The Highest Paid Apprenticeships in the UK

Navigating the realm of apprenticeships can be a tough task for those who have decided to go down this route. With so many different options out there, it’s common to be a little daunted at first.

But whether you are fresh out of college and ready to jump straight into work, or you’re determined to follow a different career path after years of employment, an apprenticeship could be the best option for you.

In this article, we’ll outline what an apprenticeship is, break down the different types, look at some of the most popular ones on offer and see which are the highest paid apprenticeships.

 

What is an apprenticeship? 

Choosing to go down the apprenticeship route is like stepping into on-the-job training that you get paid for! Along the way, you’ll gain valuable experience while simultaneously studying so you can learn more about your chosen career. 

Don’t get confused though, apprenticeships are not like traineeships. A traineeship is typically unpaid and the company only covers the cost of lunch and travel. These usually last between six weeks and six months.

Traineeships are also only offered to those aged 16 to 18, whereas apprenticeships are for anyone above the age of 16 who are not in full-time education. 

For an apprenticeship, there is no age limit. However they are aimed at those between the ages of 16 and 24, usually when people start to figure out what career option they’d like to explore.

Another thing that apprenticeships are often confused with is an internship. An internship is similar to a traineeship – it’s also unpaid (or low paid) and is short-term.

While interns can learn valuable on-the-job skills or get a taste of what that career entails, it’s closer to work experience than anything else, lasting between one week and one month.

So how long are apprenticeships? Well, typically, an apprenticeship contract can last between one year and four years.

If you’re looking for a longer contract with a bit more stability and the chance to gain valuable experience while receiving a monthly paycheck, an apprenticeship might be the route most suited to you, as opposed to the other pathways described.  

 

 

What are the highest paid apprenticeships?

New apprenticeship frameworks are disclosed annually and the nature of apprenticeships is ever-changing and evolving. Depending on what career focus or level of qualification you desire, here are the most popular apprenticeships in the UK and the annual pay they can offer: 

 

1. Business, Administration and Law apprenticeships 

National average salary: £18,810 per year 

Included in the most popular type of apprenticeship are careers ranging from accounting, banking and criminal investigation to HR, marketing creative and social media marketing.  

 

2. Health, Public Services and Care apprenticeships 

National average salary: £15,074 per year

These entail roles such as care leadership, emergency fire service, pharmacy, policing, etc. 

 

3. Retail and Commercial Enterprise apprenticeships 

National average salary: £12,968 per year 

Jobs included in this type of apprenticeship range from beauty therapy to catering and hospitality to property services.

 

4. Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies apprenticeships 

National average salary: £23,199 per year

These apprenticeship types vary from engineering construction, vehicle maintenance and repair and heating and ventilation, to aviation ground operative nuclear working and more. 

 

5. Construction, Planning and the Built Environment apprenticeships 

National average salary: £15,566 per year 

This includes construction civil engineering, construction building, surveying and plumbing and heating are examples of the jobs roles that fall within these types of apprenticeships.  

 

6. Art and Design, Drama and Creative apprenticeships 

National average salary: £15,074 per year 

Apprenticeships in this category typically include photography, fashion and textiles, writing, drama, theatre and journalism.  

 

The apprenticeship opportunities outlined here serve purely as a guide, a snapshot of the seemingly endless job roles you can venture into when delving into an apprenticeship.

Due to the way apprenticeships cover most job roles and industries, there is without a doubt a pathway to suit everyone. 

 

How to find an apprenticeship 

You may be asking, where can I find the best apprenticeships? Well, apprenticeships can be found in a number of ways, but the main website where apprenticeship vacancies can be discovered is the Government website. Apprenticeship opportunities can also be found through employers’ websites, local colleges and training providers.

Here at Big Creative Education, we currently run five creative apprenticeship pathways, including Junior Content Producer, Events Assistant, Digital Marketer, Music Assistant and 2D Visual Artist. 

We work with some world-renowned companies to give our apprentices as much real-world experience as possible, whether that’s with award-winning PR companies, indie music labels or global giants like Red Bull. 

Through these pathways, apprentices can get valuable on-the-job experience designed to help them break into the creative industry. In fact, over 88% of our apprentices go on to careers in London’s creative economy.

Big Creative Education apprenticeships are 15 months long, paying the minimum UK apprentice wage per hour. This does vary though. Some of the businesses we work with are currently offering apprentices up to £22,000 a year!  

At the end of the apprenticeship, to demonstrate your efforts both on the job and in the classroom, you’ll earn a level 3 or level 4 diploma, this is equivalent to a foundation degree.  

What’s more, to get on one of these apprenticeships, the only requirements Big Creative Education ask for is that you are aged 16 or above, have at least 5 GCSEs and have English and Maths at grade C or above. 

 

What comes after an apprenticeship?

After completing an apprenticeship, you’ll open up many doors that lead to various opportunities. If you’re starting out on a low-level apprenticeship, there is the option upon conclusion to then complete a higher-level apprenticeship. After either of these, you could have the skills and knowledge you need to break into your chosen industry.

Although you can’t always guarantee employment after you complete an apprenticeship, apprentices tend to stay within their chosen field and continue to climb the ladder, either through further education, a degree, or more work-led training.

So, with that said, I think it’s pretty clear to see that apprenticeships can be just the thing you need to open the right doors and break into your dream career! 

 

If you want to discuss the apprenticeship options we offer at BCE, get in touch today.