From the people I have spoken to, a lot of seem to think that apprenticeships are mostly just for learning a trade like plumbing or carpentry, but now in 2018 that really isn’t the case...

If you’re thinking university isn’t for you, a great way to further your career is by applying for an apprenticeship to get earning straight away while you train and learn your chosen profession.

From the people I have spoken to, a lot of seem to think that apprenticeships are mostly just for learning a trade like plumbing or carpentry, but now in 2018 that really isn’t the case, you can now do an apprenticeship at almost any age in any field, there’s an apprenticeship out there for everyone, Check out the examples bellow for some of the more unusual apprenticeships on offer…

Not sure what you want to do for your career? Perhaps you think that Apprenticeships are only for technical careers or your opinion is governed by the popular BBC show, The Apprentice.

The reality is very different. There are plenty of careers out there which you might have not even heard of before, let alone considered. Here is our small selection.

Hi, I’m Samantha and I am NEET. This means that I am Not in Employment, Education or Training. I had previously been living with my mother but unfortunately we never had the best relationship. When it soured, I couldn’t take it any more so I decided to leave and move in with my partner’s parents.

I left school with one qualification in art. The teachers were surprised I didn’t do better. The one thing I enjoyed was the printing club run by the art teacher who encouraged me. To see an image reproduced was magic to me and it gave me the idea to get into the printing industry when I left school.

There are many forms of printing: lithography, letterpress, silkscreen, gravure, and lots of different trades within. At the time I didn’t know what the differences were or how big the printing industry was but it would become something that attracted me to the industry and would encourage me to make a dream a reality.

I am often discussing the benefits of apprenticeships with young people I work with and clearing up the things heard about them that aren’t true, so I hope this information helps.  Most recent figures show there are 22,000 apprentices under 19 years of age in the UK. That’s a lot of apprentices. Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsey, Sir Alex Ferguson and Elvis Presley started out as apprentices!

It’s good to have a rough idea of what money you can earn or are entitled to when looking for a job. Starting a course or apprenticeship can be expensive, transport in particular. It’s great to aim for the sky and it’s fine if you want to earn lots of money but you also need to be realistic about salaries and what to expect when looking for work or entering training.