Apprenticeships are a great way to start your career in your chosen industry. Finding the right apprenticeship placement and provider can be a daunting prospect, especially if you’re new to your job search, but the results are worth it!
In this blog, we’ll discuss some factors you should take into account when choosing the right training provider for you.
WHAT IS A TRAINING PROVIDER?
An apprenticeship training provider is the bridge between employers and learners, they deliver training that follows an apprenticeship standard – supporting people to achieve their qualification.
Apprenticeship training providers may specialise in different areas, and the programmes they offer will reflect that. For example, at Baltic, we are focused solely on the tech and digital sector and our apprentices cover IT, Software Development, Digital Marketing and Data Analysis.
Explore our apprenticeship programmes here.
WHAT APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMMES DO THEY OFFER?
Before you start looking for a training provider, you should ask yourself one simple question: what industry are you passionate about?
Then, you can start to look at providers that offer apprenticeship programmes in this space. With almost 650 apprenticeship courses available, you can do an apprenticeship in almost any job role you can think of!
If you’re still unsure on what apprenticeship is right for you, the National Careers Service can be a great place to start exploring. The Institute for Apprenticeships also have a tool to search for apprenticeship programmes, so you can get an idea of what’s out there for you.
Once you’ve decided on the type of apprenticeship you want to do, you’ll need to find an employer and a training opportunity. You can approach this in a few different ways including searching for apprenticeships near you on Indeed, TotalJobs, and other job sites.
Alternatively, you can head directly to a training provider’s website to search for the opportunities that they have available. At Baltic, we have a vacancies page where we connect you with local employers who are looking to welcome an apprentice to their team.
HOW IS THE APPRENTICESHIP DELIVERED?
Apprenticeship delivery tends to differ depending on the training provider. Most training providers will have a section on their website explaining their delivery styles, whether this be 100% remote training or a traditional classroom approach.
At Baltic, we were the first training provider to offer a completely digital apprenticeship training platform via our SMART classroom. Our training is delivered in short blocks which allows you to showcase your new skills and apply your knowledge straight away, making an instant impact in your new workplace.
WHAT ADDED VALUE DO THEY OFFER?
When looking into apprenticeship providers, you should take some time to look into what added value and support they will offer to you during your apprenticeship. Often, apprenticeship providers will offer perks such as discounts, 1-1 support, apprentice community events and lots more.
While an apprenticeship will give you skills to progress in your career, it’s also important to look at the support they offer and make sure it resonates with you.
At Baltic, we offer all our apprentices a tailored training plan and partner with some incredible organisations, such as Barclays Digital Eagles, to make sure our apprentices make the most out of their journey.
Find out more on our apprenticeship community here.
WHAT PROGRESSION ROUTES ARE AVAILABLE?
Completing an apprenticeship doesn’t have to be the end of your learning journey, and it shouldn’t be. The most successful people never stop learning, instead, they adopt a mindset to constantly develop their knowledge through continuous professional development.
Apprenticeships don’t start and end with a Level 3 qualification, they can advance all the way up to a Level 7 qualification, which is equivalent to a postgraduate degree! If you’re wanting to progress onto higher apprenticeship programmes, it could be worth checking to see that your training provider has these next steps available.
Check out our higher apprenticeships here.
NEXT STEPS:
If a career in tech is the best option for you and you want to start your journey with Baltic – check out our vacancies and get started today.