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Apprenticeships
Gain an NVQ
Medway Council offers a vast range of apprenticeships for young
people aged 16 to 24, providing 
experience and training for those who
prefer work-based training rather than an academic environment. An
apprenticeship is an opportunity to earn while you learn – the
minimum amount of training allowance you get is £95 per week.
There are different types of apprenticeships within the council,
but you will normally either complete a Level 2 or a Level 3 NVQ in
a specific subject area, which is funded by the Government
Apprenticeship Scheme.
There are many different types of NVQ, ranging from Business
Administration, Accountancy to Customer Services. The apprentice
will complete a technical certificate and learn key skills too.
On average, an apprentice can go on to earn more than £100,000
during the course of their career and apprentices gain valuable
knowledge, experience and a qualification. Valuable on the job
training and a good training allowance could be an incentive to
young people who prefer practical to academic training.
An NVQ is a valuable and practical qualification which employers
place great value on. Depending on which NVQ a candidate does, a
successful outcome will be equivalent to a GCSE at grades A*-C
(Level 2) or 2 x A- levels (Level 3). The table explains a bit more
about the level of qualifications and their equivalent.
Gain work experience
Within Medway, there are many different types of apprentice and
there are many in different departments - so there is no set role.
Different types of apprenticeships we are currently running include
apprenticeships in Customer First (Contact Centre), Medway Revenues
and Benefits, Social Care, Employ Medway, Education Advisors, the
Teenage Pregnancy Team, Research and Information and ICT to name a
few.
Each apprentice works towards an NVQ Level 2 or 3, providing a
valuable qualification and work experience. The advantage of an
apprenticeship is that it allows the individual to gain work
experience (on the job) and a practical insight into the world of
work.
A day in the life of an apprentice
Kelly, who works in Customer First, describes a typical day in
her sector:
"I am doing an NVQ in Business Admin Level 2. The department I
work in is Customer First. My role within the team is to complete
any admin work required."
"My day used to consist mainly of completing and issuing
Disabled Blue Badges, but this has now been passed to a different
department. A typical day now starts with Pest control, which
involves working with Excel spreadsheets and Oneserve to ensure
that people have a visit from a pest control officer on a set date.
This means that when people have rats, mice or wasps for example
they will call in and book a pest control officer to come out."
"At 11am I have to remember to put the post out for my
department and two others. The post usually involves Home Choice
applications, Blue Badge applications and forms for free school
meals and transport."
"The rest of my day usually involves working on my NVQ and List
Manager, which stores all the application form requests from
customers. I have to make sure the applications get sent out. I
also do other jobs, which others cannot do due to being on the
phone, i.e. faxing, scanning etc."
A wealth of experience
In Medway Council, apprentices do not only earn a training
allowance and gain a valuable qualification; they have training and
arrange social events too.
So far, the council has completed a number of courses, including
report writing, minute taking, letter writing, and personal
budgeting and finance. Apprentices also arrange social events
amongst themselves, such as bowling.
Because the apprenticeships are within a local authority, in
order to get an understanding of how the council operates at a
political level, they have also met with the Mayor, the Chief
Executive, been to a Cabinet meeting, met with Portfolio Holders
and attended Full Council.
Other events include outdoor education training (team-building
and problem-solving), finding out about what Medway is doing in
relation to sex and education training, time management,
consequential thinking and using initiative, as well as having the
opportunity to see what a 'day in the life of a councillor' is
like.
Benefits
There are many benefits of being an apprentice, one is gaining
life experience. Another is the possibility of making friends in
other departments.
What do apprentices think about being an apprentice?:
- "I think it's really good because Medway organises free
training for us such as minute taking, report writing, outdoor
education, personal budgeting and IT training."
- "I think it’s great because you earn as you learn."
- "The reason an apprenticeship has been good for me is because
it has boosted my confidence, has enabled me to meet new people and
learn new skills on the job while I work."
And a comment on apprenticeships from a Medway Council
manager:
"An apprenticeship forms the basis of our career path structure.
Apprentices learn the basics of all aspects of the job whilst still
studying, ensuring that they can move forward with as much hands on
knowledge and practical application that meet any future employers
needs."
Further information
For more (general) information on apprenticeships please visit
the Apprenticeships website (www.apprenticeships.org.uk/).
On this website you can search for current vacancies, find good
basic information and people to contact.
You can also check the jobs go public website. For current
Medway Council apprenticeship vacancies go to the Job
Search page, then search or list all
vacancies. These are updated regularly.
Alternatively, you can phone Connexions - a career advisory
service for young people in Chatham on 01634
334343.
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