Information for Parents

As a parent or guardian, other family member or adviser, you have an important role to play in advising a young person on their future career path and becoming an apprentice. This section focuses on the different questions you may have about Apprenticeships and why they could be the right choice for the young person.

What is an Apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships are a fantastic progression route for school leavers. By enrolling on an Apprenticeship programme, the young learner will be given the opportunity to combine their studies with real work experience, gain nationally recognised qualifications, and earn whilst they’re learning, giving them an ideal starting point in their career.

Our Apprenticeship Academies are designed specifically for 16-24 year old learners who are seeking an entry into employment. We provide all of our Academy learners with a fantastic opportunity to learn and gain a placement with an employer so that they can build an understanding of the working environment.

Who are they for?

The entry requirements for anyone wanting to start an Apprenticeship are flexible. Apprenticeships are about learning practical skills and experience and not academic ability.

In general, if a young person wants to start an Apprenticeship, they should be:

• Enthusiastic.
• Committed.
• Keen to learn new skills.
• Able to work as part of a team.
• Able to work on their own initiative.
• Aware of the commitment needed and the amount of work that will be required.
• Aware of their chosen career and what is involved.

To study at FSC’s Apprenticeship Academy the young person must be:

• 16-24 years old.
• Living in England.
• Not in full time education.
• Not in full time employment.

To ensure that the young person is suitable for FSC’s Apprenticeship Academy, they will be required to attend a pre-selection interview.

How will we support the young person?

Our Apprenticeship Department is a dedicated and experienced team who will work with you and the young person to:

• Provide career advice and explain how Apprenticeships can help them.
• Access the Vacancy Matching Service (VMS) to match their skills and interests with suitable apprenticeship job vacancies.
• Provide them with a tailored learning plan to develop their skills.
• Prepare them for interview so that they have the best chance of securing the Apprenticeship job they want.
• Provide ongoing personal and social information, advice and support to help with a range of problems or issues.

What opportunities are available to the young person once they complete an Apprenticeship?

On average an apprentice can expect to earn £100,000 more during their career. As well as having extra earning potential, the young person will also be given a huge amount of opportunities, experience and responsibility early on in their career.

An Apprenticeship will provide the young person with an ideal stepping stone into a career by giving them the opportunity to gain vocational skills, knowledge, experience and three nationally recognised qualifications.

This provides a fantastic foundation for the young person to gain more in depth knowledge and progress onto an Advanced Apprenticeship or a Higher Education qualification, for instance a Higher National Diploma, Foundation Degree or even a Degree.

FSC has a number of partnerships with regional colleges and, as part of these partnerships, we can help the young person progress onto Higher Education by giving them access to a range of student and career advisory services to make sure that they get all the information they will need to make the right choice in their next career step.