How to Write an Apprenticeship Personal Statement

What is an apprenticeship personal statement?

An apprenticeship personal statement is a brief written summary alongside your apprenticeship CV or application form that outlines your skills and experience to employers. It shows off your personality and allows them to assess your suitability for the job.

It’s important to note the difference between an apprenticeship personal statement and a cover letter. Normally, when an employer asks for a personal statement it’s instead of an apprenticeship cover letter, so you won’t necessarily be expected to send them that as well.

Remember, the employer will tell you what type of application they are looking for. Read everything carefully so that you can succeed.

Why is it important?

Your apprenticeship personal statement is the first time you’ll introduce yourself to an employer, so you'll want to make a good first impression. Think of it as your moment to shine. An opportunity to highlight your interests and career goals.

Employers want to get to know the real you. So don’t be afraid to include your thoughts, feelings and opinions. It might help to ask yourself these questions:

• Why am I right for this role?

• Why me over another candidate?

• What can I offer in terms of my abilities and interests?

Step-by-step guide to writing an apprenticeship personal statement

It's best to write out the personal statement in a document first, before pasting it - or uploading it - to your application.

So let's start!

Step 1: The Why

The first thing you’ll need to tell an employer in your apprenticeship personal statement is why you want to work for them. Have you done your research? Are you familiar with the company and its values? Employers want candidates who know about the business and its products.

So the more you show this in your written statement, the better your chances of impressing them and getting an interview. Research the company website. Read through any press releases or social media posts for all their latest news. It pays to be prepared.

Step 2: The What

An employer will want to know what it is about the apprenticeship that appeals to you. If you’re applying for a nursing role, mention how much you love taking care of others and looking out for their needs.

You’ll find a list of all your responsibilities in the job description. Revise them carefully and express your interest in carrying out its daily tasks.

Step 3: Hobbies and Skills

After you’ve got all the above down, it’s time to move on to your hobbies.

Outline your interests and how the skills obtained through your enjoyment of them translate into being perfect for the role you’re applying to. But what do we mean by skills?

Transferable skills[link] are skills that you’ll have developed at school, socially or professionally. Skills that are helpful and relevant, and able to get you a job. Most people demonstrate their transferable skills when applying for a role or changing careers altogether.

Employers look for candidates who can show a good set of transferable skills in their application. Examples of these skills include:

• Communication

• Problem-solving

• Critical thinking

• Teamwork

• Attention to detail

If you haven’t got work experience, but have developed transferable skills through hobbies or extracurricular activities, this is just as good as working a job. And it totally counts.

Step 4: Your Qualities

This one requires a bit of self-awareness and analysis. Are you hard-working, driven and ambitious? Shy, but fiercely passionate about achieving your goals? Mention these qualities and back them up with specific examples.

If you’re unsure, ask a parent, friend or sibling for advice. While you’ll ultimately know yourself best, getting someone else’s opinion on you always adds a new perspective to the mix.

And gives you extra clarity.

Step 5: Employment History / Work Experience

What about work or volunteering experience?

This could be directly related to your apprenticeship or transferable skills you’ve picked up from something else. Say you did some babysitting for two hours on a weekly basis. This shows commitment and responsibility – traits employers are always looking for.

And that's it!

Once you've written one, it's easy to tailor a personal statement for any other applications that ask for it.

If you're looking for more apprenticeship application tips, we have that for you too: