How to Apply for an Apprenticeship

Prep your CV and Cover Letter

First things first: you'll need to put a CV and cover letter together, that's tailored for apprenticeship roles.

Whilst most roles will have an online application form, many just want you to apply with your CV and cover letter, so you should create these documents before you apply.

Luckily we have guides to help you do just that.

Complete an online apprenticeship application form

1. Personal Information

Always sign up for an account with the company you’re applying for. That way, you’ll have access to loads more apprenticeship opportunities if the one you want doesn’t work out.

These accounts will securely store your details in their database in case you want to apply for more than one apprenticeship. You’ll be asked for your name, address, phone number, and email address and prompted to create a strong password.

If your details change at any point during the application process, make sure you update them in your account settings. If you know the contact details of the hiring office, it’s a good idea to also contact them directly to make sure they have your current information.

2. Education, Qualifications & Work Experience

This section is pretty self-explanatory. As mentioned, if you upload an apprenticeship CV, some forms will scan them and auto-fill specific sections. This is one of them.

However, make sure you go through these sections carefully. Sometimes the auto-fills get the formatting wrong, and it might fill in your name and address where your high school should be.

When filling out the work experience boxes, explain what you did in great detail. You can talk about the responsibilities you were given and the skills you used and developed.

It’s important to provide real-life scenarios where you’ve used your skills.

3. Hobbies and Interests

Employers want to know that you’re human. Knowing your hobbies and interests gives them a snapshot of you outside school, college or work. Here, you get to expand on that.

For bonus points, try and match your interests to the role you’re applying for.

4. About Me

This is an excellent opportunity to expand on your CV’s personal statement and show off your best features. You could even use your apprenticeship personal statement for this.

You’ll be given up to 500 words to do that.

Remember, this section isn’t a test on how many words you can write. Employers won’t care if you’ve only used half the word count. It’s all about quality, so make sure every word counts.

5. Competency-Based Questions

Most application forms will include a section that asks you to provide examples of your skills in action. These are called competency questions (or statements).

Questions will typically cover a range of scenarios based on all or some of the following:

• Problem-solving

• Management

• Leadership

• Communication

• Teamwork

They might sound complex, but they’re the best way for employers to find out how your mind works and how you approach different situations.

The best way to tackle these questions is by using the ever-handy STAR technique. Not sure what that is? It’s simply an easy way of remembering how to answer questions, making sure you don’t leave out any important bits.

Tips and tricks for a winning apprenticeship application

• Read the form from beginning to end before you start filling it in. Just like an exam paper.

• Print off the job description and circle all the required skills, or write them down and make a checklist. Include these skills in your written answers.

• Allow yourself time to fill in an application form. Most application forms can take between 45 minutes to a couple of hours to fill in. So make sure there are no distractions.

• Write your responses in a separate Microsoft Word or Google Doc. Spell-check your work, then copy and paste it into the form. That way you’ll also have answers ready to tweak and tailor for future applications.

• Make sure you do your research, and check out the company website and their socials! You could also try and find the talent director on LinkedIn and see if they’ve said anything about the application process.

• Be honest. If you don’t have the skills for the job, it’s best not to apply.

• Don’t be generic with your answers. Employers can smell a cliché from a mile away.

• Use professional language. "My tasks included sending emails to customers and answering inbound phone calls".

• If you don’t have any work experience, you can include any unpaid, voluntary or charity work you’ve completed.

• Save while you work. There’s nothing worse than writing an application that’ll time out, and you’ve saved nothing.

• Always review your application before submitting it. This way, you’ll be able to catch any pesky mistakes that may have been missed.

And that's it. You're well on your way to acing your apprenticeship application.

And there's no time like the present to find an amazing apprenticeship...