Apprenticeships and vocational skills

Our programmes are for workers and job seekers of all ages, school students and school leavers, career changers, and employers. We also have programmes for young mothers-to-be, and people in later life who want to enjoy lifelong learning. Many of our programmes have government funding available for eligible participants.

Young apprenticeship programme (YAP)

Our government-funded two-year young apprenticeship programme (YAP) gives eligible school students, aged 14 to 16 and taking GCSE options, a stepping stone to careers in the health and social care, children's care, learning and development, and business administration sectors.

As a participant in the programme, you develop work ethics and a good understanding of an occupation through a mixture of training at our centre and in the workplace with local employers.

The YAP provides up to 50 days hands-on experience, during the school term, of a real job over two years, and enables you to develop knowledge and skills in your chosen occupation.

The programme enables you to gain a nationally recognised qualification (NVQ) and key skills at level 1 in health and social care, children's care, learning and development, or business administration, and a vocational technical certificate at level 2. You can also complete a health and social care level 2 BTEC (Business and Technology Education Council) award.

We deliver the two-year YAP in the school, the workplace and at our training centres in the north Midlands, the north-west and the West Midlands.

Apprenticeship

Our government-funded 12- to 14-month apprenticeships is for eligible people aged 16 and over, whether you are working, are a school leaver or are looking to start a new career in the care sector.

As a participant in the programme, you gain essential experience and knowledge through a mixture of training at our centre and in the workplace as an alternative to full-time study.

Apprenticeships enable you to gain a nationally recognised qualification (NVQ) at level 2 in health and social care, children's care, learning and development, business administration, customer service or retail (training for business administration, customer service and retail NVQs is delivered from our centre in the north-west only).

You can also gain a level 1 or level 2 key skill award in communication or a level 2 key skill award in application of number, and a level 2 vocational technical certificate.

We deliver our 12- to 14-month apprenticeships on a rolling basis, in the workplace and at our training centres in Cumbria, Greater Manchester, London, the north Midlands, the north-west, the West Midlands and Yorkshire.

Advanced apprenticeship

Our government-funded 14- to 19-month advanced apprenticeships are for eligible people aged 16 and over, whether you are working or you are looking to start a new career in the health and social care, children's care, learning and development, business administration, customer service or retail sector.

As a participant in the programme, you gain essential experience and knowledge through a mixture of training at our centre and in the workplace.

Advanced apprenticeships enable you to gain a nationally recognised qualification (NVQ) at level 3 in health and social care, children's care, learning and development, business administration, customer service or retail.

You can also gain a level 2 key skill award in communication or application of number, and a level 3 vocational technical certificate.

We deliver our 14- to 19-month advanced apprenticeships on a rolling basis, in the workplace and at our training centres in Greater Manchester, London, the north Midlands, the north-west, the West Midlands and Yorkshire.

Modern apprenticeship

Our 18-month modern apprenticeships in health and social care, and children's care, learning and development sectors, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, are for eligible people aged 16 to 65 in Wales, in work or not.

As a participant in the programme, you can gain a nationally recognised qualification (NVQ) through a mixture of training at our centre and in the workplace. 

The modern apprenticeship enables you to gain an NVQ at level 2 or level 3 in health and social care or child care and play work, and six key skill awards: communication, application of number, information and communication technology, problem solving, working with others, and improving own learning. You can also gain a vocational technical certificate.

We deliver our 18-month modern apprenticeships on a rolling basis, in the workplace and at our training centre in Ebbw Vale in Wales.

Email our training centre in Ebbw Vale about modern apprenticeship.

Train to Gain

Train to Gain is a government-funded variable-duration training programme, part of the government’s solutions for business in England. The programme aims to help businesses succeed by funding vocational training, so that you, as an employer or manager, can recognise your teams’ current abilities, improve their skills and realise their potential.

Train to Gain provides you with single point of access for your care business or organisation to get workforce development advice, support and training for eligible employees and volunteers aged 19 and over.

Train to Gain gives you access to a skills broker, who carries out an analysis of training needs in your business. Our tailored programme of training and assessment, in your workplace and at our training centre, is agreed with you and your employees or volunteers to minimise disruption, maximise your teams’ potential for your business, and address developments in your sector.

Our main Train to Gain programme enables your eligible employees and volunteers aged 19 and over to gain nationally recognised qualifications (NVQ) at level 2 and level 3 in health and social care, children's care, learning and development, business administration, customer service, retail, team leading, and information and communication technology.

You may be eligible for Train to Gain to enable members of your teams to gain an NVQ at level 4 in leadership and management for care services, or to attain sector-nonspecific awards such as:

NVQ assessor and verifier awards
information, advice and guidance qualifications (IAG)
functional skills awards.

We deliver our variable-duration Train to Gain programme on a rolling basis, in the workplace and at our training centres in Cumbria, Greater Manchester, London, the north-east, the north Midlands, the north-west, the south-east, the West Midlands and Yorkshire.

Learndirect

Learndirect is a government-funded, open-ended e-learning programme of courses for eligible people of all ages who want to develop skills for work, change career, support their child’s education, or simply enjoy lifelong learning in later life.

As a participant in the programme, you can gain skills and qualifications in the health and social care, business administration, customer service or retail sector, as well as non-sector specific skills in literacy, numeracy, information and communication technology, or leadership and management.

Learndirect courses enable you to gain a nationally recognised qualification (NVQ) at level 2 or level 3, an ITQ (information and communication technology qualification) or an ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence).

Learndirect courses are easy to access online and are broken down into bite-sized chunks so that you can learn at a place and a pace to suit you. You can learn at our Cumbria training centre, on one of our Computer Explorer training buses, or at home or work, wherever you have access to the internet. We are on hand to offer advice and support.

For employers, Learndirect can help your business succeed by developing your team’s core skills and productivity, and helping you meet the requirements of the ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) and IIPUK (Investors in People UK).

Learndirect was set up by Ufi (the University for Industry). The programme may have funding available for eligible participants.

We deliver our open-ended Learndirect e-learning programme on a rolling basis, from our training centre in Cumbria and on our Computer Explorer training buses.

Preparation for motherhood

Our 13-week preparation for motherhood programme, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, is for pregnant young women aged 16 to 18, who are eligible for Skill Build training and can be referred by their careers adviser. The programme is available in the Welsh language.

As a participant in the programme, you gain confidence and prepare to be a young mother. Our personalised support guides you to achieve a City and Guilds key skill award at level 1 or level 2, and the City and Guilds profile of achievement award.

Topics covered in the preparation for motherhood programme include:

• budgeting for the family
• the family and the new child
• communication skills
• pre-conceptual care
• post-natal care
• diet and nutrition
• common childhood diseases
• health and safety for you and your baby
• care and management of babies and children
• statutory and voluntary organisations
• the value of play, and what toys for what age.

We deliver our 13-week preparation for motherhood programme on a rolling basis at our training centre in Ebbw Vale in Wales.

Pathways to NVQ

Our government-funded variable-duration pathways to NVQ programme is for eligible workers aged 16 to 18 who want to gain nationally recognised qualifications in the customer service, business administration and retail sectors, and in information and communication technology skills.

As a participant in the programme, you gain an understanding of work role functions in the customer service, business administration and retail sectors, or skills in information and communication technology, through a mixture of training at our centre and in the workplace.

The programme enables you to gain a nationally recognised qualification (NVQ) at level 1 in customer service, business administration and retail.
We deliver our variable-duration pathways to NVQ programme on a rolling basis, in the workplace and at our training centres in the north-west and Cumbria.