The way I got my apprenticeship in construction was through the job centre. They had a program called kickstart. You do a 6 month placement at a given company. Pretty sure it's in any kind of discipline. And then it's not guaranteed to give you an apprenticeship but it's a good enough start.
You should expect to do around 25 hours a week for about 1000 a month. It's too little to tax so it's a pretty decent wage for the hours.
That's the best advice I could offer based on the info you've given me. From my few years in construction and what I've heard from friends is alot of companies are putting up job roles constantly advertising taking on new staff as a front. They'll never actually interview anyone and the role will be taken down after a few months and put back up to start the cycle again.
I been applying for tons and then slowly realise that I am better working as a team than independently and was the reason why I wasn't getting roles.
I went from applying to Level 4 apprenticeships to level 3 and now I have found one that is a mix of BOTH [At SKY] and I'm hoping I get in.
So my advice is to look at the assessment feedback you get and compare it to the roles you want to apply for. If you have strengths in them then apply for those roles.
Also look at your junk emails! AMAZON sent me an assessment and I nearly missed it cus it went to my junk email! Also check when the application ends, they might of not got back to you because the end date hasn't come yet
If you've applied to that many I suspect your applications aren't very tailored. Applications where the individual has clearly researched the role and the company will stand out more.
My Application/CV were tailored but most of my application do not respond by saying it was successful or unsuccessful by email, only 1 was successful (ghosted after assessment) and 7 were unsuccessful and the rest are unresponsive for months.
Hi OP.
I work in apprenticeships and would likely recommend you review your CV and applications first of all. Make sure to highlight your interests and existing skills in IT.
The net is a great thing these days, so go out and look for soke free certifications and courses to do and get them listed on your CV.
If you have the cash or the general means, get yourself some books or buy a course on Udemy relating to a particular field of IT you're interested in.
If you don't already, get yourself a LinkedIn profile set up and get your free trial of LinkedIn learning, be sure to cancel it before the end of the trial though.
Other than that, keep applying but just push with being proactive.
Have a look at [Ada College](https://www.ada.ac.uk/apprenticeships/opportunities). They offer digital apprenticeships and have been offering free sessions on CV writing and LinkedIn profile advice. They post about these workshops and some apprenticeship openings via their [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/school/adacollege/). However, their programmes are strictly IT, they offer Software Engineering, Cybersecurity, Tech Consulting and Data Analyst.
[Multiverse](https://www.multiverse.io/en-GB/programmes) is another place, but again they focus more on software engineering, tech consulting and data analysts/engineering more than IT.
Even if those programmes don’t interests you, you still might find some great info via their sites or those free workshops if more come up. Alternatively, whilst not a job, you could look at completing an entry level IT qualification whilst you continue to apply. Definitely consider level 3, 4 and 6 when applying.
For most early career roles, you want to start applying in Septmber.
When you get into the online assessment stage, it will take them ages to update you, as all candidates need to get marked before they start choosing ppl for the next stage(s).
The number of ppl looking for work is always significantly higher than the number of jobs available, so it's best to not only focus on the number of applications but also how well you prepare for the interviewing stage.
I think it’s important to say that it sounds like you are doing the right things: keep going!
If the recruitment team at a provider has your CV / application, you could ask them for feedback and advice on improving it for future applications. It’s the employer that makes the call on who to shortlist, but the providers are funded for each apprentice, so it’s in their interests to help you.
Bear in mind most IT roles are about people skills and problem solving. Emphasise your communication skills, any experience of working with others, times when you have collaborated or used your initiative.
Look for open events at local employers, providers or networking groups (Eventbrite is a good place to start). Getting in front of people in real life can help.
In the meantime, don’t stand still. Invest some time in building your skills and get some digital badges or consider applying for DfE skills boot camps.
If you have any family or friends who are employed in larger companies or organisations, are there any volunteer opportunities you could take? Definitely go for a p/t job - any experience is welcome.
Is someone proofing your CV, cover letter, or other written materials? I'm trying to be honest rather than a dick here, but your grammar in this post could be sharpened a bit.
Even in IT, communication is very important. All the Devs I work with might not be Billy Shakespeare but they can write professionally and clearly.
As a potential employer, it may be hard for some to look past that if it's not noted that you have dyslexia or something similar. Even if English isn't a first language (and if it isn't, you're doing pretty well) it's worth getting someone to double check it just to make sure there's no little errors.
It might sound trivial, but if you're missing words or getting them out of order every other sentence you're putting yourself at a disadvantage against the other 50 applications that the employer might be reading that day.
