Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are increasingly becoming the preferred progression routes for individuals starting their careers. An apprenticeship is a pathway that combines practical working with learning. They are open to individuals from the age of 16 and can be used as a method of upskilling current or new employees. Apprentices can acquire knowledge through a range of learning approaches, that can then be applied to real working environments. The objective is for a trainee to gain the experience needed to help them grow as a working individual. The popularity of apprenticeships can be attributed to the fact that it is the only form of career progression that offers training with a salary.
According to UK government statistics, the percentage of employees who were previously apprentices rose from 2.9% to 3.3% during the 2020-21 period. Of all employment starts in the UK during the same period, 1/10 of these were apprenticeships. In 2020-21, there were 204,000 apprenticeship starts from Aug to Jan – up by 26%.
The value of a Skills4Stem apprenticeship
Skills4Stem is an industry focused training provider, specialising in niche courses relating
to construction and engineering. These include a range of Level 3 and 4 apprenticeship courses covering areas such as Civil Engineering and Quantity Surveying. We enrol new learners onto our courses every month, and provide personalised learning plans to accommodate each and every single person we onboard. Apprenticeships are ideal for individuals who are certain about the field they wish to pursue. Part of our purpose is to ensure that we give our learners an opportunity to head start their careers, however they must prove their commitment.
Skills4Stem acknowledges the diverse educational needs of our learners. This is why we pride ourselves on delivering adaptive and flexible teaching. Skills4Stem targets individuals who may not have coped well academically, and helps to develop their skills. We do this by taking our learners through a number of assessments to allow us to understand their needs, and achieve their qualification.
The majority of our apprenticeships are remote. Courses are delivered online, as we strive to ensure that our learning programmes are accessible to everyone. We make use of blended online learning, such as interactive webinars and ‘assignment surgeries’ – an opportunity for apprentices to drop into a session with any questions.
Skills4Stem also offers 1-1 support and guidance. We are not only here to provide academic assistance, but to support the mental health of our learners as well.
We believe that an apprenticeship serves as an opportunity to upskill as well as train our learners.
A survey conducted by the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) revealed that more than half of young people in the UK would have considered an apprenticeship, had they been given an opportunity. Apprenticeships are a great opportunity for both an employer and a learner. Choosing to become an apprentice can help to develop one’s skills and help them understand a specific job role better. Apprentices are guaranteed to gain valuable experience that can help them excel in their future career paths. Apprentices can also have a positive effect on the economy; reports have shown that apprenticeships can boost productivity, as they enable businesses to “grow their skills base”. Hiring an apprentice can result in increased profits, higher wages and better products/services (study by the Centre of Economics and Business Research).
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