Scottish Apprenticeship Week
This week marks the Scottish Apprenticeship Week (4-8 March 2022) which aims to shine a light on the vital role apprenticeships play in supporting people, employers, and the wider economy.
Choosing the next direction can be a daunting task for anyone. Particularly for school leavers who believe that further education at a college or university isn’t the route for them. There is often an unexplainable stigma attached to those who choose a path which differs from the status quo.
Attending college or a university isn’t the only possibility for further education. For those who prefer hands-on learning, an apprenticeship could be the perfect situation.
In Scotland, there are three types of apprenticeships: Foundation (work-based learning opportunity for senior-phase secondary school pupils while they complete their National 5s and Highers); Modern (aimed at those aged 16 and over); and Graduate (allows apprentices to take their studies up to a Masters’ level, learning on-the-job while working towards finishing their degree at university or college).
To gain a better idea of the qualifications associated with apprenticeships in Scotland and how they compare with other Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs), have a look at the framework on the SCQF website.
Apprenticeships provide opportunities to study towards a nationally recognised qualification while gaining hands-on experience of the industry through work-based learning.
Apprenticeships have become increasingly popular in recent years and people are finally taking heed to the benefits that they bring. However, there are still some myths surrounding apprenticeships which remain present that we want to take the opportunity to knock on the head.
1. Apprenticeships don’t earn very much money
Apprenticeships pay at the very least the national minimum wage. However, many organisations do pay more so earning while you’re learning comes as a guarantee with an apprenticeship. This base wage is often increased once your first year of training is complete as well.
Studies have also shown that, in the long term, those who have taken part in an apprenticeship have increased earning potential throughout their career. Meaning, those who have progressed with an advanced apprenticeship and completed it, earn approximately £117,000 more over their lifetime than those who haven’t.
See here to learn more about the apprenticeship rates of pay in Scotland.
2. Apprenticeships are only short-term
Depending on what type of apprenticeship you take part in, they can last anywhere between 1-4 years. Moreover, 90% of apprentices are employed by the organisation upon completion of their apprenticeship and nearly ¼ of apprentices are promoted within a year of completion.
The reality is that apprenticeships can be a springboard to fast-tracking your job towards promotions and long-term careers.
If you’re curious about the different opportunities available in Scotland, search the Apprenticeships.Scot website to find out more – in association with Skills Development Scotland.
3. Apprenticeships are only for school leavers
Age being a restriction to apprenticeships is one of the biggest misconceptions out there. With a wide variety of apprentice types available in Scotland, they are open to people of all ages and backgrounds making them an excellent option for anyone who is interested in a change of career or would like to scrub up on some skills to re-enter a particular profession after taking time out.
4. Apprenticeships are only available in industries like engineering or manufacturing
Times have changed, and so have apprenticeships and which industries offer them.
From August 2020 to January 2021, there were 161,900 apprenticeship starts in the UK from a variety of different industries. Nowadays, you can do an apprenticeship in almost any industry from hospitality, marketing, cybersecurity, fashion and banking.
If you’re interested in pursuing an apprenticeship, here are some of the top apprenticeships available to apply for on s1jobs.com this month.