What happens after applying for an apprenticeship?

If you’re here, that means one thing: you’ve applied for an apprenticeship, or three. Congratulations! It’s the first step towards a blossoming career. But now you’re probably wondering what happens after your application.

If they like what they see, you’ll typically be invited into the multi-step interview process, before hopefully receiving a job offer.

This guide is here to help you through the apprenticeship post-application journey.

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I've applied, what happens now? How long does it take to hear back? I’ve been invited to an interview! I got the job! I didn't get the job, what should I do?

I’ve applied for an apprenticeship, what happens now?

Once you’ve clicked that submit button, you’ll very likely receive an automatic email from the employer confirming they’ve received it. From there, it’s a bit of a waiting game.

AI is now playing a huge role in recruitment. Your application will most likely first be read by software that scans for keywords specific to the role.

Any application that doesn’t have all, or a majority of the keywords, won’t progress. This is usually followed by an automatic unsuccessful email.

If your application makes it, it’ll then be read by an actual human who will decide which candidates make it through to the next stage. This is then communicated to you either by phone or email.

It sounds unfair, but many companies get hundreds, if not thousands, of applications across all their job roles. It can be physically impossible for a recruitment team to look at all of them.

How long does it take to hear back after an apprenticeship application?

If you haven’t heard back from an employer, it’s okay.

Competition is tight and it can take employers a little time to sift through them all. So don’t take it personally if you don’t hear back straight away.

In some cases, you may not hear back at all. That’s normal albeit frustrating.

Should you call after applying for a job?

You should always receive an email letting you know that your application has been received. So there’s no need to call to confirm anything.

Instead, send a short and polite email a couple of weeks or so after applying to follow up. This will also show initiative and hunger. Employers LOVE that.

In the meantime, keep applying for other apprenticeships.

"I’ve been invited to an interview or assessment centre!"

Wonderful!

First things first, always do your research. It’ll be immediately obvious if you don’t know anything about the company or role you’ve applied for.

Search for the company website. Discover their values and the who’s-who. You’ll be asked about the role during the interview, so make sure you triple-read the job description and research the role further. If the company has YouTube or social media videos about the role, watch those.

If you've been invited to a full assessment day, we have a dedicated guide on how to be successful at an apprenticeship assessment centre [link].

For the interview part, looking up practice questions is always a good idea. Why? Because you’ll get an idea of what will be asked during the interview and how to answer them. Some examples of questions include…

Tell us about yourself… Here employers want to know what kind of person you are and what skills you’ll be bringing to the table.
Why do you want this apprenticeship?… This is where you really express your excitement for the role. Think about why you applied and draw on that. Employers want to see that you’re keen to join them.
What are your strengths and weaknesses?… Remember, when employers talk about weaknesses, they’re not talking kryptonite or chocolate…but the professional skills you want to improve on.

Ask a friend, parent or even teacher to help you out by doing a mock interview where they pretend to be an employer. The more practice you can get, the more at ease you’ll feel on the day.

Finally, be yourself. It’s instinct to want to give an employer textbook answers, but employers really want nothing more than to get to know the person behind the CV.

Be sure to read our in-depth guide on apprenticeship interview questions to prep yourself even further.

“I got the apprenticeship!”

Congratulations on securing an apprenticeship. Now the real work begins.

You want to make sure you prepare the best you can before you start!

Before your first day

Dress the part… Always confirm with your employer what the office dress code is beforehand. If you’re unsure, smart clothing will be your best friend. Yes, even if you’re starting remotely.
Do more research… You’ve probably done lots already, but a little more won’t hurt. Familiarise yourself with what the role is asking for.
Get your documents in order… You’ll be told what to bring in. Usually an employer will ask for passport details or another form of accepted I.D as your right to work. So it’s a good idea to locate everything and put it in a folder ready for your first day.

Your first day

Plan your commute and arrive early… There’s nothing worse than starting a new job and arriving late. If you’re starting face-to-face, plan your commute the night before and aim to arrive at least 15 minutes before your start time. If you’re starting remotely, log in around 15-30 minutes before your start time to get set up…
Ask loads of questions… Bring a notepad! You’re going to be overloaded with information, so write down all the important things, and don’t be afraid to ask questions about anything.
Be proactive… Do anything and everything. Join that Zoom meeting about sustainability in the company, read the bulletins that have just been released. Immerse yourself in everything happening.

"I didn’t get the apprenticeship. What should I do?"

Rejection is rough and frustrating, but your career is far from over.

There could be 1001 reasons as to why you might have been unsuccessful, for example:

Not enough relevant keywords used
Lack of role knowledge
Someone slightly more qualified got the role
Didn’t perform as well on the assessment day or interview
Too much competition

It’s hard not to dwell on the no’s and why not's, but there are things you can do to lessen the blow and help you to carry on with the job search…

Firstly, be kind to yourself… Beating yourself up about it won’t help. Remind yourself that you are an icon and the perfect job is out there waiting for you.
Feel… You’re allowed to be upset and feel all the emotions. That’s just science. The most important thing is that doing this gives you time to process, accept it and move on.
Reach out to friends and family… They’ll be your support system and could even be a godsend in helping you find other opportunities.

Asking for feedback

Companies aren’t legally required to give feedback on applications, but it doesn’t hurt to try – especially if you were far along in the hiring process.

If you don’t get a response, check in with your school or college careers advisor to see if there’s anything you can do to improve your CV, cover letter or application tactics.

We also have some super helpful tips and tricks to use before and during the application process:

Apprenticeship CVs Apprenticeship Cover Letters Apprenticeship Application Help

You should have all the information you need now. If you've got the job, then congratulations. We hope it's the start of a fruitful career.

If you've been unlucky this time, please keep applying and trying. Use our apprenticeship career advice pages to give yourself the best chance.

You've got this, good luck!