Do you not have anything planned after you’ve finished school and are wondering what path is for you?
Well, don’t worry you are not alone in this. Most people don’t have a clear plan of the direction that they want to go into.
This is where an apprenticeship could be perfect for you and I will tell you why:
Networking
Apprenticeships are a great way to network and meet like-minded people trying to find their way in a similar industry. If you are looking at apprenticeship agencies some will even provide you with a platform where you can communicate, meet up or learn new things from different people outside your work and industry.
Earn while you learn
Who wouldn’t want to be paid to learn at school, well unfortunately you can’t but this makes an apprenticeship the next best thing. You get on-job experience whilst learning and completing your course with a nice bonus of being paid for it. You essentially get all the benefits of working full-time while completing your chosen course. It’s a win-win situation.
It also means that you get to miss out on paying back any student debts you may have racked up whilst undertaking a 3 – 4 year uni degree.
Opportunities
Is your dream job to work in digital marketing, finance, IT, constuction etc and are you struggling to find an in based on the lack of experience on your CV?
This is another reason why apprenticeships are so good. They give you that platform to go and get an entry point to that industry you want to work in. You start at the bottom and after you have completed your apprenticeship you could then be given the chance to progress upwards through the company.
Or after you have completed your apprenticeship and you want to move to a different company that will be a lot easier to do with not only the certificate on your CV but the job experience as well. This could even give you a headstart on the people who are applying for the same role as you but have just finished their uni course.
Learning resources
Being an apprentice unlocks a treasure trove of learning resources. These resources can be invaluable in helping you progress through your career. Also, most of the skills you learn you will be able to use throughout the rest of your life. Whether this is teamwork, building confidence, communication or problem-solving.
Alongside the above, you could also get access to lots of material that will become available to you once you have started your apprenticeship through an agency. This could be presentations, video lectures, recordings or even attending sessions to learn more about a particular topic you find interesting.
Experience
As previously touched on the experience that you can get from doing an apprenticeship can be very valuable. As this is the case it is important to keep your CV updated.
It can help you continue through your current job or help you move to a different company. It is also great if you decide after a couple of years to switch it up and try something new as you have shown that you have the ability to learn new things whilst you work in a completely new field.
There are also a lot of things that you will be able to experience by taking up an apprenticeship that you may never have experienced otherwise.
From a personal point of view, the experiences that I have had whether it is to do with my apprenticeship, work, work events or team-building exercises have all been positive and that’s all because I took an apprenticeship.
Conclusion
I know everyone is different and the way that people want to progress their careers can differ from the next person. But if you are not set in stone how you want to get to that endpoint I would heavily recommend looking into apprenticeships as you get to experience and learn new things whilst working a full-time job all while progressing to that goal you may have.
Check out the Apprenticeship Network for more information on apprenticeships.
