What is an Apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship gives you hands-on experience, a salary, and the opportunity to train while you work as an apprentice.
- Apprentices gain the technical knowledge, practical experience, and wider skills they need for their job and future career.
- It is a mix of learning in the workplace, formal off-the-job training self study, online courses and practising new skills in a real work environment.
- Apprentices have the same rights as other employees and are entitled to be paid at least the apprentice rate of the national minimum wage.
- Apprenticeships benefit both employers and individuals alike, by boosting the skills of the workforce, they help to improve economic productivity.
Wessex Training and Assessment working in Partnership with Swatpro
The Apprenticeship route is a Government funded scheme. It is available through a partnership between South West Association of Training Providers (SWATPro (support and access to Apprenticeship funding) and Wessex Training and Assessment Ltd (Early Years experts).
Intent – Wessex Training work with local employers that are SME, they can be in rural areas where the transport isn’t regular. The employers choose Wessex as we follow Work-based Learning (WBL) – the assessors will visit the settings and work within the workplace to develop individuals’ skills, behaviours and knowledge so that they can work within the Early Years sector. Within the sector there is an Ofsted requirement for employers to have 50% of their employees with a qualification. Where there are skills gaps the Apprentices go some way to fill those gaps.
Impact – Wessex Training work with young people and adult learners who have decided on a career path within Early Years. It enables the individual to achieve a nationally recognised qualification and to raise English and Mathematics skills to level 2.
The Apprentice is at the heart of the curriculum, Wessex will:
- ensure that the correct qualification is available to the learner and that the job role allows the full Apprenticeship standard to be met.
- support the individual to meet their needs which will allow them to reach their potential;
- work in conjunction with local employers; look at the costs involved and discuss any recognised prior achievement is recorded and ensure that the commitment to the Apprentice is fully understood.
- build knowledge, skills and behaviours in order that they can work efficiently and affectively with children.
- to promote working together with others as a team; build confidence and self esteem ready for their adult working life.
- Tailor the learning plan to meet individual needs – where specific support is required and can’t be given normally through the process, we will make relevant support available.
- Build those skills required to enable the Apprentice to successfully complete the standard and ‘end point assessment’.
Within the standard it promotes the awareness of personal development, wellbeing, and reflection. It will prepare the learner for the future, discussing opportunities open to them and the career development required.
Please click here for the Curriculum Core Structure for the Level 2 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner and the Early Years Educator Level 3 (EYE).
About Swatpro
South West Association of Training Providers Ltd (SWATPro) was formed in 2011 as a partnership of employers and training providers to provide an effective, not-for-profit, efficient and cost-effective training provider partnership supporting employers and learners predominantly, but not exclusively within the South West.
The partnership is managed by a board chaired a chief executive officer. The board includes managers from the SWATPro training providers. A non-executive director offers the board advice and direction about possible future developments in training.
The company has a unique pedigree as it is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee with its membership being established providers approved on the Education and Skills Funding Agency Register of Training Organisations and Register of Apprenticeship Training Organisations with a history of delivering high quality learning and skills.
For information about SWATPro and Apprenticeships, please click here.
Apprenticeships and Careers – Useful Links
National Minimum Wage for Apprentices – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-national-minimum-wage-in-2023
The hourly rate for the minimum wage depends on your age and whether you’re an apprentice, click here to find out more about the amount you should be being paid.
NUS Apprentice Extra – Discount Card for Apprentices – https://www.apprenticeextra.co.uk/
The NUS Apprentice extra card is the only discount card for apprentices and can be used at hundreds of high street and online brands.
National Careers Service – https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/
The National Careers Service provide information, advice and guidance to help you make decisions on learning, training and work.
Amazing Apprenticeships – https://amazingapprenticeships.com/
Amazing Apprenticeships is the approved communication channel, commissioned by the National Apprenticeship Service, to support the Apprenticeship Support & Knowledge for Schools project.
