Do you want a chance to enhance your career opportunities while still at school? Or what about getting your foot in the door with an employer? If you have designs on a big future, Foundation Apprenticeships in Scotland could be the answer.
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What is a Foundation Apprenticeship?
Foundation Apprenticeships in Scotland give senior high school pupils a chance to work in Scotland’s fastest growing industries. And it’s happening while they are still at school.
Foundation Apprenticeships, which differ from Modern Apprenticeships and Graduate Apprenticeship jobs, offer fifth and sixth year pupils valuable experience. They also receive an industry recognised qualification. Apply for one starting this year, here.
What is involved?
There are one-year and two-year Foundation Apprenticeships on offer. Pupils spend time away from school with a local learning provider and get industry insight from an employer.
What jobs can I get with a Foundation Apprenticeship?
You can apply to do a Foundation Apprenticeship at SCQF level 6 in a number of industries relevant to the career path you wish to follow.
Here is a list of the 12 different types of Foundation Apprenticeships:
- Accountancy
- Business skills
- Civil Engineering
- Creative and Digital Media
- Engineering
- Financial services
- Food and drink technologies
- Hardware and system support
- Scientific technologies
- Social services children and young people
- Social services and healthcare
- Software development
How will a Foundation Apprenticeship benefit me?
In Aberdeen, school pupils at St Machar Academy are benefiting from Foundation Apprenticeships which have allowed them to work in industries where this is a rising demand for a skilled workforce.
Their former headteacher Joanne Hersford has noticed a number of advantages, including:
- Pupils are more engaged with their learning
- Pupils are better prepared for the world of work
- The apprentices gain skills and experience they need to be successful
- Pupils gain a qualification that is equivalent to a Higher
- Pupils are more likely to stay on at school
A recent survey of learners, by Skills Development Scotland, also found that:
- More than 97% of young people who completed a Foundation Apprenticeship are in education, training or employment
- Three-quarters (74%) of young people who completed a Foundation Apprenticeship said they had developed skills that would help them in the workplace
- 72% of them said it had strengthened their college or university application
What is being an apprentice really like?
Mrs Hesford, who is now headteacher at Oldmachar Academy, said: “Foundation Apprenticeships offer our young people a transition between school and life beyond school.
“When pupils see what it is like in a proper workplace, they are more driven to do well in their other school subjects, to get where they want to be.”
Iona Reid is the acting headteacher at St Machar Academy. She believes matching Foundation Apprenticeships to the areas in which pupils want to work has been key to their success.
She added: “Foundation Apprenticeships have improved our stay on rate significantly and we also see improvements in learning and engagement in class.
The experience of being out in the world of work gives pupils real motivation because they see the correlation between what they do in school and how that can boost their success outside of school.
They see the value of being in school much more clearly.”
Morgan Brew and Cammy Middleton both did a Foundation Apprenticeship at St Machar Academy in Aberdeen. Now, after successfully completing the one-year programme at school, they have left and progressed on to Modern Apprenticeship jobs.
Morgan’s story:
Morgan, 17, is doing a Modern Apprenticeship at First Class nursery in Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, after completing a Foundation Apprenticeship.
She did her Foundation Apprenticeship in Social Services and Young People through training provider Aberlour.
She said: “I learned so much about children, including their development and how play is crucial to them, safeguarding, how to plan appropriate age and stage activities and how to risk assess.
It was hard work, but I enjoyed being more independent and using my own knowledge to do research and our teacher gave us a lot of support.”
Cammy’s story:
Cammy, also 17, has achieved a Foundation Apprenticeship in construction in S5 after spending one day a week on site and another at North East Scotland College.
He is now doing a Modern Apprenticeship with Robertson Construction Eastern Ltd. Cammy believes the experience he gained while still at school helped him land the role.
He said: “The Foundation Apprenticeship really improved my focus and helped me mature because I was treated like an employee.
It’s great to be earning money while doing something I really enjoy and I would definitely recommend Foundation Apprenticeships to other pupils.”
What is the difference between Foundation Apprenticeships and Modern Apprenticeships or Graduate Apprenticeships?
A Foundation Apprenticeship is completed when still at school, either in fifth or sixth year. A Modern Apprenticeship is where you can work, learn and earn at the same time.
A Graduate Apprenticeship is a job where you can get paid and get a degree.
How to apply for Foundation Apprenticeships
Are you ready to get started? If so, you can find a Foundation Apprenticeship at your school in 2022 here and apply online.
Start your journey in one of Scotland’s thriving industries today. Good luck!
