What is an Apprenticeship?
An Apprenticeship is a great alternative to going to university or college. An apprenticeship is a great way to future proof your career by starting to develop your skills and knowledge in a specialised subject such as Engineering or Manufacturing. If you enjoy working practically and want to continue with your education, then an apprenticeship could be the ideal choice for you. Apprenticeships allow you to continue with your studies, obtaining recognised qualifications while being employed. In return, you will develop a wide range of skills and knowledge in the workplace being trained by industry professionals gaining recognised qualifications.
What can an Apprenticeship offer me?
In choosing an Apprenticeship, you will obtain many benefits such as;
- opportunity to continue with academic study, achieving relevant qualifications in your specialised area starting from Level 3 up to HNC.
- you will be employed and receive employee benefits, such as pay, pensions along with other employer benefits as well as earning a salary and regular income allowing you to become independent.
- no debt or loans compared to university.
- obtain invaluable work experience.
- develop both vocational, on the job and off the job skills and knowledge.
- become highly employable at the end of the programme leading to career progression, higher education and sponsored degrees.
- obtain employment and career progression within the company. Nearly all our apprentices obtain employment with their employing company at the end of the apprenticeship. Although this is not guaranteed, the likelihood of obtaining a full-time position is high providing you successfully pass your apprenticeship and the company have a position to offer on completion.
- support network and mentor to help support you through your apprenticeship programme.
- opportunity to study sponsored HND and degree programmes on completion.
- many apprentices are now serving their companies as leading managers.
Where will it lead, what will I learn?
If you learn best by doing, then an apprenticeship is the ideal career choice to start your future career. It’s the first step on the career ladder to as far as you wish to climb. An apprenticeship can open the door to the start of your career as a technician, working up to a supervisor, team leader, line manager, engineering manager and even plant or factory manager.
You will learn by being coached and mentored in real life practical activities working alongside industry professionals. You develop personal skills such as working in teams, learning to build your confidence levels and developing your behaviours to become a well-rounded individual. We have great employer relationships with major firms in the North West, so apprenticeships are an ideal way to get your career started and start to move up the career ladder in a well-established organisation with career progression and talent recognition.
What apprenticeships do Waterside offer?
Our apprenticeship programmes involve both foundation training, vocational training and on site-based training developing you into a well-rounded individual providing you with skills, knowledge, site based experience and behaviours to help you specialise in your chosen field of work.
Waterside specialises in engineering and manufacturing apprenticeships.
We offer:
- Electrical Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electro-Mechanical Engineering (Multiskilled)
- Manufacturing Technician
- Engineering Design
How the Apprenticeship Works?
Waterside work with your employing company to provide the best training in line with their business requirements. Some employers choose a full-time model where you attend Waterside full time for the first year and other employers choose a day release model, meaning you will come to college on a day release basis, one day per week and attend site for four days per week. Your employing company will determine how the first year of the programme runs, however, most choose the full-time option to allow you to learn all the vital skills and knowledge you need before you commence work in a factory operation.
At the start of the apprenticeship, you will complete a skills scan in line with the Apprenticeship Standard chosen that best matches your job role and business environment to cross match your current knowledge, skill and ability level to access the correct level of study and starting point of the apprenticeship.
In general, an apprenticeship can range between 3 to 4 years to complete depending on any previous skills, knowledge and experiences and area of study.
Each standard covers a specific occupation and sets out the core skills, knowledge and behaviours an apprentice will need to complete through off the job and on the job learning.
