Apprenticeships: A guide for learners and employers
Whether you're looking to start your career, retrain in a new industry or develop existing skills, an apprenticeship could be the ideal next step. Apprenticeships combine paid employment with structured training, allowing people to gain recognised qualifications while building valuable workplace experience.
For employers, apprenticeships can help develop future talent, address skills gaps and build a stronger workforce for the future. Many businesses across Basingstoke and Deane are already benefiting from investing in apprentices.
What is an apprenticeship?
- Business administration
- Digital and marketing
- Finance
- Engineering
- Construction
- Hospitality
- Customer service
- Healthcare
- Hair and beauty
- Project management
- IT and technology
Apprenticeships aren't just for school leavers. One of the biggest misconceptions about apprenticeships is that they're only for young people starting their careers. In reality, apprenticeships are available to people of different ages and career stages.
- Start a career
- Change career direction
- Return to work after a break
- Gain a professional qualification
- Progress into management or leadership roles
- Achieve degree-level qualifications while working
Apprenticeship levels explained
There are apprenticeship opportunities available at a range of levels. Here's a general overview:
Level 2: These are entry-level apprenticeships that typically require GCSEs or equivalent qualifications. They provide foundational skills and knowledge in a specific trade or profession.
Level 3: Advanced apprenticeships are equivalent to A-levels and provide more in-depth skills and knowledge. They may require some prior experience or qualifications.
Level 4-7: These higher-level apprenticeships are equivalent to higher education qualifications, such as foundation degrees, bachelor's degrees and master's degrees.
Why choose an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships offer a range of benefits, allowing individuals to earn a salary while working towards a recognised qualification and gaining valuable hands-on experience in a real working environment. Alongside developing practical skills and industry knowledge that employers value, apprentices often build confidence, improve their communication skills and develop professionally. For those who do not wish to follow a traditional university route, apprenticeships can provide an alternative pathway into a chosen profession while still offering opportunities to achieve higher and degree-level qualifications. They can also act as a stepping stone to long-term employment, helping individuals progress their careers and reach their professional goals.
We’ve spoken to some local businesses that offer apprenticeships to find out why they invest in these opportunities. It’s clear that apprenticeships provide benefits far beyond filling vacancies.
1. It bridges skills gaps and helps train the future workforce.
Hannah from Castle Trust Bank told us: “It gives us an opportunity to provide a platform for anybody that’s looking to get into financial services, the corporate world and an apprenticeship can help people to step up and get that support, not only from us as a business but from a provider that can talk them through the modules and any exams they might need to take.” Dan added: "Where there might be skills gaps within this business, an apprenticeship is a real opportunity to invest in future talent and grow talent in the business.”
Castle Trust Bank
2. Businesses can train apprentices to work in a way that reflects their values, systems and processes.
“We’ve taken people on in the past that didn’t have skills that we would have expected them to have known. We wanted new people and we want them to work how we work, so if we have an apprentice we can mould them.”
Jim, JPH Electricals
3. Improve staff retention
4. Apprentices bring fresh ideas, enthusiasm and a willingness to learn.
What support do employers need to provide?
Apprenticeships provide a structured learning pathway, combining on-the-job training with formal education, to give apprentices valuable practical skills and knowledge. As an employer you would be expected to provide your apprentice or apprentices with meaningful work experience, regular feedback and opportunities for professional development. This includes giving them sufficient time for off-the-job training, such as attending college courses or workshops, which is a crucial component of the apprenticeship program.
Finding an apprenticeship
Apprenticeships are real jobs with real employers. The Amazing Apprenticeships website is a good place to start if you are considering an apprenticeship and want to know more. You won’t be alone. During the 2025/26 academic year, 2,530 apprentices were enrolled in Basingstoke and Deane. Many apprenticeship positions are advertised by organisations much like any other role they have vacant but you can also find an apprenticeship on the government website. Apprenticeship training is available through a variety of providers, including these locally Basingstoke College of Technology, Basingstoke ITEC and The University of Winchester.
Support for employers
If you are a business considering offering apprenticeships, the Hampshire County Council’s Skills and Employment Team offers free and impartial advice to organisations of any size across Hampshire. It can help organisations to find the most suitable training provider and offer guidance on funding apprenticeship training, levy transfers and sourcing apprentices. Amazing Apprenticeships run a series of free webinars as part of it's Genie Connect programme which cover other apprenticeship employers sharing best practice approaches and policy changes.
If you already offer apprenticeships then you can share your experiences and knowledge by joining the South East Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (SEANN).
Apprenticeships develop a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce and businesses that offer apprenticeships view them as beneficial to their long-term development.
August 2026
