Apprenticeships & School Leaver Schemes
There are so many alternatives to university it can be hard to know where to start looking. Listed below are some of the best websites to get you started. Sign up with the sites, ask for alerts and you will receive tailored information about opportunities that could be of interest. At present you have to apply to each firm individually, so you must plan in time for this.
www.notgoingtouni.co.uk is a good starting point for advice about alternatives to university. You can choose to explore different areas and they have in-depth guides on many alternative options.
https://.apprenticenation.co.uk has some excellent resources including videos, work-throughs and mentorship opportunities.
All apprenticeships are advertised through the government’s site: www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship. You need to know which ‘level’ to look for:
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level 4/5 is equivalent to a higher education certificate, higher education diploma or a foundation degree (the first year of a degree)
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level 6 is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree
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level 7 is equivalent to a master’s degree.
If you are doing A-levels then search for:
Higher apprenticeships which lead to qualifications at level 4 and above.
Degree apprenticeships involve gaining a university degree while you work (level 6 or above)
* You need to be eligible to work in the UK to apply for an Apprenticeship
www.amazingapprenticeships.com - lots of useful advice including a Vacancy Snapshot tool identifying large, prestigious firms recruiting in the coming year
www.targetcareers.co.uk - contains a huge amount of advice and has a great alerts service if you sign up
www.GetMyFirstJob.co.uk - allows you to search by industry, job title and location. You can sign up for alerts about newly posted opportunities. You should create an account to receive alerts of interest.
www.apprenticeshipguide.co.uk - allows you to search for opportunities based on your school A-level subjects
www.ratemyapprenticeship.co.uk - lots of useful advice for pupils, parents and teachers, including "top 100" lists based on ratings from current apprentices
www.studentladder.co.uk allows you to sign up for alerts
www.springpod.co.uk lets you connect with employers and runs a variety of online sessions you can sign up to join
Young Professionals UK has a downloadable app, updated daily with apprenticeships and work experience opportunities from companies across the UK
www.allaboutcareers.com allows you to search for apprenticeships and school leaver schemes and has a range of other useful ideas on its site