With thousands of different apprenticeships to choose from - it can sometimes feel daunting to know where and when you should be looking - and what you should be looking out for. 

Follow these top tips for finding the best apprenticeship for you. 

Know what interests you most

A great place to start is to spend some time thinking about what interests you and the subjects, activities and tasks that you enjoy the most. 

It can be useful to try and think about what you don't like as much as what you do like! 

Take the Which Apprenticeship Am I quiz to help you to research the variety of apprenticeships available. 

Listen to real apprentice stories

The range of apprenticeships is huge. One of the best ways to help you to decide what you're interested in is to hear from other apprentices.  

You can read some of the amazing stories from our apprentices and find out more about their experiences here. 

Research different employers

Apprenticeships are offered by large and small companies throughout England. The full range of apprenticeship job roles and levels that a company offers may not always be obvious to you, especially if that company is well-known for a particular product or service, or if you've never heard of the organisation before. 

Take some time to research the types of employers that offer apprenticeships and think about the kind of company you see yourself working in. 

Be clear on what matters to you

The best apprenticeships are not necessarily the ones paying the highest salaries or the biggest global brand. There are many other factors you can consider when researching your options and the different programmes available.  

Being clear about what is most important to you can really help in your decision-making process. For example, you could consider:  

  • What does the company do? 
  • Would I like to work for this employer? 
  • Would I like this job? 
  • What level is the apprenticeship? 
  • What progression are they offering? 
  • Is the position fixed term or permanent 
  • How many apprentices do they employ? 
  • How long will the apprenticeship last? 
  • Do they support apprentices to join networks of other apprentices? 
  • How far away is the apprenticeship? 
  • What kind of tasks will you be doing day to day? 

Know where to look

Here are lots of ways you can search for apprenticeships, including:  

  • Find an apprenticeship website - www.apprenticeships.gov.uk is a good place to start! 
  • Sunderland College’s website 
  • Company websites 
  • Social media 
  • Through friends and family 
  • Local job sites 

If you have a particular employer in mind, you can always send in your CV. 

Understand the recruitment cycle

There is not one fixed application date for apprenticeships. Vacancies are advertised throughout the year and the employer will decide when they want to recruit. 

Some employers will advertise almost a year ahead of the planned start date (this is typical for large schemes) and other employers will advertise with a short application window and closing date. 

Never wait for the closing date before submitting your application! 

Meet our apprentices!

Apprenticeship Vacancies

97.4% of our apprentices progressed to employment or further study*.

Destination data for Sunderland College 2019/20, Apprentice completers. 

Why choose Sunderland College?

96% of our apprentices agree that they have the chance to develop new skills at their workplace*.

(*On-programme Survey 2018, apprentices)

97% of our apprentices agree that their course is helping their skills to get better.*

(*On-programme Survey 2018, apprentices)

The college works in partnership with over 600 employers. 

We have over 40 Apprenticeship programmes across a range of career sectors.