JE2 Task 5 – Progression Training

https://www.gov.uk/topic/further-education-skills/apprenticeships
http://manchester.startups-list.com/ 

This task involves me researching into 10 different apprenticeships so I can familiarise myself with the methods of applying and researching for an apprenticeship.

1) First apprenticeship: Web & digital marketing apprenticeship
company: Exit games limited
Location: Newcastle
Training provider: Aspire Achieve Advance limited
Positions: 1
https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeship/702856

This page includes a range of information, to the left of the page is all the basic information including that you will be paid £115.50 each week, you will work from Monday to Friday on a 9 to 5 clock giving 35 working hours per week, it is an advanced level apprenticeship and it will last for 12 months. They summarise the entire apprenticeship in bullet points, from them I can see that I will be working on things such as customer service, liaising between clients and artists, updating and amending with the company website(s) and coming up with new ideas for the company, supporting with the creation of flyers and other creative elements to promote services and more. From this I have gathered that you will be helping a lot of elements to ensure the company looks better publicly, it gains more profits and that it is kept up to scratch with all details.

It also gives information on what skills they are hoping the individual have including hardworking, highly organised, good communication skills, the ability to meet deadlines and more. There are also personal skills the company wishes for you to have including self motivation, positive attitude and enthusiasm. It also asks for educational qualifications including 5 GCSE's of C and above with Maths, English and ICT. If the believes the individual is doing well for the company they could be employed full time once the apprenticeship is complete.

Along with working for the company you will be acquired to attend the 3aaa digital marketing academy which is also situated in Newcastle, you will have an intensive 3 day block study to complete followed by attendance at the academy on day release once a month. The apprenticeship consists of level 3 diploma in digital marketing and level 2 functional skills in English, maths and ICT. 3aaa are the training providers and can be contacted with a telephone and email address, if you have any information you wish to know it states that you should contact the 3aaa training academy and not the employers themselves as it may invalidate the candidates application.

I feel as though this apprenticeship isn't right for me, this doesn't mean that it is a bad apprenticeship and the page gives enough information for me to see why someone would take this apprenticeship and how they would get it. However, for me there isn't enough creativity involved and it all seems to be paperwork and writing induced with a bit of creativity involved. Apart from that the page gives the right amount of information in a way that is not overwhelming for the individual to read.


2) Second apprenticeship: Programming apprenticeship
Company: TT games LTD.
Location: Knutsford Cheshire
Training provider: Estio technology recruitment LTD
Positions: 1
https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeship/662837

This page includes a range of information about the apprenticeship, to the left is the basic information including the weekly pay of £153.85, the working hours of the week which are 37.5 hours with the shifts to still be worked out, it is an advanced level apprenticeship and it will last for 12 months. To start off, the page summarises the TT games company by giving some background into how it came to be, who owns it and how an opportunity has come for a programmer to help them. The duties of what you will do in the company include implementing game design, taking objects and characters and plugging them together to be put into a game, learning logic, maths and AI and taking assets that have been created and implementing functionality of games design.

To get the apprenticeship the company are looking for someone with skills that include high self motivated team player, understanding code and learning it quickly, strong maths and physics skills, a passion for working as a team with people in other departments of games design such as artists and more. As for qualifications they are looking for candidates with 5 GCSE's of C and above including maths, computing related college qualification and A-levels in computing, maths and business studies. The role apparently offers long term security and if done well will allow a permanent position, they also state a note that the dates for the starting off this apprenticeship is only a guideline. This is because if they find a candidate that fits their interests straight away and one that impresses them then they may close the position earlier then what the deadline for applying actually is.

The training provider for this apprenticeship states that you get hands on experience in the IT industry whilst employed in a real paid job with no cost or debt. Learners will get seven weeks of intense training and whilst in the apprentice work place there will be a dedicated trainer who will assess the candidate, they also give help and guidelines. This is too allow the full experience. The training will give a several amount of qualifications including level 3 diploma in professional, BTEC level 3 extended diploma in ICT systems and principles and more. They also offer more optional units for the candidate to achieve. If you wish to contact the trainer they have information including a telephone number and email.

In my opinion this seems like a great apprenticeship for those who wish to go into the programming industry, the page supplies a whole range of information to the researcher without overwhelming. The only criticism I have is that they don not have enough information on what your responsibilities will be, it only gives four brief bullet points. However, every other bit of information can be found that gives you the knowledge of how to get onto the course, if I would want to become a programmer then I would try to achieve this apprenticeship.

