What is an apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is on-the-job skills training. It's a blend of essential skills qualifications, like literacy and numeracy, and profession-specific qualifications. Apprentices can be entry level, or senior specialists, working in a spectrum of sectors.
The course content is designed to stretch and challenge your people. Regardless of the sector or profession, apprenticeships create opportunities for people with potential. You can discover the rising stars in your ranks, create pioneers and champions at every level.
Our apprenticeships are a vehicle to inspire and nurture fresh talent and direct and influence the professional path of higher-level workers.
Employers are awarded up to £4,000 for each apprentice they recruit*
*The Welsh Government employer incentive promises £4,000 for every apprentice recruited who are between 16-24 years old and up to £2,000 for every apprentice over the age of 25.
If you'd like to know more about the employer incentive scheme, use the form below to send us your details and we'll get in touch.
What's involved in an apprenticeship?
Every apprenticeship programme is different and specific to your industry and the job role. Alongside the vocational work is a basic skills element, for example, there are modules that tackle literacy, numeracy and digital abilities. The course contents of an apprenticeship are designed specifically to develop industry understanding and the roles within it.
There are core modules and hand-picked optional modules which tailor the qualification. By engaging in the detail of the qualification, you're building a skilled and qualified workforce.
As an employer, you're responsible for providing and planning your apprentice's training schedule. It can be delivered in Welsh or English, catering for a bilingual workforce. In every sector and every framework, the apprenticeship is tailor made and specific to your business.
For the apprentice, it's a blend of qualifications that prove your ability to handle the real demands of a job. None of it is theoretical - you've seen most situations first-hand and know exactly how to deal with them.
Apprentices in Wales train in the real world, linked up with industry workers and expert training advisors, who coach you through the qualification.
Find out more about how apprenticeships work on our blog.
Who can sign up for an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships aren't exclusively for young people planning their futures. You can recruit a new apprentice, or enrol any of your existing team onto a relevant apprenticeship.
Organisations of any size are welcome and eligible for the work-based learning programmes. However, there is some eligibility criteria.
- Your apprentices must be 16 and over to apply and 18 to apply for higher-level apprenticeships.
- You must plan to pay them minimum wage and at least 16 hours of work per week.
- Apprentices must work 51% or more of their time in Wales and Apprentices must follow the welsh apprenticeship framework.
Every apprenticeship programme has a different eligibility criteria for the apprentice, but we'll help you to understand the parameters laid out by the Welsh Government.
What apprenticeships are there?
In Wales, we have lots of fully funded work-based learning programmes. With TSW Training Apprenticeships, you can sign your people up for the following qualifications:
Our apprenticeships
But there is lots of choice in Wales. These are the funded apprenticeships offered by the Welsh Government:
- Advanced Manufacture & Materials
- Agriculture and Environment
- Automotive, Transport and Logistics
- Business and Management
- Catering and Hospitality
- Childcare Services
- Construction and Building Services
- Creative & Design
- Digital Technology
- Education and Information Services
- Energy
- Engineering
- Food and Drink
- Hair and Beauty
- Healthcare Services
- Health & Social Care Services
- Legal and Financial Services
- Life Sciences
- Property Services
- Protective Services
- Public Services
- Retail
- Travel, Tourism and Leisure
Which sectors hire apprentices?
Apprenticeships in Wales are vocational, so they can be applied in any sector where there's a relevant role. If you have a vacancy to fill (whether you're based in South or North Wales), it could be an opportunity to introduce an apprentice to your business.
- Public sector
- Private sector
- Third sector
Bring a career path to life with TSW Apprenticeships
At the heart of an apprenticeship is real-world learning; the first-hand experience that brings a flat job description to life. Apprentices see the job from the inside out and get to know the job from your perspective, incorporating your processes, practices and values into their everyday working.
Apprentices strengthen your workforce from the ground up and can be transformative for your organisation, but the benefits extend to the apprentice too.
The apprentice gets to jump, feet first, into a career they care about. They'll shadow roles they aspire to and get paid to do it. They live and breathe an experience that will stay with them, shaping their professional decision-making and career path long term. Even better, they'll feel loyalty to the brand which allowed them to be the best they can be.
Apprenticeships in Welsh
"At TSW we are committed to maintaining the Welsh language through our communication and services," says our Head of Quality, Sarah Elston.
"Wherever possible we aim to communicate with our learners and employers through their preferred language, whether Welsh or English.
"We take time to understand your language preferences and will seek to provide services to the same standard whether you choose to communicate with us in Welsh or English."
All learners undertaking Apprenticeship programmes with TSW are given the opportunity to undertake their learning in Welsh either in full or part. Additionally, learners are supported to recognise Welsh as an employability skills and are given opportunities to develop their use of the Welsh language.
