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So what is special about the States Apprenticeship Scheme?
Well, firstly it allows you to work in a recognized trade and study for further qualifications at the same time. Importantly - it gives you the opportunity to earn while you learn !
So if you are the type of person who doesn't want to be sitting in a classroom all day every day but still wants to get some qualifications – an Apprenticeship could be for you.
Apprentices spend the majority of their working week training on the job with their employer and in most trades they will also spend a day a week (and often an evening as well) at the Guernsey College of Further Education on a practical training course.
Even if you are working in one of the few trades for which there is no college training available in Guernsey, you may still get some off-the-job training by day-release or block-release in the UK.
Is the Apprenticeship Scheme successful?
Yes, without doubt the Scheme works well - and has been a successful career route for many young people on the island as well as ensuring the Island maintains a good skilled workforce
Around 300 employers are presently registered with the Apprenticeship Scheme providing training for approx 25 different trades.
At any one time, there are usually between 300 and 400 apprentices in training - which means that around a quarter of young people who leave school aged 15 or 16 go into an apprenticeship.
What apprenticeships are available?
Each year a variety of apprenticeship vacancies will be on offer to young people. It is impossible to predict which trades these will occur in, and it is possible that some 'small' trades will not recruit at all in a particular year. However, the following list should give you some idea of the variety of trades on offer:
Aero - Engineering
Architectural Technician
Blocklaying and Plastering
Boatbuilding
Carpentry and Joinery
Chef / Catering
Computer Engineering Technician
Electrician
Engineering
Fabrication & Welding
Gas Fitting
Greenkeeping
Hairdressing
Horticulture (Commercial and Amenity)
Jewellery and Silversmithing
Marine Trades
Motor Mechanic
Painting and Decorating
Plumbing and Heating
Printing
Stonemasonry
Structural Draughtsman
Toolmaking
Vehicle Paint Spraying
Vehicle Panel Beating
How long does it take to be an Apprentice?
Apprenticeships can last for anything from 3 years to 5 years it all depends on the trade that you choose. For example, Catering and Hairdressing are 3 years and Construction and Engineering trades are 5 years.
Do you need Qualifications?
Some trades are more demanding than others in terms of qualifications – so don't expect all employers to have identical requirements, even within the same trade.
In recent years employers have started to ask for GCSEs , they are particularly looking for young people who have made a commitment to stay on at school until 16yrs, an apprenticeship is a big commitment so they need to know that you are a motivated sort of person
Often, it can be the college course that you will be attending that determines the grades required, for example an employer looking for an apprentice architectural technician will usually ask for GCSE grades A, B or C in Maths, English, and possibly two other subjects.
Finding out about vacancies
There are a number of ways that you can do this:
• Look at your school's job vacancy notice board
• Check the apprenticeship vacancies listed here on this site
• Ask your Careers Teacher for ideas
• Ask the Careers Service to send you a list of current vacancies
• Using the Apprenticeship Scheme Employer Directory (available from the Careers Service or the Apprenticeship Scheme Manager) to find names & addresses of employers to write to
• Watch for apprenticeship vacancies in the Guernsey Evening Press
Important: to be part of the States Registered Apprenticeship Scheme you need to be employed by a States Registered employer if you enquire about a vacancy or if you attend an interview for an apprenticeship make sure you ask if they are on the States Scheme. If they are not and would like to be they can contact the Apprenticeship Scheme Manager and ask for information on how to become registered.
Finding out more
The States Apprenticeship Scheme is administered by the Apprenticeship Scheme Manager Alma Harradine who is based at the College of Further Education. Should you need further information or perhaps to make an appointment to have a chat with Alma ring (Tel. 737501).
Lecturers at Guernsey College of Further Education (Tel. 727121) will be happy to talk to anyone interested in knowing more about the college training which is involved in a particular apprenticeship.
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