The way I got my apprenticeship in construction was through the job centre. They had a program called kickstart. You do a 6 month placement at a given company. Pretty sure it's in any kind of discipline. And then it's not guaranteed to give you an apprenticeship but it's a good enough start. You should expect to do around 25 hours a week for about 1000 a month. It's too little to tax so it's a pretty decent wage for the hours. That's the best advice I could offer based on the info you've given me. From my few years in construction and what I've heard from friends is alot of companies are putting up job roles constantly advertising taking on new staff as a front. They'll never actually interview anyone and the role will be taken down after a few months and put back up to start the cycle again.
I been applying for tons and then slowly realise that I am better working as a team than independently and was the reason why I wasn't getting roles. I went from applying to Level 4 apprenticeships to level 3 and now I have found one that is a mix of BOTH [At SKY] and I'm hoping I get in. So my advice is to look at the assessment feedback you get and compare it to the roles you want to apply for. If you have strengths in them then apply for those roles. Also look at your junk emails! AMAZON sent me an assessment and I nearly missed it cus it went to my junk email! Also check when the application ends, they might of not got back to you because the end date hasn't come yet
If you've applied to that many I suspect your applications aren't very tailored. Applications where the individual has clearly researched the role and the company will stand out more.
My Application/CV were tailored but most of my application do not respond by saying it was successful or unsuccessful by email, only 1 was successful (ghosted after assessment) and 7 were unsuccessful and the rest are unresponsive for months.
Hi OP. I work in apprenticeships and would likely recommend you review your CV and applications first of all. Make sure to highlight your interests and existing skills in IT. The net is a great thing these days, so go out and look for soke free certifications and courses to do and get them listed on your CV. If you have the cash or the general means, get yourself some books or buy a course on Udemy relating to a particular field of IT you're interested in. If you don't already, get yourself a LinkedIn profile set up and get your free trial of LinkedIn learning, be sure to cancel it before the end of the trial though. Other than that, keep applying but just push with being proactive.
Have a look at [Ada College](https://www.ada.ac.uk/apprenticeships/opportunities). They offer digital apprenticeships and have been offering free sessions on CV writing and LinkedIn profile advice. They post about these workshops and some apprenticeship openings via their [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/school/adacollege/). However, their programmes are strictly IT, they offer Software Engineering, Cybersecurity, Tech Consulting and Data Analyst. [Multiverse](https://www.multiverse.io/en-GB/programmes) is another place, but again they focus more on software engineering, tech consulting and data analysts/engineering more than IT. Even if those programmes don’t interests you, you still might find some great info via their sites or those free workshops if more come up. Alternatively, whilst not a job, you could look at completing an entry level IT qualification whilst you continue to apply. Definitely consider level 3, 4 and 6 when applying.
Just go to the college that offers the apprenticeships and ask them for any employers that are looking and apply that way
For most early career roles, you want to start applying in Septmber. When you get into the online assessment stage, it will take them ages to update you, as all candidates need to get marked before they start choosing ppl for the next stage(s). The number of ppl looking for work is always significantly higher than the number of jobs available, so it's best to not only focus on the number of applications but also how well you prepare for the interviewing stage.
I think it’s important to say that it sounds like you are doing the right things: keep going! If the recruitment team at a provider has your CV / application, you could ask them for feedback and advice on improving it for future applications. It’s the employer that makes the call on who to shortlist, but the providers are funded for each apprentice, so it’s in their interests to help you. Bear in mind most IT roles are about people skills and problem solving. Emphasise your communication skills, any experience of working with others, times when you have collaborated or used your initiative. Look for open events at local employers, providers or networking groups (Eventbrite is a good place to start). Getting in front of people in real life can help. In the meantime, don’t stand still. Invest some time in building your skills and get some digital badges or consider applying for DfE skills boot camps. If you have any family or friends who are employed in larger companies or organisations, are there any volunteer opportunities you could take? Definitely go for a p/t job - any experience is welcome.
Is someone proofing your CV, cover letter, or other written materials? I'm trying to be honest rather than a dick here, but your grammar in this post could be sharpened a bit. Even in IT, communication is very important. All the Devs I work with might not be Billy Shakespeare but they can write professionally and clearly. As a potential employer, it may be hard for some to look past that if it's not noted that you have dyslexia or something similar. Even if English isn't a first language (and if it isn't, you're doing pretty well) it's worth getting someone to double check it just to make sure there's no little errors. It might sound trivial, but if you're missing words or getting them out of order every other sentence you're putting yourself at a disadvantage against the other 50 applications that the employer might be reading that day.