Level 3 (Advanced) Apprenticeships

A Level 3, or Advanced apprenticeship, is the equivalent of achieving two good A-Level passes. That means after you’ve completed your apprenticeship you won’t only have a great qualification that your parents can brag to the nosy neighbours about, but you’ll also be set with a shed-tonne of work experience to back you up too!

Level 3 (Advanced) apprenticeships are a wonderful opportunity for school leavers, or even those who finish college, to get your foot in the door. These are excellent if you’re looking for additional qualifications in an industry that you’re interested in. But don’t worry if pulling all-nighters in the library or listening to odd lecturers at university isn’t your thing – as a Level 3 apprentice you’ll be working full-time with an employer while getting the chance to study for qualifications with a training provider or college.

At this level, the qualifications that you achieve after completing the apprenticeship programme will be the equivalent of two A-Level passes. This can include achieving knowledge-based qualifications relevant to your sector and job such as a level 3 NVQ or BTEC. Some of these are also accredited by institutes depending on where, and what, you study – that means you could be chartered in engineering, marketing, and much more!

Your apprenticeship will be designed so that you slowly start to gain more responsibility the further through your qualification you go and as you grow more confident with your job. You could even be managing areas of your team as a Level 3 apprentice! You’ll have their lives in your hands - well, not quite, but you get what we mean...

However, if you’re not the most comfortable with loads of responsibility, your employer will offer you support so you can get to that point further along in your career. You could even have specialist training with the company while learning key employability skills to properly set you up for a great future in the world of work.

FAQ

What qualification do I get?

When your apprenticeship is over, you’ll receive Level 3 qualifications – meaning these will be the equivalent to two A-Levels passes. You might get BTECs or NVQs (or both) depending on what apprenticeship you choose to do. Ready to take on any challenge that may come your way.

If you don’t have English or Maths qualifications, you’ll take a Level 2 or 3 Functional Skills in Maths and English to pass the apprenticeship programme. Depending on your employer, you may also work on other qualifications that are directly related to your job. That could be a qualification to use certain systems utilised by your workplace or use certain pieces of machinery. It just depends on where you end up working!

How do level 3 apprenticeships work?

As a Level 3 (Advanced) apprentice, you’ll have the same responsibilities as anyone else in your role, but just a bit more support from your team. To put it simply, alongside getting stuck right into the world of work, you’ll have the opportunity to train towards a qualification. This’ll either be at work with in-house training or you’ll go to college or a training provider to study.

How this is organised depends on your employer; you may spend once a week learning or have a block release where you’ll spend a few weeks at the company and then a week at college training. The remaining 80% of your time will be spent in your job with the support of a workplace mentor; this could be your manager, a colleague, or someone else who has already done the programme.

Can I do a Level 3 (Advanced) Apprenticeship?

Nearly anybody can do an apprenticeship, no matter if you’re 17 or 57. But, you’ll probably need at least three or more GCSEs, and for some apprenticeships you’ll also be required to have one or two A-Levels or Level 3 BTECs too. Others may not expect any formal qualifications but will want you to have previous experience in the industry.

What kind of apprenticeships can you do at Level 3?

There are more than 145 different apprenticeships you can do at an advanced level, including (just a few) specially selected examples here:

• Advertising and media executive
• Assistant accountant
• Broadcast production assistant
• Business administrator
• Cabin crew
• Dental nurse
• Digital marketer
• Event assistant
• Fashion studio assistant
• Junior journalist
• Laboratory technician
• Paralegal
• Retail team leader
• Teaching assistant
• Train driver
• Veterinary nurse

What does an employer look for in my application?

Employers can be picky when it comes to choosing their next employee, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of ways you can put your best self forward and impress. Most employers will be looking for your passion for the organisation, the apprenticeship role itself, and how you see your career progressing in that industry. You’ll need to evidence this on your CV and in interviews, so that you stand out from the crowd – be the Colin the Caterpillar cake in a world full of Cuthberts.

As a Level 3 (Advanced) apprentice, the majority of employers won’t be looking for a long list of employment history, but some work experience or a part-time job will go a long way in supporting your application. If you don’t have experience, an employer will look for other ways that you can demonstrate skills such as time-management, prioritisation and organisation.