A Modern Apprenticeship is an excellent way of gaining a qualification in a specific career area. It has several benefits: gaining real experience of work, earning money and gaining a well-recognised qualification. However, it is worth bearing in mind that it can be quite difficult to find an opportunity due to high levels of competition for places. Ways of improving your chances of finding a Modern Apprenticeship are

• start looking early (contact employers directly, visit your local careers centre, ask your careers teacher)
• gain relevant work experience
• prepare a CV to send to employers (you can get help with this from your careers centre)
• look out for advertisements in local newspapers/web-sites
• attend any local Modern Apprenticeship events where you can identify employers who will be taking people on
• if you already have a prospective employer but he/she doesn’t know about Modern Apprenticeships, make them aware of the scheme and ask them to contact the local careers company to find out more