Apprenticeships
These are practical advice and tasks that you can do at any time – not just during the week itself!
National Apprenticeships Week 2025 is 10th-14th February 2025.
See our calendar for the live activities that were on offer last year or search #NAW2025 for what is available online.
Finding Apprenticeships
There are various levels of apprenticeship you can undertake depending on your current skills and qualifications:
- Intermediate apprenticeship (level 2) equivalent of GCSE
- Advanced apprenticeship (level 3) equivalent of A level
- Higher apprenticeship (levels 4-7)
- Degree apprenticeship (levels 6-7)
If you’re looking for higher and degree level apprenticeships, this is the listing for 2024 applicants. It gets updated twice a year: 15th October 2024 and again in January 2025. It tells you when larger apprenticeship schemes will open to applications. If one you like is not yet open, set a reminder on your phone and spend time researching the company. Mrs Hollinshead’s guide to degree apprenticeships is below.
We recommend that you register on some of these websites and sign up for notifications for specific apprenticeships.
- Apprentice Kent
- Find apprenticeships – the government website
- Apprenticeships.gov.uk
- Higher and Degree Apprenticeship listing 2024
CV or Application form?
Some positions will not accept a CV because they want you to complete their application form. Others will take the information that you have completed on the sites above. A lot, however, still rely on the traditional CV. Make sure you are tailoring it to each application you make – look closely at the person specification and/or details of the job and check that you have included what they are looking for on your CV.
- Barclays Life Skills CV builder
- Youth Employment’s Guide and CV builder
- Prospects.ac.uk also includes how to fill gaps left by the Covid pandemic (e.g. in work experience – although ALL of the events for National Apprenticeship Week count as virtual work experience!)
Interviews
There a lots of different types of interviews (listed here) so read any and all information that they send you so that you know what to expect.
These sites have some fantastic insights and practice exercises that you can use to get a clearer idea of how to succeed.
- The National Careers Service has a guide to video interviews (including the newer pre-recorded interviews)
- Advice from Not Going to Uni about online interviews
- Barclays Life Skills have a Virtual Interview Practice Tool that is amazing – and it’s free to sign up!
- Shortlist.me has some AMAZING interview practice training. You pick your sector (e.g. legal or marketing). Go through your answers with coaching that lets you see yourself through the eyes of an employer!
Apprenticeship Interview Tests
If your application is accepted and you are invited to interview, you’ll usually be asked to complete some kind of online test.
The tests themselves vary hugely, so make sure you read any preparation material you are sent. Sometimes the application software will give you a chance to practice before the real test. Otherwise, you may wish to try some of these practice sites:
- https://www.practiceaptitudetests.com/
- https://www.assessmentday.co.uk/
- https://www.firstmaths.com/maths-assessment-for-adults/maths-assessment-for-apprenticeship/
- https://barclayslifeskills.com/i-want-help-applying-for-jobs/school/assessment-test/
- https://www.psychometricinstitute.co.uk/Psychometric-Test-Guide/Aptitude-Test-Guide.html
