The last couple of years have been incredibly difficult for apprentices, employers and training providers.
Some sectors, such as hospitality and travel & tourism, were particularly badly affected by the economic downturn and may take several years to fully recover.
Looking ahead, the UK government is committed to supporting apprentices and helping employers find a skilled workforce, so there are grounds for optimism!
Focus on sectors where apprenticeships are available
In the short term, some companies in hard hit sectors may stop recruiting new staff. If you want to start an apprenticeship soon, it’s best to focus on those sectors where new apprenticeships are available, such as IT & Digital, Accounting, Engineering and Social Care. However, if your main interest lies in one of the hard hit sectors, a sensible back up plan could be to stay in education rather than risk unemployment.
Further education colleges offer a wide range of work-related courses to choose from which could keep open the option of progressing to an apprenticeship in the future. Why not check out your local college’s website to help you form a plan B?
It’s worth noting that during the last recession in 2008 we saw a rise in the number of young people staying in education as job opportunities declined.
Making an application
If you are serious about securing an apprenticeship, you need to keep yourself motivated. Check the live apprenticeship vacancies on the government website on a regular basis and keep applying for any vacancies that interest you.
You could also keep an eye on opportunities through Career Map - there are literally thousands of vacancies at any one time!
Be aware that the application process has been affected by the pandemic; HR advisers and recruitment advisers are likely to be working from home so expect staff to take longer than usual to process your applications.
A recruiter will want to interview you to assess if you have the basic skills for the role you have applied for; this may be in person, by phone or over video call - but the questions recruiters ask will be the same! You may also be asked to complete an online assessment to assess whether you have specific skills required for the role you have applied for.
Kickstart opportunities
If you are aged 16-24, claiming Universal Credit and at risk of long term unemployment you may have applied to the Kickstart Scheme announced by the Chancellor in August 2020. The scheme provides a paid job with a local employer for six months.
The government made £2 billion of funding available to pay the wages of a young person in the scheme for the first 25 hours of work each week. Roles in different types of businesses were available across England, Wales and Scotland.
If you found a placement through the Kickstart Scheme, you might have just opened the door to a longterm role within the same company!
The Kickstart scheme has now ended, with applications closing on 7th Jan 2022 and the latest start dates being 31st March 2022, but we hope this government push on apprenticeship support inspires you to apply for apprenticeships directly with companies.
