Apprenticeships · 5 min read
How do I get an apprenticeship?
How to find and win an apprenticeship in England: where vacancies are listed, the timing for September starts, what adverts ask for and how to apply well.
The short answer
Search the government's Find an apprenticeship service plus the careers pages of large employers and local training providers, set alerts, and apply from January for September starts, because big schemes close by spring. Each advert lists the wage, hours, training and entry requirements, usually grade 4 English and maths or an alternative. Apply to several, tailor each to the job, and prepare one story each for reliability, learning and working with people.
Key takeaways
- Three places to look: Find an apprenticeship (GOV.UK), employer early-careers pages, and local colleges and providers.
- Large employers open September-start vacancies between October and February and close early; small employers recruit all year.
- Read the entry requirements: about three-quarters ask for grade 4 English and maths, and most accept Functional Skills.
- Apply to five or more. School leaver and apprentice vacancies at large employers drew an average of 89 applications each in 2025.
On this pageWhere apprenticeships are advertised
Where apprenticeships are advertised
| Source | What you'll find | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Find an apprenticeship (GOV.UK) | Most vacancies in England, searchable by distance and level | Set an alert for your postcode and level |
| Large employers' early-careers pages | Structured schemes, often degree level, fixed deadlines | Note the opening month and apply in the first fortnight |
| Colleges and training providers | Local employers they already work with, some not advertised elsewhere | Ring the apprenticeship team and ask what's coming |
| Your school or college careers lead | Employers who've taken students before | Ask who took last year's leavers |
| Walking in | Small firms: garages, salons, builders, practices | Take a CV and ask whether they'd consider an apprentice |
The timeline for a September start
- September to December: list the sectors and levels you'd consider. Register on Find an apprenticeship. Draft your CV.
- October to February: large employers open and close. Apply within two weeks of each opening.
- January to May: smaller employers and providers advertise. Apply weekly as new adverts appear.
- June to August: late vacancies and post-results offers. Keep checking; employers who lost a candidate re-advertise now.
Reading an advert properly
Every advert tells you the wage, hours, training provider, duration, entry requirements and closing date. Read the requirements line twice. Grade 4 in English and maths appears on about 72% of adverts, but a quarter accept less, and most providers take Functional Skills instead. Check the travel: a 90-minute commute to a 7.30 start wears thin by November.
What makes an application stand out
- One line that shows you know what the company does, from its own website, not the advert.
- Three short examples: something you turned up to for a long time, something you got better at, and a moment with a difficult person.
- Any contact with the work, even an afternoon: a visit, a conversation, a small project at home.
- Spelling and dates that are right. Managers hiring a 16 year old forgive a thin CV, not a careless one.
Illustrative example: twelve applications, two interviews
A Year 13 student applies to twelve Level 3 digital apprenticeships between November and March. Ten are large schemes with online tests; two are local firms found through the college. Both local firms interview her. One asks what she's built; she shows a website she made for her dad's plastering business. She starts in August, three weeks before her friends start university.
Questions people ask
- When should I apply for an apprenticeship?
- For a September start with a large employer, between October and February of the year before; many close by March. Smaller employers advertise when they have a vacancy, so new adverts appear every week of the year. Set an alert on Find an apprenticeship and check it weekly from the autumn of your final school year.
- Can I apply for an apprenticeship while still at school?
- Yes. You can apply in Year 11, Year 12 or Year 13 for a start after you finish, and most large schemes expect it. You can't start until you've passed school leaving age. If you're offered one before results day, the offer is usually conditional on your grades, like a university place.
- Do you need a CV to apply for an apprenticeship?
- Usually, plus an application form or a few questions. Some large employers use an online form and tests instead of a CV. Have a one-page CV ready anyway: school, grades or predicted grades, and three examples of reliability, learning and working with people from school, sport, volunteering or part-time work.
- What if I don't have grade 4 in English and maths?
- About a quarter of adverts don't require it, and most providers accept Functional Skills Level 2 as equivalent. Many Level 2 apprenticeships let you study English and maths alongside the job. Read the requirements line on each advert rather than assuming; employers are increasingly told to drop the rule where the job doesn't need it.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- Find an apprenticeship · GOV.UK
- Become an apprentice · GOV.UK
- Student Recruitment Survey 2025 · Institute of Student Employers
- Investigating the barriers to young people accessing apprenticeships · National Foundation for Educational Research
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.