Apprentice Frequently Asked Questions

Usually, this means that you will spend four days a week with your employer, and one day a week learning with us, but this is dependent on your course.

A Skills Officer will visit you at your workplace every 8 weeks to ensure you are happy in your apprenticeship, review your progress and check to see if you require any additional support.

Anybody over 16 can apply for an apprenticeship.

We offer apprenticeships from Foundation to Level 5. Your apprenticeship level reflects your experience, not your age.

Foundation, level 2 and level 3 apprenticeships are perfect for school leavers or career changers with no relevant experience, while level 4 and 5 apprenticeships require you to either have worked in a similar role previously or completed a relevant Level 3 qualification.

Please note: not all levels exist in every sector. Once you apply, we’ll help you find an employer and make sure you’re studying the right course.

GCSE grade C/4 (or equivalent) in Maths and English are preferred, but not essential.

Apprentices without these qualifications who start their training aged 16 to 18 must work towards Level 2 Functional Skills qualifications.

Apprentices aged 19+ are not required to achieve Level 2 English and maths qualifications to complete their apprenticeship.

However, some employers may require their apprentices to work towards these qualifications.

The duration of an apprenticeship programme varies depending on your course, but is typically between 8 – 36 months. Check your course to see the duration.

Our course start dates are usually September, January and April. However, some programmes have different start points or rolling start dates. Your course will run during College term time (see the College Calendar exe-coll.ac.uk/school-leavers/term-dates/), with no lessons during half terms, summer, Christmas and public holidays. If your workplace is open during the College holiday periods, you will spend your usual College day at work instead.

Yes, employers regard apprenticeships very highly, as you have both a qualification and valuable workplace experience.

The Apprenticeship Minimum wage (April 2025) is £7.55 per hour, but many employers will pay more than this. This wage applies to apprentices under 19 or over 19 and in their first 12 months of the programme.

If you are over 19 and in your second year and beyond, you will be entitled to the National Minimum Wage for your age. See gov.uk for more details.

The typical apprentice will work between 30 – 40 hours per week. This includes your time at college.

As an apprentice, you are an employee, and therefore you will be subject to income tax. However, all workers are allowed to earn £12,750 per year without paying tax. This is called a tax-free Personal Allowance. You will be taxed on the amount you earn above £12,750.

You will also pay National Insurance contributions if you are paid more than £242 a week. All taxes will be deducted automatically from your pay by your employer.

As you are an employee, you are entitled to paid leave. The number of days is dependent on your employer and will be confirmed in your contract of employment.

Yes. Before you start your apprenticeship programme with the College you will need to find an employer. However, you can apply to the College now, via our online application. You will be invited to an interview to meet the course lecturers and ensure you are eligible for the course. You’ll then receive a conditional offer, which is dependent on you finding an employer.

If you’re still looking, don’t worry. Our Training Recruitment Advisers are here to help! With over 1000 employer contacts, we can help you find a role that’s right for you.

You must find a relevant job before you start your apprenticeship. While most apprentices find employment by their planned course start date, we understand that this is a concern.

Everyone is required by law to continue in education, employment or training up to the age of 18. Therefore, if you’re under 18, we will give you a back-up offer of a relevant full-time course at the College.

If you’re over 18, we will continue to help you find a job, as more roles will become available throughout the year.

Apply on our website and when you have finished school, you can begin your apprenticeship.

Although you cannot start your apprenticeship until after you leave school, we recommend finding an employer now and completing work experience with them. Call, email or visit local businesses to enquire. Businesses are usually happy to offer a week of work experience, and once this is complete you could ask if they would consider taking you on as an apprentice.

We host regular Open Events, where you can learn about apprenticeships, discuss your career plans, meet current apprentices, and check out Exeter College facilities.

Find out dates of upcoming Open Events

Exeter College is a Disability Confident Training Provider and therefore if you have the qualifications and experience for a role, you will be offered an interview, and we will provide for any extra requirements you may have.

We work with our employer network to ensure all people are given an opportunity to train in industry and we will help you find a job in a company that suits you.

When you finish your apprenticeship, you can either progress to a full-time role within your company or move onto a higher-level apprenticeship.