How to Write an Apprenticeship CV (With Template)

What is an apprenticeship CV?

Despite common misconceptions, an apprenticeship is a real job with real responsibility, and securing one requires a real CV.

A CV for an apprenticeship is the same as any other professional CV, except it will focus more on your key skills than previous work experience. (So don’t worry if you haven’t stepped foot in an office before – this won’t automatically rule you out).

This may be the first CV you ever write, so hold tight as we take you through it step by step.

Step-by-step guide to writing the best CV for an apprenticeship

As tempting as it is to send the same CV out to multiple companies, don’t. It’s not a good look and companies can spot it very easily. You should always tailor your CV towards the specific apprenticeship, industry and company you are applying for. 

Now, follow our step-by-step guide to nail your CV every time…

Step 1: Your Details

After your full name, you need to provide the employer with relevant contact information.

Contact information is crucial. How will an employer get in touch to say ‘Come in for an interview’ without your phone number or email address?

There's no need for a photo, but do include a link to your LinkedIn profile if you have one.

Step 2: Personal Statement

Keep it brief. Keep it focused. Nobody cares for a long, rambling statement.

In no more than five sentences, explain who you are, why you’re interested in this particular apprenticeship, and your career aspirations.

Apprenticeships train candidates to perform a specific job. Or for a role in that wider industry. Your personal statement should relate to that job or industry, and be tailored around the apprenticeship you’re applying for.

If you’re struggling with your personal statement, try and answer this question…

How will you benefit the company during your apprenticeship?

Some employers will want a more lengthy personal statement as part of their online application. Read our extended guide on how to write an apprenticeship personal statement to ace this part of the application.

Step 3: Key Skills

There can be an unholy number of applicants for each apprenticeship. And that means an unholy amount of CVs. Employers are unlikely to read each one from start to end.

A good apprenticeship CV has to grab the employer by the ears and scream ‘EMPLOY ME!’ within twenty seconds.

The best way to make an impression in such haste is with a series of bullet points listing your key skills. See it as a summary of your strengths. You can include things like…

• Time-management

• Excellent verbal and written communication

• Working as part of a team. 

Step 4: Education

The first thing to remember in the education section of your apprentice CV is to put your most recent qualifications first. Put your A-Levels before your GCSEs.

Any modules studied during your A-Levels or GCSEs that are relevant to the apprenticeship are also worth mentioning.

If you’re applying for an accounting apprenticeship, and you completed a project or a piece of coursework that focused on collecting and analysing data, let the employer know!

Step 5: Employment History / Work Experience

If you have a job, list your key responsibilities and any awards or achievements you have been given.

If you’ve never had a paid job, this is a fantastic opportunity to discuss any unpaid or voluntary work you have under your belt. Detailing previous work experience is a great way of providing evidence of the key skills you have said you possess.

Some employers will hire apprentices even if they don’t have the required grades, but have completed relevant work experience. Not only is it crucial to finding an apprenticeship, but can make a difference when applying for jobs.

If you don’t have any work experience in the field of your apprenticeship, it’s a good idea to try and find some. Even just a week-long work experience placement in a role that is similar to the apprenticeship is valued highly by employers.

Step 6: Interests

If you don’t have the qualifications or relevant work experience, the interests section is the most important part of your apprenticeship CV.

Here, you can use your outside interests and extra-curricular activities to show an employer why you are an ideal candidate for an apprenticeship.

If you play in a sports team, now’s the time to convince the employer that you work well in a team. If you are a team captain, you can feed into your leadership qualities.

If you have any extra-curricular activities or interests that relate to the apprenticeship, highlight them. What you do with your free time is valuable information to an employer.

It tells them about your passions. If you can assure an employer that you are passionate about accounting, engineering or design, they are more likely to employ you.

Employers invest time and money in apprenticeship schemes. They would rather employ an apprentice who is enthusiastic about the course, rather than someone who is more qualified, but doesn’t care.

Step 7: References

‘References are available on request’.

Unless an employer asks for your references ASAP, put this at the end of your CV.

It’s a good idea to pick a person who knows you academically – perhaps a teacher in a subject that is similar to the apprenticeship.

If you have a job, your second referee could be your manager. They can testify to all the skills you have outlined throughout your CV. If you haven’t worked, choose someone you know from any work experience or volunteering you have done.

It’s better to choose referees who know you well. And who you share a good relationship with.

Apprenticeship CV template

We’ve designed a template for an apprenticeship CV. This CV template is downloadable, and you can use it for any type of apprenticeship.

If you follow our step-by-step guide to writing a CV for apprenticeships, you can use the template to create a CV that will have employers chasing you through the streets.  

How to use AI to write your CV

If you’re still stuck for inspiration or need some extra help creating your CV template, you can always try AI services like ChatGPT or Google Gemini. But, it’s important to look at the pros and cons of using it:

It is still essential that you take the time to check your CV before sending it out to recruiters. After all, computers still make mistakes! Always make sure to triple-check your spelling and grammar before submitting your application.

You can help your chosen AI tool by making sure you include as much detail as possible about the job description and your own experience when you write your prompt, for example:

Then, simply wait for your AI tool to work its magic - and voilà! You’ve got yourself a CV for your chosen apprenticeship.