Finishing your studies can seem like a breath of fresh air – finally you are ready to get out into the world and earn some money! In fact, many school and college leavers will be looking for their first jobs right now, having taken some time out over the summer to let off some steam. While the thought of stepping back into a classroom may seem like the furthest thing from your mind, it might be worth just reconsidering your decision to walk straight into work – at least for now.
While some employers offer genuine, targeted jobs for school and college leavers, many others do not, and will expect you to be able to hit the ground running. With just a small amount of training, these places may leave you feeling out of your depth and uncomfortable, rather than settled and ready to go.
As something of a half-way point between full-time work, and full-time study, a traineeship or apprenticeship may offer you the correct mix of training and experience to give you the skills and the confidence to shine in the workplace. With on-the-job experience mixed with some classroom-based activities, an apprentice ship or traineeship will make sure you learn the right way to do your job, and give you a qualification to prove it at the end.
Also, don’t worry, an apprenticeship or traineeship is different from school, as you will be given more responsibility as you learn – in recognition that you are older and more mature now. So, while you will be required to study in order to pass, it won’t be like going straight back to school again.
You will also be paid while you learn, and while this may not be as much as you could earn by going straight out to work, the skills and experience you gain should comfortably see you push ahead of the competition once you are qualified.
Of course, you may feel that some extra study is right for you, and go on from a traineeship to a full apprenticeship. Alternatively, you might decide to go on from a more basic apprenticeship and study for a higher level qualification to build on your skills or specialise in a particular area.
The range of traineeships and other courses is wider than ever before, meaning that there is more chance that there is a course to suit you and set you off on the right foot into the world of work. Making yourself more employable, as well as giving you a qualification that you can take forward with you, an apprenticeship may seem like delaying your entry into the workplace, but it can also be a valuable transition into employment.
Take a look at the options that are available to you in your local area, and see if you can find a course to suit you. It will almost certainly give you an extra boost when it comes to getting a job, and in many cases may lead straight into full employment once you have completed the course.
