Apprenticeships are a great way to garner experience in the industry you are after. You get the opportunity to work alongside an experienced professional who can show you the ropes. This is a great way to learn job specific skills.

Apprenticeships are a great stepping stone to vocational careers in :

• Plumbing
• Electricians
• Gas Engineers

Most of the training is done on the job but some employers may offer more theoretical training either on site or off site at vocational training schools. It is highly employer dependant as after your apprenticeship, employers would like you to stay on for a given period of time in return for the training provided. If you are a motivated individual employers would like to retain you for longer and may offer more intensive and costly training for free.

Fortunately for apprentices, the Labour Government in 1994 set many rules in place to develop and protect apprenticeships. There are a number of frameworks designed by the Sector Skills Council. These frameworks contain a number of separately-certified elements:

• A knowledge-based element, typically certified through a qualification known as a 'Technical Certificate' (this component is not mandatory in the Scottish Modern Apprenticeship);
• A competence-based element, typically certified through an NVQ (in Scotland this can be through an SVQ or an alternative Competence Based Qualification
• Key Skills Qualification

Who are eligible for Apprenticeships?
Anyone living in the UK who is over 16 and not in fulltime education.

Are these Apprenticeships paid?
The introduction of the national minimum wage means that employers have to pay a minimum of £2.50 per hour. Some employers may decide to pay more.