If you’re considering doing an apprenticeship, but are wondering whether they are still worth having in the current job market, you’re in the right place.
Depending on the type of role you’re applying for, doing an apprenticeship could actually put you more in the running over traditional university or college qualifications. An apprenticeship is the ideal alternative to attending university or college and provides some key benefits that might stand you in good stead when it comes to securing potential roles.
 In this article, we will take a detailed look at not only why having an apprenticeship could help you when searching for jobs, but also highlight some of the key skills you should learn from the experience.
- Gain real-life experience
Let’s start with the obvious. Completing an apprenticeship will provide you with invaluable, real-life experience to help boost your application form, CV and any future prospects.
While earning a degree or an academic qualification may be a great option as well, many employers actually now seek out candidates with real-life experience, prioritising people that have more of a working mentality.
Therefore, gaining this on-the-job experience will demonstrate to future employers that you can work in a professional environment, both as part of a team and as an individual.
- Help discover your interests
It’s not always easy deciding on which career path to follow but, by doing an apprenticeship, you can do exactly that.
Apprenticeships provide you with the opportunity to gain first-hand experience and really find out the truth of what working in a specific role will entail.
For example, if you have always fancied becoming an electrician or plumber, learning on a relevant apprenticeship will teach you all of the basics you need to know, allowing you to make an informed decision as to whether to make it your eventual career or not.
- Demonstrate financial responsibility
While on the topic of learning on the job, apprenticeships have the unique advantage of enabling you to earn while you learn, teaching you valuable skills about how to budget and how to manage yourself and your money responsibly.Â
Gaining a degree from a university can cost thousands of pounds, after all, so being able to demonstrate to an employer that you know your worth will put you in good stead when applying for roles in the future.
- Boost your confidence
Landing your dream job is all about having confidence. So, what better way is there to do exactly that than by actually having the opportunity to learn about the world of work, meet other people and discover what you’re good at.
Doing an apprenticeship will enable you to give solid work-based examples of not only how great you are but also highlight the skills you can bring to the table.
The more you learn through your apprenticeship, the higher your confidence level will be and the more impressed your interviewer is likely to be as well.
- Make useful connections
Working on an apprenticeship will enable you to meet a wide variety of people who could significantly help you out when it comes to your job search.
Whether it be a colleague you work with, a client or a customer, you never know who you might meet on an apprenticeship. With any luck, you could bump into someone with connections that could help you land your next role after the apprenticeship has finished.
Therefore, the better the first impression you can make on people, the more likely they will be to fight your corner as time goes on, recommending your services and attitude to potential employers and people.
- Grab every opportunity
Undertaking an apprenticeship will provide you with an amazing opportunity to learn new things and get straight out into the world of work. So, if you have the chance to do one, take it. Not only will you learn a wide variety of specialised skills, but you’ll also get a taste of which role is right for you, putting you in much better stead when it comes to landing your dream career.
