Level 3 Apprenticeships

Financial Services Administrator Apprenticeship (Level 3)

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Woman working on laptop

Interested in a role in finance? Would you suit a job involving admin support? Well a financial services administrator apprenticeship may be the way forward for you! 

A financial services administrator can expect to provide administrative support to a financial organisation. This may be at an “adviser firm”, which is an SME (small to medium sized enterprise) that provides regulated financial planning, mortgage and insurance advice, or a network, which is an umbrella company providing support services to financial adviser firms.

Around 19,000 SMEs are currently looking for more admin support, so there’s certainly plenty of opportunities in this sector.

What can I expect from a financial services administrator role?

The daily activities you can expect on the job are as follows:

  • Providing general office admin support.
  • Communicating with customers and insurers efficiently.
  • Maintaining customer/policy records through the customer management system and IT solutions. 
  • Managing installment and credit provisions for customers.
  • Reporting formal complaints to the managing director.
  • Ensuring compliance procedures are followed on a daily basis.
  • Managing new and existing claims, whilst also completing claims analysis. 
  • Ensuring customer records follow current procedures.

What skills and qualities do I need to be successful in this role?

To succeed in your financial services administrator apprenticeship, you should be able to:

  • Be a team player – can you support and collaborate with your colleagues well?
  • Build customer relationships – will you be able to communicate clearly with customers verbally, in writing and through IT?
  • Provide a quality service – can you deliver excellent service to your customers, colleagues and advisers?
  • Plan ahead – will you be able to plan and analyse to deliver the best outcomes?
  • Know the system – do you have strong IT skills? Will you be able to stick to risk, regulatory and governance requirements?
  • Be adaptable – can you change your priorities or work processes should you need to?
  • Show enthusiasm – will you be able to show drive and energy to overcome any obstacle?
  • Be reliable – can you meet the deadlines and plan your time effectively?
  • Personal commitment – do you want to see your own development, and have an impact on the whole company?

If you answered “yes” to these, this could be your ideal role! However, apprenticeships are also about learning on the job, so you can expect to develop these skills further.

Financial services administrator speaking to manager

What qualifications do I need to be a financial services administrator?

Individual employers will set their entry requirements, but as a baseline, you will need Level 2 in English and Maths, preferably as part of 5 GCSE A-C grades. You may be employed without this, but you will be expected to get these qualifications before the completion of your apprenticeship if not.

What qualifications can I get on the job?

There are plenty of opportunities to advance yourself and gain extra qualifications whilst training to be a financial services administrator. This includes:

  • UK Financial Services, Regulation and Ethics.
  • Introduction to Investment.
  • Certificate in Insurance.

You may also do exams based on your line of work, for example: life, pensions, general insurance, investments and long term care. Plus, apprentices that display a higher academic capability could do higher level qualifications to fast track through the progression routes.

How long will the apprenticeship take?

Most financial services administrator apprenticeships take 12-18 months to complete.

What career can I expect afterwards?

This apprenticeship is considered an ideal entry point to a career in this sector; there are numerous roles that apprentices go into, including senior administrator, paraplanner, financial adviser or mortgage adviser.

Open the door to your future in finance with a Level 3 Financial Services Administrator apprenticeship. Discover more about all the apprenticeship options here, and if you would like to apply for a financial services administrator apprenticeship, head to the link here.

We have the latest news from the apprenticeship world, so follow us on social media @apprenticetips. 

Top 3 Tips for the ‘Implementation’ Competency

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  • apprentice tips logo

Have you just been introduced to the concept of the Summative Portfolio? Or are you part-way through your apprenticeship looking for some competency advice? Well look no further! This blog provides you with some great top 3 tips for the ‘implementation’ competency and will be your go-to resource when completing your portfolio.

Firstly, what is the ‘Summative Portfolio’?

The Summative Portfolio is a documented piece of work completed over the course of an 18-month Level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship. Within this portfolio, there are a list of technical competencies required to tick off, supported by a variety of evidence to showcase completion. The portfolio itself is one out of four assessment methods used to measure the overall performance of the apprentice. The other three methods are the synoptic project, employer reference, and interview. These four together contribute to the overall End Point Assessment (EPA) where a final grade will be granted based on the above factors.

image showing ideal work desk set up with the help of the top 3 tips for the 'implementation' competency

What is the ‘Implementation’ Competency?

