You might have heard lots of different things about apprenticeships but how do you know what's the truth and what's just a myth?
How much can you get paid? Do they only apply to certain jobs?
Debunk the myths: Meet these apprentices
Watch the video to see former apprentice Chanise Evans bust some of the biggest myths with George, Katrina and Tay, who are all currently doing apprenticeships.
Katrina – project controls apprentice:
I thought I would just be an office run around and making cups of tea.
Tay – software developer apprentice:
You just assume that you’re just going to be on minimum wage.
George – horticultural apprentice:
There were many misconceptions about apprenticeships in horticulture, in the industry that I’m in.
Chanise – former apprentice:
I’m asking apprentices about the biggest misconceptions about apprenticeships.
Chanise:
What is an apprenticeship?
Tay:
An apprenticeship to me is an opportunity to do learning.
Katrina:
To work and learn at the same time.
Tay:
And you come out of it with qualifications to demonstrate your skills.
Chanise:
How did you get onto your apprenticeship?
George:
Looking online I just wanted to find a way to pursue my interest in plants and horticulture professionally, and I thought apprenticeships were the best way to do that.
Tay:
I went on search engines and searched software engineering apprenticeship.
Katrina:
I just looked on the government website and also at any careers fairs that were happening nearby.
Chanise:
Do you just get paid minimum wage?
Tay:
I didn’t start off on minimum wage, and I’ve also had two pay reviews since I started and that was a year ago.
Katrina:
Some places might but here we don’t get paid minimum wage.
George:
So, we get paid the National Living Wage.
Chanise:
What do you think about the myth that if you do an apprenticeship the qualifications you get are lesser than if you go to college or uni?
Katrina:
In my opinion, it’s wrong.
George:
I think that’s a little bit naive.
Katrina:
I’m doing a Level 3 which is equivalent to A-Levels at college.
George:
I feel that the experience you gain working practically on the job on an apprenticeship is invaluable really because it gives you proper practical experience.
Tay:
I think we’re in an age now where work experience is quite needed. I’ve got a lot of friends who have come out of university with a degree, and they are struggling to get employment because they don’t have that work experience.
Chanise:
A misconception is that if you do an apprenticeship, you can’t go far in your career. Is that true?
George:
No, I wouldn’t say it is true, I’d say that it was false.
Tay:
No, that is not true at all.
George:
To make contacts in the industry with everybody else, I feel like it can take you really far.
Katrina:
I know what role I’m going to go into when I come off my scheme, and I’ve also been made aware of promotional opportunities I can apply for as well.
Tay:
There are people in the company I work for started off as apprentices but are now in management roles or senior roles.
Chanise:
So, there you have it. To find out which career path or apprenticeship might suit you check out the BBC Bitesize Careers website.

An apprenticeship to me is an opportunity to do learning. And you come out of it with qualifications to demonstrate your skills – Tay – software developer apprentice


[An apprenticeship is] to work and learn at the same time – Katrina – project controls apprentice


I feel that the experience you gain working practically on the job on an apprenticeship is invaluable really because it gives you proper practical experience – George – horticultural apprentice

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