.