Apprenticeship FAQs

An apprenticeship is a combination of paid work and training. Being an apprentice means that you can gain a recognised qualification whilst earning a wage.

If you are an employer looking to take on an apprentice, please see our Apprenticeships for Businesses page with the Apprentice Undertaking form and our contact details to find out more and our Apprenticeship Funding page to see how funding an Apprentice is easier than you think.

You will work alongside experienced staff members at your place of work and gain nationally-recognised qualifications as you go. Many skills you learn will be transferrable to other job roles should you decide to change career direction. Employers recognise and value apprenticeships as they show that you have been trained in the skills they need.

Wiltshire College offers apprenticeships throughout Wiltshire and neighbouring counties. Some are assessed wholly in the work place and others require attendance at either our Trowbridge, Chippenham, Salisbury or Lackham campuses. We offer apprenticeships in a wide range of subjects, have excellent training facilities and dedicated tutors and assessors, who will support you through your apprenticeship programme.

Wiltshire College offer apprenticeships in more than 30 different occupations, including:

• Business Administration, Customer Service, Accountancy, Social Media & Digital Marketing and IT
• Construction – Plumbing, Electrical, Painting & Decorating, Trowel and Carpentry (Bench and Site)
• Motor Vehicle – Light Vehicle and Heavy Vehicle
• Engineering – Welding, Civil Engineering, Engineering Technician, Manufacturing Engineering and Maintenance and Operations Engineering Technician
• Health & Social Care, Children & Young People’s Workforce and Supporting Teaching & Learning in Schools
• Hairdressing and Beauty
• Hospitality and Catering
• Land-based – Horticulture, Agriculture, Land-Based Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Construction Plant Maintenance
• Veterinary Nursing and Horse Care
• Design, Live Events, Technical Theatre and Cultural Heritage

Upon completion of your apprenticeship, you will receive a relevant nationally recognised qualification in your chosen subject. If you haven’t already achieved a grade 4 /C or above in Maths and English, you will also complete these as part of your apprenticeship programme.

What are the different levels of apprenticeships?

Yes, you’ll be treated like any other employee and will also be entitled to sick pay and paid holidays. If your apprenticeship requires attendance at College then you’ll also get paid for these days.

The Apprenticeship National Minimum Wage is £6.40 per hour, although many of our employers pay more than this. If you are 19 or over and have completed 12 months of your apprenticeship then you will be entitled to receive the National Minimum Wage for your age.

Most apprentices stay with their employer in a higher-skilled role after they have completed their training. It also makes you highly employable as it shows that you have gained a qualification and relevant experience.

An apprenticeship lets you put into practice what you have learnt. Opportunities can be limited if you are doing full-time study but by doing an apprenticeship you will gain competence in your chosen field. You’ll also get paid for learning.

You must be in employment before you start your apprenticeship course. If you already have an employer and they have agreed to put you through an apprenticeship, contact the Apprenticeship team and we'll get you started. Email apprenticeships@wiltshire.ac.uk or call 0845 345 2235.

If you don’t have an employer, you can still apply for an apprenticeship directly - check out our latest apprenticeship vacancies here.

We advertise all of our apprenticeship vacancies on our website under The College > Our Courses > Apprenticeships. Many of our vacancies are also advertised on our Facebook page. We also recommend contacting local employers directly and sending them your CV and a cover letter as there can be lots of competition for the vacancies that we advertise. If you find an employer this way then please contact us at apprenticeships@wiltshire.ac.uk and we can then get the enrolment process started.

Many of our apprenticeships have ‘End Point Assessments’ where you will be assessed on the knowledge, skills and behaviours that you have learnt throughout the apprenticeship. Your Assessor will only enter you for this when they feel you are ready for it. Others apprenticeships are assessed throughout the course and you’ll gain a ‘knowledge’ qualification (often delivered through day release at College) and a ‘competence’ qualification (generally delivered through workplace assessment). If you don’t have GCSE grade C / 4 or above in English and Maths then you would need to take Functional Skills in these subjects alongside your apprenticeship.

Yes. You may want to progress on to the next level of the apprenticeship or do an apprenticeship in another area.

Most apprenticeships are for a minimum of 30 hours a week which would include any College attendance.

The minimum time on the programme must be 12 months in order to gain the relevant skills. Our level 2 intermediate apprenticeships are typically 12-24 months and a level 3 advanced apprenticeship will take 12-48 months depending on the specific apprenticeship.

There is no maximum age to do an apprenticeship. Anyone who is 16 or above, employed in a suitable job and not enrolled in a full-time study programme can enrol on an apprenticeship.

You may need to purchase some equipment and books for your apprenticeship but 100% of the tuition costs will be met by the employer and/or Government depending on your age and the size of the business.

Yes. As long as the apprenticeship will teach you a different set of skills and knowledge to those you learnt in your degree you will receive funding.

Depending on the apprenticeship programme, assessments and training are carried out in the workplace or via day release to the relevant Wiltshire College & University Centre campus. Every apprentice will have a College assessor assigned to them who will support them personally throughout the Apprenticeship. The College assessor will also visit the workplace on a regular basis to ensure the right knowledge, skills and behaviours are being developed within the apprentice’s job role.