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If you need to get more skills or work experience to get into the job, Apprenticeship or course you want, Traineeships could be ideal for you. They last between six weeks and six months, and combine work experience with skills training.

You can consider a Traineeship if:

  • you’re aged 16-18 inclusive and have not achieved a full Level 3 qualification or higher
  • you’re aged 19-23 inclusive and have not achieved a full Level 2 qualification or above
  • you’re not currently in a job (or work less than 16 hours per week) and don’t have much work experience, but are focused on getting work
  • you’re receiving unemployment benefit, provided you stay within benefit rules on how much time you can spend per week on the different parts of the Traineeship programme – your training provider and Jobcentre Plus will be able to advise on this.

If you’ve got a Learning Difficulty Assessment (LDA) or Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) issued by your home local authority, up to academic age 25, you can also qualify.

You can expect three things from a Traineeship:

  • high quality work placements – where you can learn what’s expected of you in the workplace, and develop links with local employers
  • flexible training – in other relevant areas to help you get ready for work, such as job search and interview skills, time-keeping and team working
  • study in English and maths (if applicable) – employers value these essential skills very highly.

It’s up to employers and training providers how these different parts are delivered, and they can be tailored to your needs and the needs of the local economy.

At the end of your Traineeship, if there is a job or Apprenticeship vacancy with the work placement host, you should receive an interview. If there isn’t a job or Apprenticeship opportunity at that time, you will receive an exit interview with the employer who provided the work placement. In this interview you can discuss what you’ve learned, and how it might help you with things like updating your CV and getting into a job or an Apprenticeship.

Information taken from The National Careers Website click here for more information on Traineeships