A part of the portfolio that many people struggle with is ticking off the Implementation competency. As per the occupational brief, to achieve a minimum of a pass, you ‘must be able to build and implement campaigns across at least 3 different digital media, including social media platforms’.

The different digital medias, and some accompanying digital campaign examples are:

  • PPC – Google Ads, search PPC
  • Display – Google Ads, display/video
  • SEO – On page SEO keyword research
  • Email – Email marketing newsletter campaign
  • Social – Paid Social ads e.g. Facebook
  • Affiliate – Affiliate marketing
  • Mobile Apps – Mobile app development

You wouldn’t be the first (or last) person to think that the above sounds complicated! So, let me introduce you to my Top 3 Tips for the ‘Implementation’ Competency: Creating a Plan, Job Shadowing, and End to End Responsibility.

My Top 3 Tips for the ‘Implementation’ Competency

Tip 1 – Create a Plan

This is one of the most important things to do from the offset – plan. It’s vital you have a framework in place to work towards. A good plan will consist of input from yourself, your line manager, and your coach. An especially great way to initiate this is by having a meeting with all three parties together. You should talk about what will be possible in your current role, the time it will take to complete the implementations and, if required, possible scope to shadow other teams (advice in Tip 2). Not only will creating a plan keep you on track overall, but it will also help to utilise your time effectively, as it will be time to submit before you realise!

Tip 2 – Job Shadowing

If your current role is limited in meeting a variety of implementations, then you will need to work with colleagues elsewhere to achieve these campaigns. Firstly, establish which implementations are outstanding and ask your manager to identify a team or colleague who can help. Then, ask your line manager to send an email outlining exactly what is needed from the other team to assist and arrange a convenient time for you to spend in their presence. This can be done face to face or remotely through tools such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Loom.

Tip 3 – End to End Responsibility

A key part to the implementation competency is demonstrating that you have managed a campaign from beginning to end. During this process you may identify some gaps to fill e.g. working with the team that is responsible for XYZ. To evidence this end-to-end involvement, you must have screenshots in your portfolio with annotations explaining this step-by-step process. A great way to navigate this is by keeping a folder of screenshots, or by adding them to your portfolio document in chronological order, later coming back to write up the annotations.

Conclusion

Hopefully you are now crystal clear with what the Implementation competency requires and have taken on board my 3 top tips. But don’t worry if you’re still a bit confused; it takes time to fully understand what is expected. A great further read is this guide to a successful portfolio which provides detail about the portfolio and provides some additional tips.

If you found this post helpful, there’s a high chance somebody else in your network might too! Please share it to your socials and tag us @apprenticetips.

Finally, check out what else we’re up to on our socials via our LinkedIn and Twitter pages.

Level 3 Dental Nurse

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Have you always wanted a career in the healthcare industry but you’re not sure where to start? Has the dental industry always been appealing to you but you don’t want to go to university? Well, the answers to those questions lie within this article, exploring the role of a Level 3 Dental Nurse and how an apprenticeship could be the perfect choice for you to kickstart your career.

Summary of the Role

A role of a dental nurse is an understated one, yet crucial in enabling dental professionals to deliver efficient and accurate services to patients. The primary purpose of the role is to provide chair side support to dentists and other professionals, working with them to provide patients with a high standard of oral healthcare, including keeping records and dictating notes on behalf of the dentist. Maintaining high standards of cleanliness and infection control are also important aspects of the role as dental nurses are responsible for the preparation, sterilisation and disposal of instruments, materials and medicaments used in dental procedures to ensure that all services undertaken are safe and hygienic. Other responsibilities include carrying out stock control and enforcing patient safety in the practice during their visits.

Image of a female dental nurse operating a machine.
Empower yourself and others with a career in dentistry.

Dental nurses work in clinical environments that could be located in NHS general dental practices or hospitals serving the community, as well as private or specialist practices. Dental nurses interact with patients of all ages, genders, backgrounds and cultures with varying beliefs, as well as other members of the practice team, such as receptionists or specialists. In more specific cases, they may also be required to interact with schools, the prison service or the military service.

