National Apprenticeships Week 2021 runs until February 14 – and the government has outlined some of the benefits of seeking an apprenticeship.

Earn while you learn: Apprenticeships give you the opportunity to get hands on experience, develop key skills by working alongside experienced colleagues and all while earning an income. As an apprentice you will also receive the same benefits as your colleagues but will have the opportunity to professionalise your skills that is recognised across the civil service and externally too.

A genuine alternative to university: You may not have had the opportunity to gain professional qualifications in the past, or university may not have been an option for you. Why not look at an apprenticeship, supported by your employer for the opportunity to gain up to the equivalent to postgraduate accreditation. With the range of levels and different standards/frameworks available, there really is something out there for everyone.

Avoid the debt: As an apprentice, your employer makes the financial contributions, allowing you to achieve your qualification without the worry of having to fund it yourself. It’s a great debt free alternative to enhance your career.

Gain occupation specific qualifications: Apprenticeships are tailored so that you are developing the key knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for your specific occupation/profession. They allow you to achieve an occupational specific qualification, which is not just recognised within the business you work in but externally too.

Tailored support throughout: As an apprentice, you will have the support of your line manager and a dedicated talent coach. They will be there to give you the support you need throughout your apprenticeship journey, helping you overcome any obstacles faced and ensure that you complete your apprenticeship.

Meanwhile, The Department for Work and Pensions this week gave a further boost to jobseekers by increasing the number of retraining places on the Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP) to 80,000 for the next financial year – building on the 40,000 already successfully delivered over the last eight months.
SWAPs offer jobseekers across England and Scotland a six-week training programme, where they learn new skills, gain hands-on work experience and build their contacts in a new line of work.