Higher Level Apprenticeships
Overview:
Apprenticeships combine practical training in a job with study. As an apprentice you will:
- Work alongside experienced staff.
- Gain job-specific skills.
- Earn a wage and get holiday pay.
- Study towards a related qualification (usually one day a week).
- Apprenticeships take 1 to 4 years to complete depending on their level.
Who can apply?
To start one an apprenticeship, you’ll need to be:
- 16 or over.
- Living in England.
- Not in full-time educatio
Pay and Conditions
You will be paid during your apprenticeship and will be entitled to the National Minimum Wage. The current minimum wage rate for an apprentice is £3.50 per hour. This rate applies to apprentices aged 16 to 18 and those aged 19 or over who are in their first year of their apprenticeship. You must be paid at least the minimum wage rate for your age if you’re an apprentice aged 19 or over and have completed your first year.
You must be paid for:
- Your normal working hours (minimum 30 hours per week).
- Training that’s part of your apprenticeship (usually one day per week).
Holidays: you will get at least 20 days paid holiday per year, plus bank holidays.
Can I change levels?
Apprentices don’t normally move from one level to another during their apprenticeship, but it’s fairly common to complete training at one level and then move on to the next. In some cases, you might apply for a programme that combines two (eg. a three-year course with one year in an intermediate apprenticeship and two in an advanced apprenticeship). Alternatively, you can apply for a Higher Level Apprenticeship when you are coming to the end of your current one, in which case your employer may be willing to keep you on.
Higher Apprenticeships Explained
Qualifications
Your qualification will be from level 4 to level 7, roughly equivalent to a foundation degree. In some cases, you may take the first year of a degree course as part of the apprenticeship, and you may be able to start a related degree course in the second year after your apprenticeship.
The specific qualification will depend on the apprenticeship. It will often be an NVQ, but there are other qualifications available, like foundation degrees. You may also earn an industry-specific qualification. You can find a full list of level 4-7 qualifications on the National Careers Service website.
What subjects can I study?
Higher apprenticeships are most common in:
- Business, Administration and Law.
- Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies.
- Construction, Planning and the Built Environment.
- Information and Communication Technology.
but they are available in other areas too. There aren’t as many higher apprenticeships available overall as intermediate and advanced ones, so you may have to keep looking to find the opportunity you want.
What kind of work can you do?
There are many different jobs available, including financial auditing, quantity surveying and network engineering. The work will often be specialist and detailed, with a lot of theory to learn.
What qualifications do I need?
Apprenticeship entry requirements always vary, but as a guideline, you can expect to need at least two A-levels or to have completed an Advanced apprenticeship.
Remember that you’ll need both a job and a course. These might have different entry requirements, so check both. Your employer will likely require some work experience to accept you as a higher apprentice, and more relevant experience will improve your chances of getting the place.
How long does an apprenticeship take?
Higher apprenticeships must take at least one year. Advanced apprenticeships often take longer than two years, and four years is not uncommon.
Further Information
To access the Government’s website click below:
Apprenticeship helpline:
Telephone: 0800 015 0400 or 0247 682 6482
Levels of Apprenticeship:
There are four levels of apprenticeship:
- Intermediate Apprenticeships, which are equivalent to five good GCSEs.
- Advanced Level Apprenticeships, which are equivalent to two A-levels.
- Higher Apprenticeships, which can lead to a HND, HNC or foundation degree.
- Degree Apprenticeships, which lead to a full undergraduate degree and include study at a university.
On this page we are looking at Advanced Level, Higher and Degree Apprenticeships.
How to apply:
There are 3 steps to applying for an apprenticeship.
- Search for an apprenticeship.
- Sign in or create an account on the national apprenticeship site.
- Complete and submit your application.
What are the differences between Intermediate and Higher Level Apprenticeships?
Although the main difference between different levels is how advanced the skills and knowledge you learn will be, there are other things to remember too:
- Higher levels might require more qualifications: for example, some Higher Apprenticeships require you to have A-levels.
- Apprenticeships in some areas are only available at particular levels. For example, Emergency Care is only available as an Intermediate Apprenticeship.
- Your apprenticeship may last longer at a higher level, although this can vary.
- A Higher Apprenticeship can lead to a professional qualification, such as a Certificate in Finance, Accounting and Business (CFAB).
- There are fewer apprenticeships available at Higher and Degree level than at the other levels.
Advanced Level Apprenticeships Explained
Qualifications
Your qualification will be at level 3, roughly equivalent to two A-levels.
The specific qualification will depend on the apprenticeship. It will often be an NVQ, but there are other qualifications available, like Foundation Diplomas. You can find a full list of level 3 qualifications on the National Careers Service website.
What subjects can I study?
All of the main areas covered by apprenticeships have advanced apprenticeships available. However, options are limited in some of them. For example, most Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care apprenticeships are at the intermediate level, with advanced opportunities more limited.
Search for apprenticeship opportunities online to find out what is currently available. Link below:
What kind of work can you do?
There are a huge range of different jobs available, including graphic design, restaurant hospitality and investment. Often, the work will be practical, and you won’t specialise much within the job, but there will often be some planning or creative work and you will normally have more responsibility than on an intermediate apprenticeship.
You may be able to move into a more advanced or specialist role with the same employer after your apprenticeship, possibly as part of a new, higher-level apprenticeship.
What qualifications do I need?
Apprenticeship entry requirements always vary, but as a guideline, you can expect to need at least five GCSEs at A*-C, including English and maths. Many advanced apprenticeships will need a level 2 qualification in the same area. This is the kind of qualification you get from an intermediate apprenticeship, so you may be able to do an intermediate apprenticeship first if you don’t have the qualification you need.
Remember that you’ll need both a job and a course. These might have different entry requirements, so check both.
How long does an apprenticeship take?
All apprenticeships must take at least one year. Advanced apprenticeships rarely take longer than two years.
Degree Apprenticeships Explained
Qualifications
As the name suggests, degree apprenticeships lead to a full undergraduate degree from an accredited university.
Will I have to pay tuition fees?
No – your fees will be covered, so you don’t need to pay fees or get a tuition fee loan.
Can I get a student loan?
You won’t qualify for a maintenance loan, but you will be earning money from your apprenticeship.
What subjects can I study?
There are fewer degree apprenticeships available than apprenticeships at other levels. You can currently get them in:
- Aerospace Engineering
- Aerospace Software Development
- Automotive Engineering
- Banking Relationship Management
- Chartered Surveying
- Construction
- Defence Systems Engineering
- Digital
- Electronic Systems Engineering
- Laboratory Science
- Nuclear
- Power Systems
- Public Relations
What kind of work can you do?
There are many different jobs available, including surveying, software development and civil engineering. The work will often be specialist and detailed, with a lot of theory to learn, and you might manage staff.
What qualifications do I need?
Entry requirements vary, but will normally be similar to degree courses and given in UCAS points. A high-level BTEC or NVQ in a related area will get you onto some courses, but A-levels will give you access to more.
How long does an apprenticeship take?
Degree apprenticeships will take longer than a full-time degree course, because you will spend some of your time working in your apprenticeship job. You can expect to be in your apprenticeship for around four and a half years.