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Katrina – project controls apprentice:

I thought I would just be an office run around and making cups of tea.

Tay – software developer apprentice:

You just assume that you’re just going to be on minimum wage.

George – horticultural apprentice:

There were many misconceptions about apprenticeships in horticulture, in the industry that I’m in.

Chanise – former apprentice:

I’m asking apprentices about the biggest misconceptions about apprenticeships.

Chanise:

What is an apprenticeship?

Tay:

An apprenticeship to me is an opportunity to do learning.

Katrina:

To work and learn at the same time.

Tay:

And you come out of it with qualifications to demonstrate your skills.

Chanise:

How did you get onto your apprenticeship?

George:

Looking online I just wanted to find a way to pursue my interest in plants and horticulture professionally, and I thought apprenticeships were the best way to do that.

Tay:

I went on search engines and searched software engineering apprenticeship.

Katrina:

I just looked on the government website and also at any careers fairs that were happening nearby.

Chanise:

Do you just get paid minimum wage?

Tay:

I didn’t start off on minimum wage, and I’ve also had two pay reviews since I started and that was a year ago.

Katrina:

Some places might but here we don’t get paid minimum wage.

George:

So, we get paid the National Living Wage.

Chanise:

What do you think about the myth that if you do an apprenticeship the qualifications you get are lesser than if you go to college or uni?

Katrina:

In my opinion, it’s wrong.

George:

I think that’s a little bit naive.

Katrina:

I’m doing a Level 3 which is equivalent to A-Levels at college.

George:

I feel that the experience you gain working practically on the job on an apprenticeship is invaluable really because it gives you proper practical experience.

Tay:

I think we’re in an age now where work experience is quite needed. I’ve got a lot of friends who have come out of university with a degree, and they are struggling to get employment because they don’t have that work experience.

Chanise:

A misconception is that if you do an apprenticeship, you can’t go far in your career. Is that true?

George:

No, I wouldn’t say it is true, I’d say that it was false.

Tay:

No, that is not true at all.

George:

To make contacts in the industry with everybody else, I feel like it can take you really far.

Katrina:

I know what role I’m going to go into when I come off my scheme, and I’ve also been made aware of promotional opportunities I can apply for as well.

Tay:

There are people in the company I work for started off as apprentices but are now in management roles or senior roles.

Chanise:

So, there you have it. To find out which career path or apprenticeship might suit you check out the ����ý Bitesize Careers website.