It may not be easy to get into an Apprenticeship. Young people need to have a number of things:

• The right qualifications
• The right age - ideally 16-18. This is because there is less funding available from the LSC for those who are older.
• An employer.
• A training provider.
• An aptitude for the particular profession - this will be tested by the training provider.

Many training providers have lists of vacancies for apprentices but popular Apprenticeships in, for example plumbing, may be harder to gain. You can find contact details for training providers in your area by clicking on the map under Regional Information. You will then need to scroll down to find the link for the site that shows training providers in your area or the links for the on-line prospectus for your local area.

Your local Connexions office may also have a list of vacancies and many employers advertise for new apprentices in local or national newspapers.

If none of these routes enable young people to find a vacancy, they may have to resort to phoning up or writing to potential employers.

Click here for more help on how to contact potential employers

Click here for help on finding and applying for jobs and here for help on writing CVs. If young people fail to find an employer, they may still be able to find training that will lead into an Apprenticeship under the PLA scheme.