Apprentices are new or current employees aged 16 or over and combine working with studying to gain skills and knowledge in a specific job. It really is worth emphasising that apprenticeships have moved on from just being options for teenagers – think career changes, upskilling and progression. Apprenticeships must last for at least a year but can last up to 5 years depending on the level the apprentice is studying (2 – 7).
An apprentice will benefit from a regular wage, on the job experience and time allocated to study for a free end qualification. The employer benefits from significant Government funding to pay for the studying element (up to 100%), the influx of new talent by tailoring the work programme to their needs and reduced costs as initial wages paid out are lower than that of, for example, graduates.
Organisations in England can benefit from government funding to cover some or all of the costs of training and assessing an apprentice. Find out more here.
I want to apply to do an apprenticeship – where do I look?
Try the National Apprenticeship Service to find vacancies currently available to apply for – mainly between March and June annually. A useful guide for aspiring apprentices can be found here.
My organisation would like to employ an apprentice – what apprenticeships are available?
Check out the Find Apprenticeship Training search facility on the National Apprenticeship Service website then get in touch with a training provider for the apprenticeship (follow the links) to discuss the next steps.
For more information on the steps for employing an apprentice, click here.
The Society supported the development and subsequent 2019 launch of the Level 6 Environmental Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship – the very first degree apprenticeship for the environment sector. The standards for the apprenticeship were created by an innovative Trailblazer Group involving organisations from across private, public and voluntary sectors.
The Group state that “Environmental Practitioners will combine a high level of knowledge and understanding of environmental principles and techniques to complex environmental systems, with their expertise being developed, adaptable or transferable to a range of environmental specialisms, for example, environmental policy and legislation, air quality, climate change, energy, water resources, waste management, ecology, acoustics, land contamination, sustainability, landscape or heritage.”
Find out more about the Level 6 Environmental Practitioner degree apprenticeship »
An opportunity to achieve REnvP
Graduates of the level 6 Environmental Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship will be ideally placed to gain the new Registered Environmental Practitioner (REnvP) registration, at level 5, due to the practical experience and relevant knowledge obtained. Find out more about the REnvP registration, here »
To discuss how the Society can contribute to your Trailblazer Group, please contact Geoff Atkins on [email protected]
