Apprenticeship and Supported Internships

Apprenticeships

An apprenticeship is a paid job with associated training.

It allows young people to earn while they learn, as well as gaining a nationally recognised qualification.

Apprenticeships are available in a range of areas including business, construction, hospitality and many more. There are different apprenticeship levels and each level has different entry requirements.

Visit find an apprenticeship for further information and to find out how to apply.

Access to Work support (funding or support for people with a disability or health condition) can be applied for whilst on an apprenticeship (see information on Access to Work below) These can be accessed with or without an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

Supported Internships

Supported internships can be a good way of having study programme that helps young people to get a job. A supported internship is a structured study programme based primarily at an employer.

The aim is to enable young people with an EHCP to get paid employment by helping them develop the skills they need for work, through learning in the workplace.

Internships usually last for a year and include unpaid work placements of at least 6 months. Wherever possible, they support young people to move into paid employment at the end of the programme.

What makes Supported Internships different is that young people do most of their learning at work. This means they can ‘learn on the job’. Young people may spend a little time at college each week, but most of your time will be spent on a work placement. Supported internships run from Monday to Friday during term time. A supported internship could be the right choice for young people who learn best by ‘doing’.

Supported internship: Case Study

I heard about Project Choice (Choices College) when I was at Walker Riverside Academy, some past students I knew from college came to my class to talk about their time on the project. I really liked the idea of learning in the workplace and hearing about how they had enjoyed it. I was excited to apply.

I was so happy when I was offered a place after attending an interview, and although I was nervous to start the project, I was also really looking forward to it. We had some keep in touch days to meet other students in the summer beforehand which helped me know what to expect.

My first placement was in the Linen room as a porter at the Royal Victoria Infirmary which is one of the large hospitals in the Trust. My mentors were really kind and showed me how to do the tasks. I started to get more confident and was soon talking to

lots of different staff and delivering linen around a number of wards in the hospital. The college day has been good too, as we get together as a group. I have enjoyed the employability work we have completed and have made progress in maths and English.

For my second placement I moved on to try a Domestic Assistant role cleaning on the wards. I started off on one ward and then added two more, so I was working on an adult ward, a burns unit and a children’s ward. This job is physically hard, but I soon got used to it and asked to continue in this placement for my final term. I love the teams I am in, and I also enjoy chatting to the patients if they want a conversation.

A part time Domestic Assistant job came up at the Freeman Hospital. I was asked by the project staff if I would like support in applying for it. I was nervous, but knew I was ready to do this. I did some practice mock interviews and some 1:1 coaching before the interview. Lorna came into the interview with me for support in case I needed the questions explained in a different way. I was so nervous before the interview, but the managers interviewing me were really kind and explained everything clearly and I managed to talk about my experience and skills I had learned. The best part of the project for me was receiving the phone call from the manager the next day, offering me the role!

The project has pushed me out of my comfort zone, but I am ready for paid work, I start in a few weeks, and I am really proud of myself. I would recommend this project to anyone as it has been the best thing I have ever done.