Apprenticeships offer a unique opportunity to learn while you earn and gain a national qualification whilst in employment. Apprenticeships are designed alongside our employer partners to reflect the current needs of different industries and our structured programmes help you gain the skills you need to succeed in your role.
Anyone over 16 and not in full-time education can apply for an apprenticeship. Programmes can take between one and four years, depending on the level of study and the sector. We offer three different apprenticeship levels: Level 2 (equivalent to GCSE Level), Level 3 (equivalent to A-Levels) and Level 4 – 5 (foundation degree level). Talk to our friendly employer team today to find out more and see if an apprenticeship is right for you.
Kirklees College is committed to supporting all of our students wherever we can, regardless of their background or situation. We offer a wide range of specialist support which is carefully allocated to ensure help is accessible to those who may need it.
Making the most of your student life is as important as your study, join us for the chance to make great memories as you prepare for a successful future.
If you’re not sure what to study, then why not take some time to find out more information about possible careers?
Or, if you already have a career in mind, but you’re not sure what you need to study to pursue that career, we can help you get one step closer to that dream job.
A work-based training programme which leads to nationally recognised qualifications. You will learn specialist skills relevant to a specific profession whilst earning a wage.
You must have finished Year 11 but there is no upper age limit.
Studying an Apprenticeship allows you to earn while you learn. You will usually work full-time and attend college one day a week, however, each Apprenticeship is different.
Some Apprenticeships allow you to start at any time of the year while some only start in September.
All Apprenticeships require 20% off the job training, and in most cases, this is delivered at college. The Apprenticeship programme you choose will determine how often you come to college. This can range from one day per week to attending college for up to a 30-week block period.
The college has clear expectations and all apprentices must follow the ABC pledge. We ask all our apprentices to attend their college lessons, behave in line with college values and commit to their apprenticeship.
Think about the area you’d like to work in. Send your CV to local companies, ask family and friends and check our vacancies page. Our Apprenticeship team can help you review your CV and send it to employers who have vacancies. We’ll also help you to prepare for interviews. When you’ve secured an employer, we’ll support you to enrol on your apprenticeship.
To start an Apprenticeship, you must have received an Apprenticeship course offer from the college and secured suitable employment.
At your college interview, you can be offered both the Apprenticeship programme and the equivalent full-time course if required. This means if you don’t manage to secure suitable employment to start an Apprenticeship, you can start a full-time course.
The current Apprenticeship Minimum Wage is £6.40. Some employers pay more so please check the details of any vacancies. All apprentices are paid by the employers for the time spent at work and at college.
An Apprenticeship is classed as full-time employment and the minimum hours is 30 per week. This varies from each employer so please check the shifts and hours before applying.
When you have finished your Apprenticeship, there are a number of opportunities, such as progression on to another or a higher-level apprenticeship, you could be offered a permanent contract. Your achievement will allow you to look for another job if you do not wish to stay with your current employer or you could apply for university.
Find out what Kirklees College students have to say about their experiences as an apprentice.
“My favourite part of an apprenticeship is getting straight into work, I’m already prepared for working after my apprenticeship finished rather than having been in traditional education for longer. I prefer being hands-on, getting into it. I would recommend to so many people to get an apprenticeship.”
“I felt like an apprenticeship was the right thing for me, I like to be more hands-on so getting experience in the workplace really helped me out. After my apprenticeship, I hope to go into more line and fabrication work and keep on developing my skills. Kirklees College helps with a lot of the understanding on the theory aspect behind the job I’m doing. I would 100% recommend doing an apprenticeship if you want to be more active with your learning.”
“Having come from industry to work at Kirklees College, I didn’t think I’d ever be studying towards a Level 5 apprenticeship. After completing my apprenticeship, I now work as a trainer assessor Apprentice Programme Lead. I knew I wanted to work with apprentices so completing my own apprenticeship helped me make this change. Kirklees College supported me all the way through my apprenticeship, staff, colleagues, lecturers, my Curriculum Area Manager and I could tell all the lecturers at the college wanted me to succeed.”
“I have always liked learning kinaesthetically rather than in a classroom, I find it easier, more interesting and easier to take in. My favourite part of doing an apprenticeship is learning everything that I can about the business, how to complete jobs and do jobs and the different skills I can pick up. The college has taught me health and safety and how to properly use tools needed and electrics. It’s a friendly environment so you can go there and feel ready to learn.”
“What made me want to do an apprenticeship was it involved both development in work and during college. Before doing this apprenticeship, I had already planned on doing an engineering course full-time at college, then saw this apprenticeship and everyone around me said it was the better option because you finish college and then are able to go to work and have an understanding already. I’d say my favourite part is there’s always something different, so you’re learning different skills because not every day is going to be the same.”
