20 Jun 5 reasons to become an engineering apprentice
Summertime can be a confusing time of the year for many school leavers following the completion of GCSEs and A-Levels. Faced with questions from family and friends on your plans for the future, you’ll probably begin to feel the pressure as you try to figure out your next step.
So what should you do? There’s lots of pressure to either go to university or to move into full-time employment, but there’s a middle ground which is often overlooked: apprenticeships. This option is the best of both worlds and is becoming increasingly popular. To help you figure out if an apprenticeship is right for you and make the right decision on your future, here are what we believe are the main reasons why you should consider becoming an engineer apprentice.
1. Develop sought after skills
You may not know this but engineers are in incredibly high demand, which means there has never been a better time to train to become one. Apprenticeships give you the opportunity to develop those valuable skills that so many companies – from Dyson to Jaguar Land Rover – are constantly on the lookout for.
2. Gain practical and relevant experience
Today’s apprenticeships offer a structured programme of essential theoretical learning at college and practical on the job training. As an example, our own apprentice training programme places you some of the most experienced professionals in the industry, learning about both the theoretical and practical side of engineering first-hand and developing your knowledge in a range of areas.
3. Earn while you learn and take on no debt
That’s right, as an apprentice you’re paid while learning a new set of skills. And you also won’t find yourself in debt, which isn’t the case for many university graduates. That’s great in the short-term, but apprenticeships offer financial benefits long term too, with research showing that apprentices earn over £100,000 on average more throughout their lifetime than other employees.
4. Achieve a nationally recognised qualification
In addition to making new friends and contacts, gaining valuable experience, and developing sought after skills, you can also earn a nationally recognised qualification – such as an NVQ. This is a solid foundation to begin your career on and will help you in the future to explore and seize opportunities in the engineering sector.
5. Progress with a business
The likelihood is that if an engineering firm offers you the opportunity to train with them, they value you as an individual and hope you’ll stay with them after you complete your training and your apprenticeship is over. For this reason, you have the chance to progress within your chosen company and set yourself up for a future that is more secure than those proceeding with alternative options to apprenticeships.
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in engineering and think an apprenticeship might be for you, check out our apprentice training scheme.