Apprenticeships

Find Out More About Apprenticeships...

• Are you interested in gaining qualifications whilst you work?
• Would you like to earn whilst you learn?
• Do you want to learn but don’t want to study in a school environment?
• Are you an employer looking for an apprentice?

Yes? Then a New College Nottingham Apprenticeship could be the answer you’re looking for!

What is an Apprenticeship?

Apprentices work with an employer to gain the experience and skills needed to do the job, and, at the same time, get the qualifications to prove they can do it!

You, your employer and ncn tutors will draw up an Individual Learning Plan, which outlines the work you will do. In your 'off the job learning' you learn practical skills as well as the theory behind them, and evidence of your work is collected in a portfolio and used to assess your achievements.

Apprenticeships are available at ncn in two levels:

Intermediate Apprenticeship

• An Intermediate Level course which means you’ll work towards a qualification in your chosen specialist area.
• You'll gain Functional Skills or Key Skills qualifications which teach you valuable skills such as Maths, English and in some frameworks, ICT.
• Some Apprenticeships also include a Technical Certificate which covers the key knowledge required by your chosen occupation.
• The amount of time it should take to complete the training depends on the industry you choose to work in.

If you successfully complete an Intermediate Apprenticeship you can apply to progress on to an Advanced Apprenticeship.

Advanced Apprenticeship

• An Advanced Level course which means you’ll work towards a qualification in your chosen specialist area.
• You’ll continue to advance your training in Functional Skills or Key Skills.
• The amount of time it should take to complete the training depends on the industry you choose to work in.

What do I need to start an Apprenticeship?

This varies depending on the type of Apprenticeship you want to do, but, as a rough guide, you will need to:

• Be aged 16 or over.
• Have a contract of employment for a minimum of 30 hours, except in agreed circumstances.
• There are no GCSE requirements to become an apprentice, however an employer may specify entry requirements for a particular job role.

How do I find an employer?

There are lots of ways of finding out which companies run Apprenticeship schemes.

You can:

• To register and search for vacancies, please go to the National Apprenticeship Service website.
• Talk to our Careers Advisers. They will be able to help you find companies that take on apprentices.
• Call the National Apprenticeships Helpline on 0800 0 150 600. They will send you some helpful information about finding a job. They can even arrange a meeting with colleges in your area to discuss your options.
• Look in the recruitment section of the local newspaper to see if any companies are advertising Apprenticeship vacancies.
• Check the websites of companies that you would like to work for to see if they are advertising Apprenticeship opportunities.
• Get in touch directly with a company you would like to work for. If you decide to do this, chat to your careers advisor about the best way to get in touch, either by telephone or letter.

How can I find out more?

You can find out more about Apprenticeships by contacting the ncn Call Centre on 0115 9 100 100 or emailing enquiries@ncn.ac.uk.