here - The College of West Anglia

If you have got a good idea of where you want to
go with your career and like the idea of earning
while you learn, an apprenticeship could be for you.
Apprenticeships are designed for people aged 16
and above and provide the opportunity to gain skills
and qualifications through a structured programme
of practical work and classroom study.
Why become an apprentice at CWA?
The college is one of the largest and most
experienced providers of apprenticeships in the
region and offers a huge range of opportunities
across different industry areas. We work with
hundreds of employers across the East of England
to provide training to more than 1000 apprentices
every year. Our apprentices are successful – several
have won local and national awards.
As well as receiving expert tuition from our highly
trained staff, the college will assign a training
advisor to provide ongoing support for both
you and your employer.
What does an apprenticeship involve?
You will be employed, and at work for most of
your time as most training is on the job. The rest
of your training will be at college, either on a
day-release basis or over a number of days in a
block. The amount of time you spend at college
varies according to your apprenticeship.
You will work towards a competence based
qualification at either level 2 or level 3 as well as
taking knowledge based certificates and functional
skills. Vocational diplomas are designed by industry
and will be based upon your chosen occupational
area (e.g. brickwork, hairdressing, engineering,
childcare etc). The knowledge based qualifications
give you relevant underpinning knowledge to
support the practical skills you learn whilst functional
skills give you the valuable literacy and numeracy
skills to enable you to perform to a higher standard
in your job role.
If you are aged 16-18 when you start, your training
is fully funded by the government. If you are 19 or
over and on an intermediate (level 2) apprenticeship
the government partly funds your training – your
employer also pays a contribution to support this.
If you are 24 or over and studying an advanced
(level 3) apprenticeship, then you will need to get a
student loan and you employer will need to pay a
contribution. You may also have to purchase kit,
or uniform.
How long does an apprenticeship last?
It varies. Most last between one and two years,
though some take up to four. How long it takes will
depend on the profession you choose, your level of
ability and your employer’s needs.
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