Dental nurses are registered professionals and work within the standards and scope of practice as defined by the General Dental Council Scope of Practice document.

Knowledge and Skills you will gain

  • Acquire knowledge of the dental and regional anatomy
  • Knowledge of the wider dental and healthcare system
  • Understand legislation, policy and procedures outlined in the GDC
  • Provide chair side support during dental procedures
  • Communicate appropriately, effectively and sensitively at all times
  • Respect patients’ dignity and choices and act without discrimination
  • Effectively manage own time and resources

Qualifications required

Level 2 English* & Maths

*British Sign Language qualification as an alternative

Other details

Duration – 18 months

Occupational Level – Level 3

Regulatory body – General Dental Council

Upon completion of the apprenticeship, you will be awarded with a Level 3 qualification for entry to the professional register as a dental nurse.

Conclusion

The Level 3 Dental Nurse apprenticeship is a fantastic opportunity for ambitious and driven individuals to get your foot in the door in the healthcare industry and opens up a plethora of opportunities to continue your career path such as branching out into an Oral Health Practitioner role. This apprenticeship will provide you with key skills and knowledge that will help you to excel and flourish in the health and sciences sector and provide meaningful and appreciated care to the community.

Image of a female dental nurse handing a toothbrush and toothpaste to a young girl.
Give back to the community with a career in dentistry.

If after reading you’ve decided this might not be best for you, don’t fear! Click here to find out more information on different apprenticeships to help you determine which one is right for you.

Keep up with updates from us and other key apprenticeship news by following us on Twitter and LinkedIn, or have quality information delivered right to your inbox by signing up to our mailing list.

Level 3 Early Years Educator Apprenticeship

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What is an Apprenticeship?

An apprenticeship is a paid job where the employee learns and gains valuable real life experiences for a company and within the industry of their choice. Alongside is the job-training, where the apprentice is expected to spend at least 20% of their weekly working hours completing and attending classroom-based learning with either a training provider or university.

The duration of the programme will vary depending on the apprenticeship level and at the end of the programme, the apprentice will receive a nationally recognised qualification.

What is the role?

Early Years Educators, and other job roles such as nursery nurse and childminders, are highly trained professionals who work with care for children from birth to 5 years and will essentially play a key role in supporting children to have the best start to their education. Within this role, educators are expected to be versatile, working in different places, this includes full day care, children’s centres, pre-schools and reception classes. Working conditions may also vary in terms of they may either be working solo or with colleagues to deliver the requirements set by the government for the learning, development and care of children aged 5 and below called ‘Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)’.

What will be the apprentice be doing:

  • Will work as part of a team planning, monitoring and evaluating activities for children from birth to approximately five years of age.
  • Build Positive relationships with the children, families, colleagues and internal/external professionals.
  • Ensuring the safeguarding and welfare of the children in the room at all times is essential.
  • Support children development by teaching basic numeracy and language skills through games and play.
  • Meet the care needs of individuals such as the administration of medicine (if required), changing nappies and feeding.

Skills required / Behaviours expected for the role:

  • Commitment, to improving the outcomes of all children through education, child centred care and inspiration.
  • Honesty, trust and integrity, develop trust within colleagues and with children by working in an ethical, confidential manner combined with professional attitude towards work.
  • Teamwork, working effectively with colleagues and internal/external professionals.
  • Care and Compassion, produce the best childcare to every child daily combined with the ability to be bold and professionally challenge poor practice when necessary.
  • Know the importance of basic life skills and be able to successfully showcase and transfer these to the children.
  • Analyse and explain how children’s learning and development can be affected or altered during their stage of development, circumstances and environment.
  • Actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice.
  • Promote healthy lifestyles such as the encouragement for young children and babies to consume healthy food and have a balanced meal, drinks and snacks that is suitable for their age and be physically active through exercise and game activities.
  • The importance of basic hygiene in order to prevent and control infections and bacteria such as hand washing, food preparation and dealing with spillages and waste disposal in a coordinated manner and most importantly in a safe way.

Level and Duration:

This Apprenticeship is Level 3, typically around 18 months or more.

