Apprenticeships at Lakes College

We offer a variety of different apprenticeships – from level 2 to level 6 (degree level).

Click here to see the full list of apprenticeships we offer!

You can be in school when you apply for an apprenticeship but to start one, you must be:

• Over 16 (no upper age limit)
• Living in England
• Not in full-time education

The minimum earnings for your first year is £4.81 per hour.

After this you will be entitled to the National Minimum Wage for your age group. Find out more from the gov.co.uk website here.

You will be treated like any other employee, which includes the perks. You are entitled to paid holiday and other benefits include pension contributions and use of leisure facilities (if applicable).

At Lakes College you can take an apprenticeship between Level 2 and Level 3 which is equivalent to either 5 GCSEs passes or 2 A-Level passes. An apprenticeship is challenging as you have more than 30 hours per week with your employer as well as working towards your qualification but it also gives you the benefit of learning in a real-life work environment (all while earning a wage).

Some of our apprenticeships require you to attend college one day a week. The remaining days will be spent in the workplace.

However, many of our apprenticeships do not require formal attendance and can be completed entirely in the workplace environment.

We are one of the largest providers of apprenticeships in west Cumbria and we work closely with local employers to ensure the best future for everyone.

We make sure that your training is specifically tailored to ensure you develop the skills your employer wants, and we provide suitable apprenticeship placements with reputable businesses.

This means that you will have long-term salary prospects and excellent progression opportunities.

While on your apprenticeship we can also support you with your maths and English skills so you can progress further in your career. Maths and English are vital skills for employment and for everyday life. Having a qualification in maths and English will open up more career opportunities, better education possibilities, a rise in salary potential and increase life satisfaction. At Lakes College we are committed to giving our students life skills and tools to reach their potential. We have a team of tutors who will work with you and help you achieve these essential qualifications so you can progress in your chosen field. If you’re aged 16 to 18 and studying full time, English and maths will be at the core of your study programme at Lakes College, alongside your apprenticeship.

If you are under 19 years old and missed out on your English and/or maths entry requirements for your apprenticeship, we offer English and maths Functional Skills as an alternative, which aims to improve your literacy and numeracy skills.

An apprenticeship can be a stepping stone onto higher level education and university – alternatively, you could progress onto a degree-level apprenticeship, which is an alternative to traditional university study. Find out more.