Supporting young people’s services
How to Apply for
Apprenticeship Vacancies
1
Supporting young people’s services
To apply for an Apprenticeship vacancy you will need to be registered – For
more information, please see the How to Register for Apprenticeship
Vacancies guide and How to Search for Apprenticeship Vacancies guide. For
hints on searching for vacancies by Vacancy Reference Number, please see
the How to Search for Apprenticeship Vacancies by Vacancy Reference
Number guide.
Before you start filling in the application
form make sure you know what the
employer is looking for. The ‘Vacancy
Details’ page will give you a good idea
of what sort of person they are looking
for. Make a note of the key points (in
Skills Required, Qualifications
Required, Personal Qualities &
Important Other Information sections)
and make sure you cover them in your
application (it is a good idea to print the
Vacancy Details).
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1. When you have found a vacancy you want to
apply for click on ‘Apply’ at the bottom of the
‘Vacancy Details’ page.
Some vacancies may re-direct you to the employers own website - click
‘Continue to Apply’ and see the Application Forms & Applying Online factsheet.
2. For most vacancies you can apply direct from the Apprenticeship
vacancies site. Once you have clicked ‘Apply’ you will be prompted to check
that your profile is up-to-date. Click on ‘Complete or edit My Profile’.
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3. Remember that the Personal Information and Contact Details of your Profile
are part of the application. Make sure all the details are correct and that the
voicemail greeting on the telephone numbers you have listed are appropriate.
Then click Update.
4. For most vacancies you can apply direct from the Apprenticeship
vacancies site. Once you have clicked ‘Apply’ you will be prompted to check
that your profile is up-to-date. Click on ‘Complete or edit My Profile’.
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5. Complete the application form
carefully. Your goal is to convince
an employer to shortlist you for
the next stage of the selection
process. If you don’t have time to
complete the form in one go you
can Save or Save and Exit.
6. Most of the questions
are straightforward and
have a ‘help button’ –
giving you hints on how to
answer the question.
Some sections also allow
you to run a spell check
on the text you have
entered.
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7. Your Personal Information is taken
from your profile. If anything is incorrect
you will not be able to change it from the
application form but will need to go back
to My Profile.
8. In the Subject/qualification
section make sure you put
predicted grades in for any
subjects you are currently
studying. Click on Add
Subject to enter the subject
into your list of qualifications.
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9. The Work Experience/History
section works in the same way as
the Subject/qualification section –
enter details then click Add Employer
to enter the work into your list and
don’t forget to include voluntary as
well as paid work.
10. The About You section is very
important but many people have
difficulty answering the questions.
Try to list at least 2 or 3 strengths that cover the skills and qualities the
employer is looking for (look at your notes from the Vacancy Details). Always
say what the skill or quality is and then give an example. E.g. “Time
management – my school attendance is 100% this year and I am always on
time for school and club athletics meetings”
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It is important to be honest, but it is best not to point out a weakness in any of
the skills or qualities that are important to the employer. However, it is OK to
say you have started to develop an important skill and would like to improve
it. So you might say “I have already helped to organise 5-a-Side football
tournaments and training with St Francis and planned exercise programmes
as part of my GCSE PE course. I would like to learn to organise bigger
competitions and plan and deliver training session for people of all ages and
abilities”.
Always put at least one short sentence – not just one or two words to
describe your hobby/interest/achievement. For example “I regularly swim and
attend weight training sessions at my local leisure centre. I am also a member
of the Greenfield Drama Group where I attend rehearsals and take part in
productions”.
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11. There may (or may not) be Additional questions. These will normally ask
you why you want to do this type of apprenticeship and/or work for this
particular employer or do this particular job.
You might want to say what it is about the Apprenticeship that you
think you would be good at and what you might want to do after. It
is important to be honest but also be realistic about where the
Apprenticeship might lead. For example, the Active Leisure
Apprenticeship in the example would be a good route for someone
who wanted to be a football coach, but wouldn’t necessarily help
someone who wanted to be a professional footballer.
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If you are asked why you want to work for this particular employer, or do this
particular job, look for things in the Vacancy Description and Employer
Description (on the Vacancy Details page) that really interest you. Try to find
out a bit more about employer (there is often a link to their website on the
Vacancy Details page) and show that you know something about what they do
in your answer.
12. When you have completed the form click on Continue.
13. You will then be prompted to preview your application before you select
send it. This is your last chance to make sure everything is complete and
correct. Now would be a good time to select Print Application and get
someone who knows about application forms to check through it for you
before you send it.
14. If you need to make any changes, click Back or, if you are happy with the
form, select Send Application.
15. You can track the progress of your applications through
Manage Applications on My Home page of the Apprenticeship
vacancies website.
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More help

You can find a factsheet on completing application forms in the Job Search
section (under the Employment & Apprenticeships) of the CLC Building
Futures website and an Apprenticeship Candidates' Guide on
www.apprenticeships.org.uk.

You can use your saved form to apply for more vacancies or complete an
Application Form before you find a vacancy through Manage Applications
on My Home page of the Apprenticeship vacancies website.

For any technical problems while using the Apprenticeship vacancies
website contact the National Helpdesk on 02476 826482 or email them at
nationalhelpdesk@apprenticeships.gov.uk