Traineeships

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Traineeships

What is a Traineeship?

A traineeship is an education and training programme which incorporates work experience, preparing young people for their future careers by helping them to become ‘work-ready’.

Designed for people aged 16 to 24 who don’t yet have the appropriate skills or experience, traineeships provide the essential work preparation training, English, maths and work experience needed to secure an apprenticeship or employment.

A traineeship has three core elements:

- A high-quality work experience placement with an employer.
- Work preparation training, provided by the training organisation.
- English and Maths support, if required, provided by the training organisation.
Traineeships last anything up to a maximum of 6 months with the content tailored to the needs of the business and the individual. Employers are not required to pay trainees for the work placement and traineeships are exempt from the Minimum Wage. Young people taking part in traineeships will be undertaking education and training and some may qualify for financial support. The government is encouraging employers to provide trainees with financial support to meet their travel or meal costs, but not all employers will comply.

Traineeships: overview for young people

Traineeships are an ideal opportunity for young people aged between 16 to 24, who are motivated to get a job but lack the skills and experience that employers are looking for.

If you chose to complete a Traineeship, you will gain;

Functional Skills in English and Maths

Employability Skills : Includes CV Writing and Understanding the work mindset

Work Experience: 100 Hours (Equivalent to 2 weeks)

An Apprenticeship Interview at the end of programme

Why do a traineeship

You can expect three things from a traineeship, all great reasons for undertaking one: High-quality work placements
You will learn what is expected of you in the workplace, and develop links with local employers.
The work placement element to your traineeship will help to broaden your CV for when you apply for future positions. If your host company is looking for apprentices or employees, you may also be able to interview for these at the end of your traineeship, from the informed position of having worked for the company already.

Flexible training

You will be trained in other relevant areas to help you get work-ready, such as job search and interview skills, time-keeping and team working. One unique aspect to the traineeship option is that it allows for flexibility: your employers and mentors will tailor the training to your requirements, so you can get the most out of the time you spend doing your traineeship. It’s up to employers and training providers how these different elements of the programme are delivered, and they can be tailored to your needs and the needs of the local economy.

Study in English and Maths (if applicable)

If you need up-skilling in some of the basics, a traineeship will do that for you making you more employable. Employers value English and Maths very highly furthermore they are seen as essential skills.

When your traineeship is complete

At the end of your traineeship, if there is a job or apprenticeship vacancy with the work placement, 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 have learned, and how it might help you with things like updating your CV and getting into a job or an apprenticeship.