The AA’s emerging talent programme

Evolve your journey

If you’re considering doing an Apprenticeship with The AA we’ve put together lots of helpful resources and information for you to find the best opportunity for you and why you should choose an apprenticeship.

What is an Apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships are vocational work-based qualifications which cover a wide range of sectors and are offered at different educational levels. It can take from 12 months to four years to achieve these different qualifications and will depend on which one you choose to do.

Apprenticeships are designed to provide both practical and on-the-job-training in a role which is related to the qualification you’re aiming for. By completing your AA Learner Journey, you’ll gain invaluable work experience and develop your knowledge and understanding of your job whilst achieving an industry recognised standard or qualification.

As your programme will be tailored to you and your job role, our apprenticeship providers will work with you to create your own ‘Individual Learning Plan’.

Some Apprenticeships include an assessment at the end of the programme to assess your ability to do your job, and / or your skills in English and maths. If you’ll need to pass either or both of these this will be explained when you apply.

You’ll have a dedicated Apprenticeship Skills Coach who will guide you through your programme and help you on your journey to complete your chosen apprenticeship. You can contact your Skills Coach at any time, and they’ll be on hand to give you guidance and support as and when you may need it.

When you successfully complete your programme you’ll receive a nationally recognised vocational qualification. However, your learning journey doesn’t have to stop there, you may be eligible to then progress on to higher level programmes.

You can find out more about how the Evolve programmes will be managed here.

Apprenticeship Levels explained

Apprenticeships are grouped into four categories and are mapped to the equivalent educational levels:

• Intermediate – Level 2 – Equivalent to five GCSE passes at grades A* to C.
• Advanced – Level 3 – Equivalent to two A level passes.
• Higher – Levels 4, 5, 6 and 7 – Equivalent to a foundation degree and above.
• Degree – Levels 6 and 7 – Equivalent to a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

Find out more about our Evolve qualifications on offer

10 Great Reasons to choose an Apprenticeship

1. Earn while you learn
   An Apprenticeship is on-the-job training which fits around you. So you’ll work towards a nationally recognised qualification while earning a wage.
2. Great earning potential
   People with an Advanced Apprenticeship could earn more than those without.
3. Excellent value
   Your Apprenticeship training is funded by your employer, meaning that you can avoid the costs of other training.
4. Degree equivalent
   Apprenticeships start at level 2 and go up to degree level which means you can gain fantastic qualifications and lots of experience.
5. Personal development
   Apprenticeships allow you to develop your skills and knowledge, adding to the valuable work experience in your day to day role.
6. Great progression
   Developing your skills and gaining a qualification can help you step up the career ladder. In the main new apprentices stay in employment after completing their Apprenticeship.
7. Who can do one?
   They’re available to anyone aged 16 or over and can be done at the same or lower level than a qualification they already hold, as long as it allows the individual to acquire new skills.
8. Strengthen your CV
   Apprenticeships look fantastic on your CV, adding a new qualification and relevant work experience!
9. Become an essential member of team
   During your Apprenticeship you’ll learn more about the day to day running of the business and meet new colleagues, giving you the opportunity to put your training in to practice.
10. NUS Extra card
    When you’re doing an Apprenticeship, you may be eligible to apply for an NUS card. You’ll get lots of discounts, from shopping and food, to travel, entertainment, and a whole lot more!

For answers to any further questions read our FAQ document.

Apprenticeship Reforms and the Levy

The Government is committed to significantly increasing the quantity and quality of work based training and Apprenticeships. As a result, Apprenticeships across the UK are in the process of undergoing a major transformation.

The key change in these reforms will be a new style of Apprenticeships which are designed to meet the changing needs of employers, learners and providers. This will see new Apprenticeship Standards replacing the old Apprenticeship Frameworks. The new Standards will:

• Define an Apprenticeship which is a minimum of 12 months.
• Be linked to a specific occupational level.
• Respond to employers’ needs, ensuring that apprenticeships are high quality and rigorous and develop the knowledge, skills and behaviour required for a specific job role.

Another key factor in the reforms is related to the way Apprenticeships are now funded. From April 2017 the Government has introduced the Apprenticeship Levy, where large UK employers whose employees’ salaries total over £3million will pay a levy to fund new Apprenticeships. This is designed to increase the quantity and quality of Apprenticeships.

From April 2017, the AA has been investing 0.5% of our pay bill into the Apprenticeship Levy, and we’re using it to attract and retain our people by:

• Giving existing employees the opportunity to develop further and gain recognised vocational qualifications, including higher (degree level) apprenticeships.
• Improving opportunities for young people to work for us and gain a recognised vocational qualification.
• Creating a pipeline of talent to support our future success.
• Embedding our values and behaviours at the very start of our employee’s career.

You can find out more about the Apprenticeship levy and the reforms on the .GOV website.

Interested? Contact us

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