When the time comes to finish school or college, it can be hard to know what to do in the future. If further or higher education is the path you would like to choose then you could be faced with the decision of going to university to get a degree verse gaining an apprenticeship to earn while you learn. Therefore, it is worth considering all your options and discovering which is the best route for you.

Apprenticeships combine both practical and theoretical elements whilst earning a salary at the same time. It enables you to gain a real qualification and a long-term career path in a specific sector. It is a real job; you are an employee with a contract of employment and holiday leave.

Apprenticeships can take between one and six years to complete depending on the one you choose. The typical trades such as construction and engineering are now not the only sectors available to choose from, with most people being surprised to hear the variety of apprenticeships that are now on offer. The ever-expanding choice of apprenticeships in business functions such as Human Resources, Law and Sales now enable young people to choose a path which will have a real impact on their experience and influence their future career.

Yes, engineering is a common and traditional apprenticeship choice however it can open doors to exciting and challenging careers in a range of industries such as aerospace, marine, mechanical, energy and, many more. Engineers are essential in almost every industry, therefore there are always opportunities to choose from.

When you have made the decision to choose an apprenticeship, you will need to apply as you would for any other job. Like all jobs, there are many stages leading up to a successful offer of employment. To be successful for an Engineering apprenticeship, you may be required to carry out screening checks, psychometric testing, interviews and attend an assessment day. These stages give you the chance to find out more about the company, the people who work there, and the job itself.

Interview Tips

To support you on your journey, we have created a list of helpful tips and advice that we feel are important and will help you prepare for the interviews and assessment day:

• Always research the company

Whether this is looking at their website, social media platforms, or blogs, always know the company’s history and what they are up to. Present yourself as if you are already part of the team.

• Know why you want to do this apprenticeship and work for the business

Think about your future and what you want to achieve, explain how an apprenticeship will support your ambitions. Also, what interests you about the company you are applying for.

• Research the apprenticeship you have applied for

You need to understand what will be required from you for the apprenticeship and how you can transfer other relevant skills and adapt them to the current role you are applying for. Always use examples.

e.g. Working in a shop which taught you how to deal with different personalities/people.

• Prepare your questions to ask the company at the end of an interview

You should always be prepared to have some questions you would like to ask; this will show you are interested in the job and the company you are applying for.

e.g., After completing the apprenticeship what opportunities will be available within the company?

• Always be enthusiastic about what you are applying for and the industry

Show why this apprenticeship interests you, you may have a hobby or be fascinated by fictional programs but demonstrate this in the interview.

• Practice talking about yourself and in front of friends and family

Work through various interview questions to help you gain confidence in answering them.

• Think about your goals and where you want to get to in the future

In the interview, a typical question would be ‘where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time’ – prior to the interview research what jobs you are looking to progress into. For our apprentices, typically this would be an aviation maintenance engineer.

• Plan, whether it be for the interview or assessment day, and make sure you arrive on time

Always arrive 10 minutes early and make sure you look at your route in advance to allow for traffic.

• Come prepared

Always bring a hard copy of your CV and details of the apprenticeship you applied for, this will give you something to refer to if you need a little help.

After the interview has taken place, the employer normally gives you an estimated date for when to expect a response to whether you are successful or not. Thank's, them for their time, and always make sure you check your emails and double-check your phone works for voicemail if you can’t answer.

How We Can Help

Resource Training Solutions has been delivering Engineering Apprenticeships for over 17 years and has an established reputation as the leading training provider for the aviation industry with an illustrious client base and the highest level of accreditations. Being industry embedded, our dedicated Apprenticeship team can provide a fully managed service to recruit, train and deploy apprentices through a full career path.

To see our current apprenticeships/apply visit here: https://www.employment.resourcegroup.co.uk/jobs?page=2

Our specialist recruitment team provides the support and guidance you need to hopefully become successful with our apprenticeship offering. If you would like to find out further information about the recruitment services we offer and our step-by-step guide from when you submit your CV and the final assessment day please visit our full recruitment process here:

https://www.employment.resourcegroup.co.uk/employers/employment-services/Apprenticeship-recruitment-solutions