Summer Term Guide

The move from education into the world of work may feel both exciting and also a little daunting, especially if your students have not had part-time work before. The different environments that they will be entering could vary hugely, and so supporting your students to develop a broad understanding of what to expect and how to make a good impression in those early weeks is really valuable.

• Working with students to consider how and when they will travel to work each day is really useful. Encourage them to compare different options using public transport timetables, to think about their own fitness and wellbeing and to also have a plan B in case their first option is disrupted.
• Knowing what to wear is an area that many new apprentices really worry about. Discuss with your students the information that their employer may have provided them with, and if they haven’t yet received anything, encourage them to think about how they might reach out to their new employer to seek clarification.
• Ensure that your students are aware that as an apprentice, they will be entitled to apply for the National Union of Students (NUS) Apprentice Extra Card, which costs around £11 per year. They will not be able to apply until they have commenced their apprenticeship and it’s a good idea for them to check if their employer offers this as part of their package.
• Employment Rights & Responsibilities are a big part of the apprenticeship. For many students, this will be their first full-time job and there will be a lot of paperwork involved. Discuss with them the importance of reading and understanding their contract of employment, and how they can work with their training provider to ask any questions about things they are not sure of.

We understand that plans may change. It’s useful to know about alternative options and the support services that can provide further advice.

• The National Careers Service is an excellent, government-funded service offering support to help students with career, learning and training choices. They offer a variety of options, including a website, web-chat and a telephone service.
• T Levels and HTQs are also brilliant ways for students to gain experience and confidence, helping them to take the next step into an apprenticeship, work or study. More information can be found on the National Careers Service website as above.

One of the most powerful ways that students and their families can be inspired to learn about apprenticeships is by hearing the stories of others. Your students that progress onto an apprenticeship will be perfectly positioned to be able to return to the school as alumni and share their stories with the next year group coming through. This honest and personal story-telling approach can help students to hear what it’s really like, what is most enjoyable and possibly even some of the areas that they might find challenging.

Not only is this a valuable way to inspire your students, staff and families, it is also a public way for your school to show how proud you are of students that progress to alternative destinations, and to show how brilliant your school is at supporting and promoting choice and impartiality.

• Have some dates in mind for events during the next academic year and share these with them before they leave. Even though they will need to check with their future employer if they can be released, it is a good way to start to get organised.
• Let them know about signing up to Amazing Apprentices so that they can share their story even wider, taking part in many film, media, focus group and case study opportunities.
• Help your students and their families to be proud of their achievements by finding other ways to recognise their success. Speak with your senior leaders to explore ways that students progressing onto apprenticeships can be given the same level of positive attention as those pursuing other routes. Perhaps you could think about sharing their success through the school newsletter, on the school website, on your social media accounts or even creating posters about their story to display around the school.