3) Third apprenticeship: Game artist apprenticeship
Company: Playgroundsquad UK LTD
Location: Manchester
Training provider: Damar training
Positions: 10
https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeship/709203

This page offers limited information on the apprenticeship, to the left is the basic information which states that the candidate will earn £99 weekly, working from Monday to Friday with a time 9 till 4 shift each day totalling to 30 hours, it is an advanced level apprenticeship will last for 24 months. To begin the page states who you will be working for, the hours and a brief explanation of what an apprenticeship is, to summarise what you will be doing the page gives three bullet points that explain how you will learn how to build and texture worlds and characters for games using 3D tools, creating characters using animation or motion capture techniques, utilising lighting, shading and effects in modern game engines and learning about subjects such as digital colour, style consistency, user interface and teamwork skills.

The skills that the apprenticeship wish for the candidate to have are skills in traditional art or media including sculpting, painting, lighting and a wider range of other techniques. They also wish that they have technical knowledge in graphics related software such as maya, basic IT skills and prior experience to scripting or modding 3D software. They also wish that the candidate has self motivation and a passion for games. As for qualifications it just asks for a GCSE grade of A-C or equivalent. It does not state whether you will get a position if you do well enough but that you will be making various types of games in various roles such as environmental artist, concept artist, technical artists and more.

The page gives a little information about the employer, Playgroundsquad, talking about how it is rated and even more. As for the training provider it gives very little information giving two bullet points without any context and giving even smaller detail on the apprenticeship framework. However, it does give a high amount of detail about contacts and the applications will be processed by Damar training but you will have to apply by going to the employer's website which is linked at the bottom of the page.

In my opinion this apprenticeship seems to offer very little and isn't that appealing, it gives very limited detail as to what you will learn during your time there and if everything that you do learn is included on this page then it doesn't seem to be like much. It is unclear in certain areas such as when it is saying what grade you need, it doesn't make it clear whether you just need one GCSE (because that seems to be quite illogical) or whether you need a numerous amount and that amount is not stated. However, it does seem like a nice, creative and relaxed course for people who wish to learn about and create art in different forms of 3D and drawing. I would not mind working in this apprenticeship as art is an area of work I quite like working on and it does seem to be quite fun to use the software this company has to offer.

4) Fourth apprenticeship: Design and administration apprentice
Company: Aspen
Location: Manchester
Training provider: BC ARCH LIMITED
Positions: 1
https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeship/721536

On the left of this page the basic information can be found to the left with the weekly pay being £153.85, working for 40 hours a week from Monday to Friday. It is an advanced level apprenticeship and will last for 12 - 15 months. To start off the page information is given to the researcher about Aspen as a company. It then goes onto state what your role will consist of in this apprenticeship, the candidate will work closely with the sales team to achieve customer service standards, handling and recording proof movements, assist with all art work and pre-press requirements and a lot more. They also give five brief bullet points on the type of people who should apply and state that you will achieve the teaching from one of the digital media professionals in the business, a level 3 qualification in creative and digital media and more.

They are looking for a candidate who is proactive, responsible, has good initiative, ambitious and more along with personal skills of team work, interpersonal, excellent communication, innovation, creativity and more. As for qualifications, they are looking for a candidate with 5 GCSE's and above (or equivalent qualifications) including a C in English and Maths.

As for the training provider it gives a massive amount of information including the core units that the candidate will learn, the knowledge of skills they will gain and gives information rounding off what the candidate will do and the software they may use during the time on this apprenticeship giving a wide amount of detail on it. There is also multiple ways the page tells you to contact the training provider, these include a telephone number, an email, a Facebook page and a twitter account. If someone is interested they will apply on the employer's website which can be found towards the bottom of the page.

In my opinion this apprenticeship seems like a good and challenging one, the page offers good information and is very detailed but can be quite overwhelming in how it is structured when talking about the training provider. Apart from that it seems like a course that would suit someone willing to put in a lot of effort and challenging them both logically and creatively although it does lean heavily towards more office based work. I would not apply to this apprenticeship personally as it does not seem to interest me as much as it can do but I can see why it would interest others.

5) Fifth apprenticeship: Apprentice video games repair engineer
Company: Console Wizard
Location: Bolton
Training provider: STEGTA
Positions: 1
https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeship/656956

On this page the basic information can be found to the left of the page with the weekly pay being £132, the working time being from a Monday to Friday with a 9:30 - 5:30 shift totalling at 40 hours a week. It is an advanced level apprenticeship and lasts four up to 4 years. As the page states it is a customer facing role in helping people repair their electronic devices. The role will have the candidate trained on fixing and repairing the latest games consoles, laptops/PC, phones and tablets. The day to day role will include helping customers over the phone, direct customer facing with people entering the premises, unpacking/packing customers equipment in for repair and more.

