We usually have 20-30 vacancies being advertised across our geographic catchment area which covers central southern England (Hampshire, Bournemouth, Thames Valley, Coventry and surrounding areas).

However, rather than wait for a vacancy to appear that matches your search, we strongly advise you to get in touch straight away. This enables us to:

• Get to know you better and understand the sort of position you’re looking for and that would suit you.
• Send you information about vacancies that haven’t yet been advertised.
• Promote you to employers we think would like you even if they’re not actively seeking to recruit.

You can do this by calling the number or filling out the contact form on this page.

​​​​​The recruitment and enrolment process:

We have a clear and straightforward process for candidates applying for an apprenticeship. It goes like this:

1. You apply for a vacancy or contact us using one of the methods outlined above.
2. We reply and arrange a time to complete an informal telephone interview.
3. We do the interview and find out more about you as well as the kind of role you’re looking for.
4. We send you information about vacancies we think might be of interest.
5. You confirm which ones you’d like to be put forward for.
6. We send your CV and a ‘candidate profile’ to the employer(s).
7. Employers confirm they’d like to interview you (or not) and provide interview dates/times.
8. We inform you about your interview and help you prepare for it.
9. You attend the interview.
10. The employer makes a decision to employ you or not (quite often employers invite candidates for a second interview or a work trial before making a decision).
11. If the answer is ‘yes’ we confirm the start date with the employer and let you know you’ve been offered the role.
12. You tell us if you wish to accept it or not.

If the answer is yes – you start work!

When you start your employment, your employer is responsible for providing you with:

• A contract of employment and a job description (sometimes this can take a week or two)
• A Line Manager/Mentor who will support you throughout your apprenticeship
• An induction training programme to help you find your feet. This will usually be undertaken by your Line Manager/Mentor and should include important policies and procedures such as health & safety, absence reporting, your employment hours and your duties

Within a day or two of starting work you will be contacted by us to complete your enrolment paperwork. This is usually done by phone and email.

Once you’re enrolled, your apprenticeship will take around 15 to 18 months to complete depending on the subject. This includes the time needed to complete your training and around 2 months to schedule and complete the End Point Assessment (EPA) (more on this below).

Within a couple of weeks, you will be contacted by your tutor who will arrange his/her first visit. This first visit will be for familiarisation but your tutor will also explain more about how your training will work and will start to work with you and your employer on developing your learning plan. This is developed through discussion with your tutor and employer to ensure it meets the employer’s needs for the role and your learning needs.

Our procedures also include a ‘Settling-in Period’ during which we ask your employer to identify a small number of key performance criteria that are critical for your success. Your performance against these is monitored carefully over the first 10 weeks so that at the end of this period, both you and your employer are certain the role and the apprenticeship are right for you.

Training is usually delivered entirely in the workplace though with a mix of on- and off-the-job training. Initially your tutor will undertake tutorial sessions with you every few weeks and at the beginning these will usually be face-to-face. As you settle into your role and your training programme, your tutorial sessions may be completed through a video or phone call and the frequency may reduce slightly but only if you are progressing well.

If you need more support your tutor can be contacted by email and they will usually respond the same day. We pride ourselves on the high level of support we provide for our apprentices.

As well as your tutor, you will have a mentor in the workplace (usually your line manager) who will show you the ropes and provide ongoing day-to-day monitoring and support. The way this works varies significantly between employers. Some will have very formal induction and operating procedures while others will be more relaxed.

Your tutorial sessions will normally last one to two hours and be used to:

• Review and assess coursework and provide feedback
• Provide teaching and learning to cover knowledge requirements
• Plan future learning and set SMART targets

Apprentices must spend 20% of their working time undertaking off-the-job training. This is made up of:

• The teaching of theory (tutorials, role play, simulation exercises, online learning)
• Practical training – shadowing, mentoring, and industry visits
• Learning support and time spent writing assessment/assignments

You’ll record evidence of your learning by uploading documents, spreadsheets and other forms of coursework into our online electronic portfolio (Ecordia). Other forms of evidence/coursework can include observations, professional discussions and witness testimonies from your line manager(s).

When you have completed all the learning required to meet the knowledge, skills and behaviours of the apprenticeship and your tutor will confirm that you have passed ‘The Gateway’ and are ready for your End Point Assessment.

End Point Assessment (EPA)

End Point Assessment is how your apprenticeship is examined and certified. End Point Assessment is undertaken by an external organisation (the EPAO) that has not been involved in your training in any way. More information about the EPA process for specific apprenticeships can be found in the course information sheets which you can access through the Apprenticeships page.

English and Maths

All apprentices are required to complete an initial assessment of their English and Maths ability. If you do not already have a level 2 (GCSE level) qualification in either of these subjects you will be required to complete a ‘Functional Skills’ qualification at level 2. Even if you do have GCSEs in these subjects, but your initial assessment identifies gaps in your knowledge, your tutor will provide additional support in these subjects and may include some specific training on them as part of your course.

If you do need to do some English and Maths training, this is delivered using an online training platform supported by a specialist tutor. 

For more information about being an apprentice, please see our Apprenticeship information for Young Adults.

Also have a look at a full list of Apprenticeships we currently offer.