On successful completion of the programme, the apprentice will be awarded:

  • Level 3 Early Years Educator Apprenticeship 
  • NCFE Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (EYE)
  • Level 3 Award in paediatric First Aid or Level 3 Award Emergency Paediatric First Aid.

Career progression after the apprenticeship:

Truthfully, it will be up to you to decide on what you want to do next after the completion of the programme.

There may be a high opportunity to stay in the same company and progress to the next level of your career or apprenticeship. Alternatively, you can also look for a new job or professional development opportunity.

Level 3 – Refrigeration air conditioning and heat pump engineering technician

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Do you have an interest in the Construction industry? Preferably with a focus in refrigeration air conditioning and heat pump engineering technician? This Level 3 Apprenticeship will provide you with understanding how to plan, prepare and safely carry out work in process, product and space cooling. This is a 36 month program with the EQA Provider as Ofqual. 

Group of engineers working together

Entry Requirements

You should have English or Maths at Level 2 or above, however if not, your employer should ensure you achieve this before the completion of the apprenticeship.

Mandatory qualifications

All apprentices must achieve a “Level 2 Certificate in F Gas and ODS Regulations Category 1” as this is a legal requirement under the EU F Gas Regulation 517/2014 to work on equipment containing Fluorinated Refrigerants.

What could you be doing?

The design, installation, routine maintenance, reactive service, commissioning and de-commissioning of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heat Pump systems. Technicians require a thorough competency in their understanding of the engineering principles of thermodynamics and the vapour compression cycle in order to perform operations. A fully competent technician works without immediate supervision, and liaises effectively with other trades and with end users.

What knowledge is required?

  • Understanding of relevant UK and international standards, technical and environmental legislation including health & safety, environmental protection, working with pressure systems, electrical circuits and flammable substances.
  • Familiarising yourself with industry Codes of Practice and other sources of up to date information and advice on technical safety and legislative aspects of their work.
  • A comprehensive understanding of principles of thermodynamics, gas laws, psychrometrics, fluid flow, electricity, properties of refrigerant fluids and lubricants.
  • Ability to understand relevant diagrams, calculations, tools, charts, tables and formulae and apply them as appropriate.
  • A strong understanding of the function and operation of system components and how they interact in a range of different systems and applications.
  • Knowledge of environmental impact of refrigerants, maximising efficient system performance and mitigation of direct and indirect carbon emissions.
  • Understanding of environmental technologies such as heat recovery, low GWP refrigerants, and other equipment which can be used to reduce heat gain, cooling load or energy use.

What skills are required?

  • Installation, commissioning, testing, fault diagnostics, rectification of systems, component/refrigerant suitability and selection
  • Working with pressure systems and electrical circuits and systems
  • Evaluating and mitigating risks of refrigerants including toxicity, flammability and other potential risks or hazards to self and the general public.
  • Decommissioning, safe recovery and disposal of equipment and hazardous waste transfer
  • Electrical and electronic control systems setting, testing and fault finding; and their integration with system-associated communication networks.
  • Positioning, fixing, jointing and testing of pipework, electrical circuits and water circuits where relevant.
  • Determining heating and cooling loads and selecting and balancing appropriate components and systems for maximum performance and efficiency.
  • Using system operating parameters for efficient performance to achieve measurable and sustained reductions in carbon emissions.
  • Routine and reactive service and maintenance, testing, fault finding, reporting and rectification.
  • Retrofitting and retrofilling of existing equipment to lower GWP refrigerants including safety, reliability and environmental considerations.

What behaviours are required?

  • Disciplined approach to assessing, managing, mitigating and avoiding risk in a variety of situations to themselves, colleagues, the public and the environment.
  • Positive ethical attitude and behaviours including reliability, willingness to take responsibility. Commitment to completing tasks and ability to work as part of a multidisciplined team.
  • Employs logical thinking, and determined attitude to problem solving and technical challenges.
  • A strong Attention to detail, following procedures, planning and preparation and verifying compliance.
  • Takes responsibility for work and interactions with colleagues, customers, suppliers or subcontractors.
  • Uses a range of communications methods effectively, positively and in timely fashion.
  • Able to adapt to changes in conditions, technologies, situations and a wide variety of different working environments.
  • Willingness to learn and commitment to professional development and to applying principles of sound engineering and sustainability of engineering systems.

