Having decided that the apprenticeship route is best for you, it can be very daunting starting out. You need to write down your strengths and weaknesses, interests, particular skill set and where you want to be in five years.
Once you know all these things it can become very easy to decide which apprenticeship is right for you, but just to help the process along, here are some of different sectors that you could go into.
1. Business and Administration
One of the largest sectors that offer apprenticeships, these schemes will introduce you to the workplace skills that will be useful throughout the rest of your career. On administrative apprenticeships you will learn how to run the office and day-to-day tasks smoothly and would therefore suit someone who has a strong sense of responsibility, accuracy and attention to detail. The good thing about working in administration is that you can be flexible and work for many different types of companies.
2. Information and communication technology (ICT)
Much like business and administration, working in IT will offer up some flexibility in terms of what company you work for since pretty much all companies will need IT professionals. ICT industry is made up of software, computer gaming, internet, data, telecommunications and IT services. An ICT apprenticeship will train you how to manage software, and protect the information of companies and consumers. A good grasp of maths and a background in science is very useful and relevant.
3. Creative and digital media
As the heading suggests, this is the apprenticeship to pursue if creativity is your forte. As with most things creative things, there is a wide remit in terms of what you can do. You will learn about things such as end-to-end production cycle in relation to different platforms, eg audio, visual, interactive and emerging technologies and post production. You can work for a design agency if your preferences lean towards graphics, or television and theatre for the drama fanatics.
4. Healthcare
A medical degree is not the only way into the health services. The NHS offers health apprenticeships, as do some private organisations. There are pharmacy apprenticeships, as well as healthcare support and occupational health and safety apprenticeships. Given the nature of the industry, a strong grasp of sciences and maths will be required as well as strong communication skills.
5. Retail
Retail apprenticeships can be very varied and depend on the employer. You could be on the shop floor interacting with customers or you could be in the back stacking shelves. However, if you are working in a more specialised place, you could be expected to respond to specific queries and become a product expert. Retail apprenticeships can be a very good springboard for bigger and greater things: if you excel at customer services maybe there will be a career in hospitality. Or if you enjoy the more data and analytical side of retail, perhaps a career in logistics is the one for you?
Ultimately, the world of apprenticeships is varied and exciting and it’s just a question of showing an interest and proficiency at something you love. Do that and the sky’s the limit.
