We are Riverside Training, one of the UK’s most dynamic and respected training providers for people of all ages. We are especially skilled at providing Apprenticeship courses and helping people establish themselves on a career path. Of course, lots of young people are uncertain about what path to take and what options are available to them, especially if they have decided against going to college or university. So in this section, we have provided you with some clear and simple answers to the most frequently asked questions we get about Apprenticeship training. Just scroll down to find out more.

If you’d like more detailed information on specific qualifications that we offer please follow this link: Qualifications

Finally, if you’d like to see some of the Apprenticeship opportunities that are currently available then follow this link: Vacancies

We wish you every success with your future career!

What are apprenticeships?

An apprenticeship is a real job with a training component. You will be working, earning a wage, gaining a recognised qualification and also gaining essential knowledge, skills and behaviours.

How old do I have to be to enrol on an apprenticeship?

There’s a common misconception that apprenticeships are just for school leavers. Many young people do indeed enrol on our apprenticeship schemes but in fact you can be any age and be in a senior management position and still be eligible to enrol on an apprenticeship training programme. At Riverside Training we take pride in helping learners achieve their potential at all ages with a broad range of qualifications to aim for.

Does it cost me anything to do an apprenticeship?

Be reassured, It won’t cost you anything to complete an apprenticeship, you will not have to pay to complete the qualification.

So how is it funded?

As long as you are eligible for apprenticeship funding, you won’t have to fund your own tuition, it’s your employer and the government who cover the fees.

What qualifications do I need to enrol?

You will need to have the fundamental skills in English and Maths that people need for their working and personal lives. Apprentices who have not already achieved a GCSE grade 4-9/C-A* or equivalent in their English and Maths (or ICT for some qualifications) will need to complete their Functional Skills in these areas alongside the apprenticeship.

How long does it take to complete and will I get paid whilst doing it?

All of our apprenticeship schemes take a minimum of 12 months to complete. The good news is yes you will receive payment and a contract of employment just like any other employee. One of the greatest benefits of doing an apprenticeship is that you earn money while you’re learning. That means you’ll be employed by a company and getting paid to train. When you consider the high costs of going to university, you can see why apprenticeships are so popular. As a young person the national minimum wage for an apprentice is currently £4.81 per hour. In addition you will receive holiday pay and other employee rights.

Can I complete my Apprenticeship early?

All of our Apprenticeship programmes have a minimum of 12 months duration before going through to End Point Assessment (EPA). You may be able to finish early if for example your Apprenticeship programme is set for 18 months and you complete your set work quickly. Then you may have the opportunity to go through to gateway after the minimum 12 months duration.

Could I do an Apprenticeship part time?

You can, as long as you are in the correct role and the employer is happy for this to happen. It will just mean that the apprenticeship will take longer to complete.

Will I be expected to attend college?

Not with Riverside Training, you will be at your new workplace full time. Our apprentices also tell us they enjoy studying this way because they get to learn in a much more hands-on way than they’d be able to in a classroom or lecture hall. You will be given set time during your working week to complete any apprenticeship work (20% of the time you will need to be doing this), this is called your ‘off the job’ training.

Can you tell me more about ‘off the job’ training?

Off the job training is learning which is undertaken outside of the normal day-to-day working environment and leads towards the achievement of an apprenticeship. Whilst working, you will need to be completing your OTJ training. For example, if you were working 37.5 hours per week, then you will be capped at 6 hours per week to complete your OTJ training. This time is for you to complete your apprenticeship work, online courses, shadowing colleagues, receiving internal training, conducting research and generally increasing your knowledge and skills – or anything else that is not considered to be part of your usual workload. This all needs to be evidenced in order for it to lead towards achieving your qualification.

Will I need to complete my apprenticeship work at home?

No, due to the OTJ training, you shouldn’t need to complete your apprenticeship work at home during the evenings or weekends, as you get given set time to do this during your working week.

Do Riverside provide dedicated tutoring support?

Yes, you will be assigned a Work Based Tutor who will contact and meet with you regularly (probably online currently), and help you throughout your qualification. Once every 12 weeks they will also complete a review with you and your line manager, or another representative of your employer.

What happens once I complete my training?

You will achieve your qualification of course! A lot of employers we work with take their apprentice on full time after they have completed the qualification, although this can never be guaranteed. If you’re not able to stay on, then you will have gained a year’s experience and a qualification which will definitely put you in good stead for applying for other jobs. You may be able to progress onto the next level of your qualification, for example if you started on a Business Administration Level 2 qualification, you could progress onto the Business Administration Level 3. Some of our qualifications give you the option to become an affiliate member of the awarding organisation as well.

That all sounds great but will I be safe at the place of work?

Yes, we only work with employers who will look after and support their apprentices. We conduct a health and safety assessment with all new employers, and these get reviewed regularly depending on the risk level identified at the specific place of employment – typically this is every 1-3 years. We have multiple policies and procedures in place, and all of our staff are trained to recognise and support our learners in the workplace and to follow the internal safeguarding policy which is reviewed on an annual basis. We have two designated Safeguarding Officers who you can contact if you ever have any concerns.

OK I’m sold on the idea. How does an apprenticeship work with Riverside Training?

If you have decided to pursue an apprenticeship, then the first thing you can do is arrange a meeting with a member of the Riverside team. We will take some details from you and advise you what apprenticeship vacancies we have available. We will give you some CV and interview advice too if necessary.

If you see an apprenticeship advertised by Riverside Training that interests you, then we will put your CV forward for that role. Depending on the employer, we will arrange an interview for you (they may contact you directly to arrange one), and can offer interview practice if you feel like it would help. If you are successful at interview and offered the role, then we will get a start date for you, and the employer will confirm what information they need from you. If you are unsuccessful at the interview, then we will make sure we obtain constructive feedback from the employer to help you going forward with other interviews.

You will have a sign up meeting with your Work Based Tutor (WBT) within 2 weeks of you starting. This sign up meeting will officially enrol you onto the apprenticeship. Your WBT will then arrange to contact you every 4 weeks to set you work, conduct observations and help you with anything regarding your qualification. We have an online system called BUD which is where all your work will be set, submitted and marked.

Don’t worry it’s all very straightforward and we’ll guide you through the whole process.

Realise your potential with Riverside Training