I’d like to start an apprenticeship

Being an apprentice is a fantastic way to work for an employer, earn a salary and achieve a qualification while gaining valuable workplace skills and experience.

Apprentices are trained in the workplace and in college – you will be with your employer most of the time and then usually attend college one day a week or be visited by your assessor at your workplace.

Why study an apprenticeship?

Gain nationally recognised qualifications
Earn a wage while you learn – there is a national minimum wage for apprentices, plus you’ll receive paid holidays
Receive on-the-job training and skills
Work alongside experienced employees
Increase your employability by building confidence and gaining job-specific skills

View our apprenticeship programmes here

At Bridgend College, we offer various levels of apprenticeship:

Junior Apprenticeships

These are a unique way to learn and start training. They are for 14-16 year olds who come to college, instead of school, five days a week during term-time. A Junior Apprenticeship will develop their knowledge and skills, enabling them to gain industry qualifications for their chosen future career. Alongside this, they will study English and Maths and continue to sit GCSE exams in these subjects which are important for any future career.

Supported Internship Programme

An innovative and fully immersive employment programme for entry level learners with additional learning needs. Our Supported Internship Programme is an innovative and exciting opportunity for young people with additional learning needs to learn and gain work-based experiences, delivered in collaboration with Engage to Change, Elite Supported Employment Agency and Project Search.

FE / Traineeship

Traineeships are a new learning programme for people aged between 16-18 years old in Wales. The Traineeship learning programme aims to give young people the skills needed to get a job or progress to further learning at a higher level, such as an apprenticeship or further education.

Foundation Apprenticeships

Foundation Apprentices work towards work-based learning qualifications such as an NVQ Level 2, which is the equivalent to 5 GCSEs.

Apprenticeships

Apprentices work towards work-based learning qualifications such as an NVQ Level 3, which is the equivalent to 2 A Levels.

Higher Apprenticeships

Higher Apprentices work towards work-based learning qualifications such as an NVQ Level 4 and above, which is the equivalent to an HNC/HND or Foundation Degree.

Apprenticeship journey

Our highly-skilled, friendly and supportive staff will help you throughout your apprenticeship journey and you will be supported every step of the way.

The apprenticeship journey is made up of ten key stages.

1
Employment
The first stage in the apprenticeship journey is gaining employment as you must be in employment to become an apprentice. Careers Wales publishes Apprenticeship vacancies via the Apprenticeship Matching Service. You could also approach an employer directly or contact us to help.
2
Suitability
As an employee, this stage involves us conducting an initial assessment of your experience and skills to ensure you’re suited to an apprenticeship. At this stage, contact apprenticeship@bridgend.ac.uk or call 01656 763 233 or 763 238.

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3
Application
Once we’ve confirmed your suitability, you are ready to make an application! This can be done online. You will also be required to undertake a literacy, numeracy and digital literacy initial assessment and an interview.
4
Enrolment and induction
This is an important part of your apprenticeship journey which includes completing some key documentation so you are clear what is expected of you, and what you can expect from Bridgend College and your employer.

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5
Programme activities
At this stage, you’ll be assigned your Tutor/Assessor, given details of when you’ll need to attend college and the support services available to you. You’re now ready to start your apprenticeship!
6
Progress review
The Progress review is carried out every 6-8 weeks. It includes setting targets and action plans to support your learning.

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Developing skills and abilities
Throughout your apprenticeship, you will gain valuable work experience and be equipped with the relevant skills, knowledge and behaviours required to carry out a specific job role.
8
Completing your qualification
Completing your qualification includes final assessments and submitting completed portfolios.

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9
Achievement of apprenticeship framework
On successful completion, you will, where relevant, receive a technical certificate, competence certificate and Essential Skills Wales Certification.
10
Apprenticeship completed!
You have completed your apprenticeship with us, but we can still support you with your next steps, for example careers advice and guidance via our Cyfleoedd Team.

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Starting your apprenticeship journey

I already have an employer who will take me on as their apprentice
This is great! The first step is to get in touch with our Work-based Learning Team as shown in step 2 above.
I need help finding an employer or a vacancy
Apprenticeships can be highly competitive and are sought after, but we are here to help. Cyfleoedd, meaning ‘opportunities’, is the careers hub at Bridgend College. We work with students and employers and we have a number of vacancies listed on our website.

If you are unsure which apprenticeship to complete or need support with sourcing an employer, we have experienced Careers & Employment Coaches who can help you make an informed decision. They can also help you make contact and network with potential employers. If you would like to book an appointment, get in touch today.
I don’t know what apprenticeship to complete
It’s important that you choose an apprenticeship that you will enjoy and will help you reach your goals. Here are some key considerations to help you choose the right apprenticeship:
- Think about what you enjoy day-to-day – maybe this could be part of a future job role?
- Explore different job sites and career options to explore what you’d like to do once you’ve finished your studies
- Think about your career goals and the qualifications required as part of a person specification
- Search for courses by subject to see what’s available
Career Coach is a tool which can help you understand more about job roles. Via our Career Coach website, you can take a career assessment and Career Coach will give you career suggestions based on your interests.

If you are still unsure what apprenticeship to complete and need some guidance, we have experienced Careers & Employment Coaches who can help you make an informed decision. If you would like to book an appointment, get in touch today.

What our apprentices say

In our latest apprenticeship learner survey (2019/20), here is what our apprentices said about our programmes:

99% of apprentices would recommend their programme to others

98% of our apprentices would rate their experience as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’

98% of our apprentices ‘Strongly agree’ or ‘Agree’ that they have developed the skills needed to help them succeed in their job

98% of our apprentices ‘Strongly agree’ or ‘Agree’ with the statement: “I get good personal support from my tutor, training advisors and/or assessors”

Did you know?

More than 85% of apprentices stay in employment with their employer after their course ends

View our apprenticeship programmes here

Employer engagement partners

We are proud to work with a range of organisations, dedicated to supporting and developing businesses across Wales. Here is a selection of the employers we work with:

Supporting Welsh language

All learners studying Apprenticeship programmes with Bridgend College are given the opportunity to undertake their learning in Welsh, either in full or part. Learners are supported to recognise Welsh as a key employability skill and are provided with various opportunities to develop their use of the Welsh language, as part of their course and outside of their studies.

Find out more about how we can support Welsh speaking learners here.