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Work and Apprenticeships

Many school leavers are looking at apprenticeships as an alternative to university.
The sheer number of candidates applying means applicants need to work very hard to get noticed for ‘earn-while-you-learn’ apprenticeship schemes, but many Trinity students have been successful in their endeavours.

Trinity supports and encourages students in this process. It is a privilege to help increasing numbers of students prepare for apprenticeship applications.

“Employers look for teamwork and good communication skills,” says Mr Aldridge, Head of Futures. “But it’s the more unusual skills: commitment; energy; hunger to absorb new information quickly; a desire to understand a business and its customer; and the ability to interact in a mature manner with other adults, that really single out a successful candidate.” 

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Recent Apprentices

George  (pictured far right) left Trinity to start a degree apprenticeship with Commerzbank.  After six rounds of tests and interviews, he was offered a place from 1,200 applicants. 

George says: “I realised I could do something I enjoy while studying for a degree without getting into debt. I wanted to take on a role where I could make a difference and learn invaluable work skills. It was the perfect fit.”

 

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Harry secured apprenticeship offers from both Siemens and OPITO (a specialist in the North Sea engineering world).

Harry says: “At school I always enjoyed putting theory into practice, so exploring the apprenticeship route was a natural fit for me.  Applying for engineering apprenticeships required conviction and commitment as the selection process was very demanding.  I was so pleased I persevered as working for OPITO as an Instrumentation and Control apprentice has been fantastic and I will soon be joining a North Sea rig to put my skills to the test in the field.  I would encourage all students to explore whether apprenticeships would suit them too.”

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Kai left Trinity to start an apprenticeship in Service Delivery Consultancy at EY in Newcastle. At the end of his apprenticeship, Kai will receive a degree in Business Leadership and Management Practice as well as becoming a Chartered Manager, accredited by CMI (Chartered Management Institute).

Kai says, “Pursuing an apprenticeship was a no-brainer for me: there is no student debt, you learn while you earn, and can take advantage of incredible networking opportunities. There are more opportunities available to me after completing the apprenticeship than I initially thought: whether staying with EY or moving elsewhere. Plus, the experience I will have gained will give me a huge head-start on other graduates.”

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Alex (pictured left) left Trinity to start a four-year apprenticeship in farriery. 

He says: “I’m really enjoying myself and have been able to work all through lockdown – horses’ feet don’t stop growing! I’d like to thank the school for its support in my career choice.”

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Charlie joined Walter Lilly as a Trainee Quantity Surveyor straight after Trinity. While working, he studied for and gained a First Class degree in BSc Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management from the University of Westminster.

He is now an Associate Director at Emerson Bond Group Limited, a specialist construction consultancy acting for property lenders and investors.

Charlie says, “Being an apprentice has accelerated my career and put me in a better financial position than I would have been in if I studied full-time. My advice would be to start thinking about industry work experience as soon as possible. The best way to secure an apprenticeship is to impress an employer through work experience.”

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Sam decided to take up a place on HSBC’s degree apprenticeship scheme after completing his A Levels. The four-and-a-half-year structured programme comes with a salary and his employer will pay for Sam to complete a degree with the London Institute of Banking and Finance.

He says, “An apprenticeship appealed to me as I liked the idea of learning skills that I can immediately put into practice in the workplace, working alongside successful industry experts and being responsible for real-life scenarios and tasks.

“Apprenticeships offer a fast-track system with many benefits: your degree is paid for; you can live at home; you’re earning good money so avoid big student debt; and you won’t have to compete for the limited graduate jobs.”

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