They desire the candidate to have skills in computer literature and excellent telephone manners. As for personal skills they want a candidate who is confident, a good time keeper, polite, honest, conscientious and have a passion or interest in electronic hardware. As for qualifications, they want someone with A-C GCSE's in Maths, English and ICT.

As for the training provider it says that it is a level 3 advanced apprenticeship associated with technical certificates that will be delivered in a suitable college, it also includes level 2 units in this apprenticeship. You will learn level 2 functional skills in Maths, English and ICT, ERR's (Employer rights and responsibilities) and PLTS (Personal learner thinking skills). There is one contact detail that can be found and it is the email address of the providers. If you wish to apply for the apprenticeship then you must direct the training provider and not the company itself.

In my opinion this seems like a good apprenticeship if you wish to be an accountant, customer service worker etc. It is quite customer based on helping people fixing their electronics and seems to have no practicality involved except for money based or packing/unpacking jobs. I would not like to take this job personally as it does not suit my job aspiration but I can see why people would want to do it. As for the information on the page, it is detailed enough for the researcher to understand what is involved in the role and what they will be doing. It can include some more information on the training provider but is fine in every other aspect.

6) Sixth apprenticeship: Apprentice chef
Company: Park Gate
Location: Staffordshire
Training provider: Lifetime training group limited
Positions: 1
https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeship/678814

To the left of the page the basic information can be found including the weekly pay of £116.10 along with 30 working hours for the week, although the shifts are yet to be figured out. It is an intermediate level apprenticeship and will last for 12 - 15 months. On this course the candidate will be responsible for assisting in the preparation, cooking and presentation of food, they will also recieve and check food deliveries, maintain portion control, ensure wastage is kept to a minimum and more. The tasks will be given by the head chef and must be completed once they have said so.

They are looking for candidates who have a passion for cooking and the basic skills of cooking already known, they need to have a good working attitude and positivity, commitment, able to work under pressure and more. They will work towards an industry recognised qualification of NVQ level 2 in professional cookery, this training will also be delivered in the work place so the apprentice will not be attending college to learn the theory. This qualification allows you to enter into a career in the hospitality industry. The candidate will also receive assistance from their manager and the apprenticeship provider so they do not fail.

The page goes onto the give information about the company who owns Park gate and explaining about its connections and money it has invested. It also states the benefits you will receive such as a competitive hourly salary, the chance to work in an industry environment, a discount card, long service rewards and more. There are no qualifications required but would like functional skills in both maths and English. To apply you must go to the employer's website found at the bottom of the page.

In my opinion this course seems quite good for those who wish to enter into a cooking career, the page can be a little overwhelming with all the information it gives you and how it is structured but it gives the researcher the points they need to know in a manner which is understandable. I would not mind taking this apprenticeship as cooking has been a hobby I have liked doing and it seems quite a fun and relaxing course.

7) Seventh apprenticeship: Apprentice childcare assistant
Company: Careerwise Consultancy Ltd
Location: London
Training provider: Remit Group Limited
Positions: 1
https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeship/701840

To the left of the page the basic information can be found, this includes the weekly pay of £132 with 40 working hours for the week. It is an intermediate level apprenticeship and the duration is not specified leaving it open. To begin it explains the tasks that you will engage in such as planning and supervising activities like arts and crafts, help to develop language and numerical skills and reading stories to the children themselves.

For skills they wish for you to have good written and verbal communication skills, to be able to work as part of a team and to be patient and tolerant. It has not listed any personal qualities and qualifications are not specified either. You will gain a children and young people qualification after the completion of this apprenticeship and to contact the training provider they have stated their email and telephone number.

As for this apprenticeship it hardly gives any information as a whole, whether you want to know if you will get to keep the job after it, how you will be taught, if there is any theory side to this apprenticeship etc. The information it does give you however, is very vague and doesn't give to much detail for the researcher. As for me this apprenticeship did not include enough information for me to ever apply for it but if someone is looking for what appears to be a relaxing job in assistance of childcare then this could be right for them.

8) Eighth apprenticeship: BBC production apprentice scheme
Company: BBC
Location: Salford
Training provider: NA
Positions: 12
https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeship/711848

To the left the basic information can be found, the candidate will earn £12,500 per year and work 35 hours per week. It is an advanced level apprenticeship and will last for 12 months. To begin, the page the invites those who are passionate about creating content for TV and radio showing a creative sense to the apprenticeship instantly. It explains how it wants candidates who will be able to create outstanding, divers content for TV and radio. It is a college based academic teaching apprenticeship that allows a range of on and off job training giving people work experience in a numerous amount of roles.

