Ahead of National Apprenticeship Week, we were delighted to welcome Karen Kimura, Learning and Development Manager at the GDST, to talk to our Sixth Formers about apprenticeships as another career path. 

The talk, which formed part of our fortnightly Sixth Form Lecture Series, began by shifting the focus on the inevitable question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” to “What problems do you want to solve?” Following on from that, we looked at what is important to us, and is there more than one way of being able to do what we want? Is doing an apprenticeship a possibility and is it right for us?  If you are someone who has already had a part-time job, been a proactive volunteer or have grabbed opportunities to gain experience of team working, decision-making and business awareness (developing excellent communication and people skills along the way) then you will be well-prepared to face the challenges of the apprenticeship recruitment process. We also discussed as a group reasons for wanting to work for a particular company – not just an interest in what the company produces or sells, but also its values and long term aims, such as sustainability.

Karen then covered the wide range of type of apprenticeships which are available, including some areas which students might not have considered, and where to find those opportunities, including examples such as Unilever, Accenture, Lewis Silkin, and BAE Systems. She also compared typical salaries of graduates and those of higher level apprentices which made for interesting reading.

Although recruitment processes do vary, they are often very rigorous as employers look for the candidates with the right skills and personal qualities. This can often involve a combination of the following: completion of an online application form, a series of online tests (numeracy, English) or recording a video explaining why you would be suitable for the role, a telephone or video interview and an assessment day with group-based activities, presentation, and an individual interview. Other means of assessment could be gamification, networking, presentations, psychometric tests and case studies.

Karen spoke in depth about assessment and what companies are looking for in candidates, as well as what to expect on the day. Don’t be surprised to be “watched” by up to six people with two writing notes the whole time as you take part in your tasks at an assessment centre! She shared tips on how to stand as recruiters are looking to see you work in a real life practical situation:

“Do contribute but don’t be overbearing like some are on “The Apprentice!” And do the simple things like bringing people into the conversation and referring to other people’s ideas positively if you can.”

The successful candidates will be able to demonstrate their creativity, an ability to see the bigger picture as well as a commercial side.

Karen then put the audience to the test and asked us to imagine that we were taking part in an assessment centre for Cadbury’s and to come up with a brand new chocolate bar.  One of the more innovative answers involved the creation of a square chocolate bar made of four different flavours, with an interactive QR code to win prizes on your phone!

Her top tip for success? Be prepared! Be ready for online interviews, using your experiences from online home learning to your advantage. Also think about practicing online numeracy tests particularly if you have not done Maths since GCSE.

Karen ended her talk by encouraging aspiring apprentices to ask for help from the GDST which is able to offer practice interviews and advice, including this excellent Guide to Apprenticeships which can be downloaded here. She also cited examples of GDST alumnae who have excelled through apprenticeships, notably Amelia Ellis-Baumber (Norwich High GDST alumna) on her degree apprenticeship with Rolls-Royce.

A big thank you to Karen for coming to NHEHS to give such an informative talk! We hope that it has inspired students to find out more about apprenticeships through National Apprenticeship Week next week. More on #NAW2022 here and GDST Skills on Twitter here.