Unlock careers inspiration www.plotr.co.uk Spot the apprentice

Unlock careers inspiration
www.plotr.co.uk
Spot the apprentice
Series: Apprenticeships
Time needed: 30 minutes
Help and inspiration for students
considering apprenticeship
pathways.
Aims
• To help young people
understand how to apply for
an apprenticeship and what
to expect in the first couple of
weeks
Key learning outcomes
By the end of the activity students
will:
• Have a better understanding of
the diversity of apprenticeship
careers
• Understand how Plotr and the
Find an apprenticeship website
can support them
• Understand the application
process of apprenticeships
Resources
• Access to the internet for
research
• Poster paper, pens and
other creative equipment,
presentation equipment
• Some students may use video
or PowerPoint to present their
work
Use me during:
• Careers/PSHE lessons/IT/
Design/English
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Introduction
Over the last ten years there have been a lot of significant changes
in the world of apprenticeships. There are now over 1,200 different
career roles available through an apprenticeship, from a level 2 right
through to degree level apprenticeships.
Employers highly value the apprenticeship route as they can support
the skill development and learning of their staff and recruits. Fulltime employment is often offered once the apprenticeship has
finished with further opportunities for career development.
For young people it is a fantastic way to continue learning,
specialising in a career area and earning at the same time. Getting
the opportunity to learn on the job is a great way for many young
people to develop. Apprentices can also continue with higher
education once their apprenticeship is finished if that is a pathway of
choice.
The average wage of an apprentice is £170.00 per week.
There are still some negative myths around apprenticeships and
it is important to break these down so that young people see the
opportunities and are able to consider the best route for them
without prejudice.
This lesson plan, and the series of apprenticeship lesson plans,
aims to help break down the myths and create a positive and
accurate message for young people. Students will begin to explore
the different apprenticeship careers, gain an understanding of the
qualifications needed to access apprenticeships and become more
familiar with the Plotr careers website.
Task
1. Introduce Plotr
• Introduce Plotr as a place to find out about careers and jobs, and
to hear from companies about what it is like to work there.
• Ask students if they’ve used the site when researching jobs/
opportunities. What tools have they used, if any?
• Explain that plotr.co.uk allows you to play the Game to find
out what jobs you’re suited to, and that it allows you to look at
specific Career Industries and Career Worlds etc.
• Plotr also is home to some great articles, advice, interviews and
a magazine that can provide young people with the great career
insight that they need to progress.
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2. Set the task
Ask the students if they feel confident that they know enough information about apprenticeships.
Have any considered a career as an apprentice?
Do the students believe in these common apprenticeship myths. Ask them to answer true or false
to these questions.
• Apprenticeships aren’t for top students
• Apprenticeships are only available for ‘physical’ jobs
• Uni students have better chances of bagging a job
• Apprentices don’t earn as much as uni grads
• Choosing an apprenticeship means not getting a qualification
You can find the answers to some of these questions in this brilliant article here.
https://www.plotr.co.uk/advice/articles/mythbusting-apprenticeships/
Share with students some of the key facts about apprenticeships. Are they surprised?
• There are over 1,200 apprenticeship careers
• You can do a level 2, 3, 4, or higher as an apprentice right up to a degree (with the
qualification paid for and earning a salary at the same time)
• An average apprenticeship salary is £170.00 per week
• People with an Advanced Level Apprenticeship earn on average over £100,000 more over the
course of their career than those without.
Now that students have got some of the key facts, it’s time to get them to explore some of the
careers available through apprenticeships and some of the employers offering them.
3. Play Spot The Apprentice
You can either put students in to small teams or ask them to work on this activity individually. They
will need to have access to a computer with the Plotr website on it.
Print off the 4 pictures of the apprentices below with the question boxes per group or student. The
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students must go onto the Plotr website, find the apprentice in the photo and identify the answers
to the questions.
The first person to complete the information for all four apprentices wins.
N.B. Students may need to use the Article Page and the Career Page, the search box might help
them.
Plenary: What have the students learnt today? Did they know there were so many careers related
to this subject? Do any of them think they would like one of the careers they have learnt about?
Follow on activity:
•
See www.plotr.co.uk for more lesson plans and careers inspiration (search for other
apprenticeship lesson plans)
•
Play the Plotr psychometric game with your students
•
Explore some of the apprenticeship roles in more detail
•
Register students with find an apprenticeship
•
Share the activity with subject leaders in the school (particularly science and D&T)
•
Invite a professional in from one of the careers identified or a previous student who has
completed an apprenticeship and ask the students to interview them.
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Spot The Apprentice Answer Sheet
Apprenticeship Job Title: Business & Administrative
apprentice
Company: Hertfordshire County Council
What sort of responsibilities would this apprentice
have? Taking minutes, supporting team projects,
attending meetings
What qualifications would you need to start an
apprenticeship in this role? English, Maths and
Computer Studies at GCSE
Apprenticeship Job Title: Civil Engineer apprentice
Company: Atkins
What sort of responsibilities would this apprentice
have? Collecting information, arranging surveys,
designing projects with a CAD machine
What qualifications would you need to start
an apprenticeship in this role? Science, Maths,
Technology
Apprenticeship Job Title: BBC Technology apprentice
Company: BBC
What sort of responsibilities would this apprentice
have? Rigging cameras, setting up monitors, balancing
all the shots
What qualifications would you need to start an
apprenticeship in this role? Electronics, computer
science, media technology
Apprenticeship Job Title: Engineering apprentice
Company: Network Rail
What sort of responsibilities would this apprentice
have? Surveillance, surveys, inspecting equipment
What qualifications would you need to start an
apprenticeship in this role? English, Maths and
Science GCSE
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Spot The Apprentice Question Sheet
Apprenticeship Job Title:
Company:
What sort of responsibilities would this apprentice
have?
What qualifications would you need to start an
apprenticeship in this role?
Apprenticeship Job Title:
Company:
What sort of responsibilities would this apprentice
have?
What qualifications would you need to start an
apprenticeship in this role?
Apprenticeship Job Title:
Company:
What sort of responsibilities would this apprentice
have?
What qualifications would you need to start an
apprenticeship in this role?
Apprenticeship Job Title:
Company:
What sort of responsibilities would this apprentice
have?
What qualifications would you need to start an
apprenticeship in this role?
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