They will be offering the chance of specialising in one of three productions areas, these include production management, craft skills and creative. The first role will have training and learning in that of becoming a production manager's assistant. The second will have you learning and training in ways of becoming a studio manager or camera operator and the third will have you learning and training in ways of becoming a junior researcher or in an editorial role as runner.

The skills they are looking for include a passion/interest in creating content in a practical way or through ideas, good organisation and practical skills, motivation and the ability to combine work and study and more. They also are looking for people who are positive, don't already have a qualification above a level 3/A levels, committed and offer a new perspective to the BBC to make it better along with more. It also summarises the curriculum that you will learn in the partnered college the BBC have including learning about presenting genres such as entertainment, sports, drama etc. production paperwork, industry ethics and a lot more.

There are no qualifications that you need except to be 18 or over and not have or be working towards a qualification higher than a level 3 or A level. There is no information as of yet on the training provider so the researcher can not find out who the company is or any information on them and to apply you must go to the employer's website.

In my opinion this seems like a highly creative course in the media industry with open routes for people to take. The page offers a lot of information but structures the information very badly making it quite overwhelming, it also has no training provider information as of yet which is also a downside. However, it seems like a very fun and helpful course to those who wish to share ideas and get involved in the media industry. I would apply for this qualification as it seems to be one that would challenge me yet also provide a entertaining work and learning environment that would be useful to my beneficial to my knowledge of the media industry.

9) Ninth apprenticeship: Creative & digital media apprentice
Company: Kids pass Ltd
Location: Altrincham
Training provider: BC arch limited
Positions: 1
https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeship/707868

To the left is the basic information including £153 with a weekly 35 working hours from Monday - Friday, it is an advanced level apprenticeship and will last for 12-15 months. It introduces itself by inviting creative and designing people. Then it goes onto explain a benefit you will get which is saving money in multiple areas through discounts. The it starts to state what the role involves, including designing for digital media and print, supporting the design team where needed, social media campaign development and more.

They are looking for people who are positive and friendly, have a high attention to detail, able to cooperate in a team, punctual and reliable and more. The candidate will be taught and mentored by what is stated to be some of the best digital media professionals in the business. They will gain a level 3 qualification in creative and digital media allowing for endless opportunities. The desired skills they wish the candidate to have are that they are proactive, responsible, personable, have good initiatives and more. Personal skills they are looking for include team work, organisation, innovation, creative, ambition and more. As for qualifications they want a candidate who has a minimum of 5 GCSEs at grade c or above including maths and english.

The training provider gives the same information as that which can be found on the fourth apprenticeship that I reviewed at the top of this page however it now discusses the core units of this course and gives a set of different skills that the candidate will learn. To apply for the apprenticeship you must go to the employer's website.

In my opinion this seems like an enjoyable course, it seems very innovative and creative and invites those who are passionate about creating ideas and helping design them to join. The page structures the information correctly and doesn't overwhelm the researcher giving clear points on what they will be doing, who they are looking for and things like that. It gives you the information needed to make a decision on signing up for the apprenticeship and looks great overall. I would sign up for this apprenticeship as it seems to have a highly creative and positive aspect to the work place.

10) Tenth apprenticeship: Sales support administration apprentice
Company: Leasing Options Ltd
Location: Manchester
Training provider: Economics solutions limited
Positions: 2
https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeship/714551

To the left the basic information can be found including the weekly pay of £200 with 37.5 hours in the week from Monday-Friday on a daily shift of 9-5:30. It is an intermediate level apprenticeship and will last for up to 12 months. To begin it states the two major objectives that the candidate will be tasked with: to provide administrative and clerical support to the sales support team and to develop an understanding of the issues facing various section within the sales support team and contributing towards overcoming these issues. It then goes onto state the candidate responsibilities which include providing administrative support to leasing options, assist in data input of various pieces of information, liaise with members of the public, suppliers, funders and other external entities and more.

They wish for the candidate to have skills that include IT literacy, organisation, good communication skills, good attention to detail and numerical competence. Personal qualities include the eagerness to learn, wanting to have a career and that they are personable. Qualifications they want a GCSE of C or above in both maths and english, if done well then it could allow for progression in the company and onto the next level of the apprenticeship.

As for the training provider they will provide full training which will gain a NVQ level 2 qualification in business administration for the candidate. To contact the training provider they give a telephone number, email address, twitter account and Facebook page. You must apply through the employer's website but any direct approach to the employer will result in disqualification.

In my opinion this seems like a good course for people who are good at supporting others. The page offers a good amount of information and enough to decide whether you would want to apply, it does not overwhelm the readers. However, it does not invite people in and gives a very toned down feel to the job. I would not like to apply for this apprenticeship as there is no creativity involved and it seems quite strict but I can see the positive aspects of why people would apply for it.