Apprenticeships have been developed in a wide range of industry sectors and are available with all types of employers; from large national companies such as Vodafone to small local companies.

There are over 200 different types of apprenticeships on offer. All apprenticeships are different, so their entry requirements may differ dependent on the sector.

Below are outlined the basic entry requirements:

• Individuals need to be living in England and not taking part in full time education
• Individuals must be 16 or older
• If you took your GCSEs more than five years ago and didn't gain a top grade (A or A*), or you don't have good GCSE grades in Maths and English you will need to take a literacy and numeracy test.

All Apprenticeships include the following elements:

• An appropriate work-based qualification such as a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at either Level 2, Level 3 or Level 4;
• Key Skills qualifications, e.g. working in teams, problem-solving, communication and using new technology;
• A technical qualification such as a BTEC or City & Guilds (relevant to the specific Apprenticeship);
• Other qualifications or requirements as specified by the particular occupation

Apprenticeships equip you with the skills employers want, giving you a choice of career or the opportunity to further your learning with an Advanced Apprenticeship, Higher Education or University.