Considering a marketing apprenticeship?
We’ve been speaking with loads of candidates about apprenticeships over the last month or so. During a lot of these conversations, we’ve been asked some common questions about apprenticeships. This is likely because there isn’t a huge amount of awareness around apprenticeships out there unlike things like college and university, etc. So, we wanted to put together an article that highlighted some of those common questions and provide answers for you if you are considering enrolling on an apprenticeship. So let’s get started.
What is a marketing apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is a job with a mix of hands-on experience and off-the-job training. You get a salary, contract, and holiday, with the added benefit of learning real-world skills. On an apprenticeship, you work towards a nationally recognised qualification, whilst also receiving professional training from experts within the marketing industry. In our case, you’ll also study toward a CIM qualification at the same time. Don’t worry, we’ve embedded this nicely into our programmes.
What is a CIM?
A CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing) certificate is a professional qualification in marketing. It signifies proficiency in marketing principles and practices. The CIM is a leading professional marketing organisation based in the UK, providing education, training, and support for marketing professionals worldwide. We embed CIMs into our apprenticeships which means you get two qualifications instead of one. The best part about this is that it’s completely free instead of you paying £1,200 or more.
Do I have to pay for an apprenticeship?
No, there are no costs for you to start an apprenticeship. Not only are there no costs to gaining your apprenticeship qualification, but you won’t have to pay for your CIM either! This is one of the many benefits of doing an apprenticeship over say a degree.
What is the duration of an apprenticeship?
Our apprenticeships last anywhere between 15 to 18 months. We currently run level 3 and 4 apprenticeships. Standard practice is that you’ll gain 12 months of experience before heading into something called gateway. This leads onto End-Point Assessment which can last for between 3 and 6 months. All-in-all, you’ll likely be complete on most of our qualifications within about 15 months.
How old do I have to be to do an apprenticeship?
You need to be aged 16+ years old and have left full-time education. Other than that, the doors are open to everyone.
How much will I get paid?
How much you will get paid heavily depends on your employer, location, experience, etc. The apprentice minimum wage is currently £5.28 an hour and rising to £6.42 in April 2024. However, we only work with employers that pay above these figures. Typically, salaries will range from £15,000 – £20,000 though some employers may offer more.
What qualifications do I need to start an apprenticeship?
Ideally, you’ll have GCSEs or equivalents in English and Maths at C/4 and above. However, if you don’t have your GCSE certificates then you still have a few options to provide evidence of your results;
1. We will check Learner Records Service (LRS) as they may be logged here;
2. If we’re unable to find them on LRS you can reach out to the awarding bodies to gain reprints. This usually costs £50 per certificate. You will only require Maths and English for a level 3 or 4 apprenticeships;
3. Failing the above, you will have to take functional skills exams during your apprenticeship.
Can I do an apprenticeship if I have a degree or higher qualification?
Yes, as long as your degree is not directly related to the apprenticeship. In our case for example, if you have completed a degree in marketing, you cannot then complete one of our marketing apprenticeships as you’ll already be educated above apprenticeship level. You could however do a marketing apprenticeship if you’d studied design for instance as although there is a tiny bit of crossover, it’s not enough to class as formalised training in marketing. Typically, candidates come from educational backgrounds in:
- English;
- Design;
- Psychology;
- Data courses;
- Media courses;
- Etc.
What happens after I’ve completed my apprenticeships?
Once you have completed your apprenticeship, there are a few opportunities available to you, such as:
- Your employer may offer you a full-time position;
- Your employer may want you to progress onto further training, maybe level 4 to 6 for example;
- You may want to change direction entirely. We’ve got two articles specifically from ex-learners that changed direction, Abi and Nuah;
- You may want to move to another employer.
Ultimately, the choice is entirely up to you.
What happens during the apprenticeship?
On our programmes, you’ll get the following. However, other providers may differ.
Coaching – You’ll get monthly 1-2-1 coaching sessions with your Coach. These will be around your progress, additional learning, your workplace, etc.
Training – You’ll receive training towards the apprenticeship curriculum as well as your CIM on a monthly basis.
Workplace – You’ll work full-time with your employer for on average of 15 – 18 months.
OTJ – You’ll be given designated off-the-job training time each week within working hours to study and develop as a professional. This typically totals around 278 per year. This is something you’ll unlikely ever get again unless you do another apprenticeship.
Portfolio and projects – In our case, for our standards, you’ll work on a portfolio of evidence and at EPA a project to demonstrate evidence towards the requirements of the programme.
So there you have it
10 common questions for anyone out there looking to start a marketing apprenticeship in 2024. Hopefully, they were helpful. But, if you have any other questions, please fire them over to info@themarketingtrainer.co.uk and we’ll be happy to help.