Conclusion

Completing this Level 3 Qualification, you will build the foundations for a successful career and eventually work towards being a; Refrigeration Technician/Engineer, Air Conditioning Technician/Engineering, Heat pump Technician/Engineer, Service Technician/Engineer, Maintenance Technician/Engineer or Commissioning Engineer. You can find more information via the apprenticeship standard document.


If you have any questions or queries regarding this apprenticeship or any others, feel free to reach out to us via our LinkedIn, Twitter or Website!

How is the Level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship assessed?

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Level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship

Thinking of doing an Digital Marketing Apprenticeship and build a successful career? It is an excellent way to kickstart your career and a great opportunity filled with experiences and learnings which will develop your skills and expertise. In this era, businesses cannot be successful without marketing so this can be a perfect chance to help a business grow! Within a Digital Marketing Apprenticeship, you will learn industry skills, apply them, and earn all at the same time. Does this sound good to you? If yes, keep reading this blog to find out more about how the apprenticeship is structured and how you will be assessed.

On-Programme Breakdown of Assessments in the Digital Marketing Apprenticeship

Throughout the apprenticeship you will take 3 core exams that will equip you with all the knowledge and skills you need to become a well rounded Digital Marketer.

The 3 key assessments within the Digital Marketing Apprenticeship programme
Level 3 Digital Marketing assessments

Level 3 Principles of Coding:

  • Appreciation of logic
  • HTML/Java languages
  • Compatibility of code on different platforms
  • Components involved to make the web work

Level 3 Marketing Principles:

  • Basic marketing principles
  • The role of customer relationship marketing 
  • How teams work effectively to deliver digital marketing campaigns and can deliver accordingly 
  • Customer lifecycle 
  • Main components of digital and social media strategies 

Google Analytics Individual Qualification

  • What is Google Analytics and the importance 
  • Understanding the Google Analytics interface 
  • Creating and analysing three different type of reports (Audience, Acquisition, and Behaviour)
  • Basic campaign and conversion tracking 

What is the End Point Assessment in the Digital Marketing Apprenticeship?

The process of the End Point Assessment
The 3 core aspects of the End Point Assessment

Summative Portfolio:

You will produce a portfolio which evidences your real-work projects that includes everything in the apprenticeship standard. The portfolio will be assessed as part of the end point assessment so it’s crucial to make sure you hit all the competencies! The aim of the portfolio is to showcase your very best work that you have done at work and show that you are a brilliant digital marketer in all aspects of marketing. Below are some examples of evidence you can include in your portfolio:

Employer Reference:

The employer reference forms a key part of the End Point Assessment. The intent of the employer reference is for your employer to support apprentices by validating the evidence that they have submitted. Employers will be asked to provide an overall evaluation for each area of the competencies whilst giving detail of how you meet the requirements for the apprenticeship standard.

Synoptic Project:

The synoptic project is a crucial part of the End Point Assessment, it is designed to assess apprentices of all the competencies in the apprenticeship standard which is irrespective of the workplace. The project will take four working days to complete in which you will be away from your day to day work and must be in a ‘controlled’ environment. This typically means doing the project in a quiet room or a dedicated workstation where you are away from the normal place of work.

Professional Interview:

The interview is the last thing to complete in your End Point Assessment. It is a structured professional discussion between you and the independent assessor and a last chance to show them your specialities within Digital Marketing. The interview will be focused on your portfolio, the synoptic project, as well as referencing the employer reference too. During the discussion, the assessor will ask you various questions about everything you have submitted, explore aspects of your work in further detail, and validate your quality of work you have produced.

Results:

The grading process takes place at the end of your End Point Assessment after everything is completed. The output is a single grade; Pass, Merit, or Distinction. The grading decision is made after the interview and is typically made on the basis of the totality of the evidence presented.

Conclusion

Digital Marketing is an incredibly varied field to work in as there are so many aspects to explore. You will have an excellent opportunity to really find out what sparks your interest and develop this into a speciality. The number of different areas you can work in is immense. Be sure to do your research on the company as the apprenticeship will be based on what the company does. For more details on how the apprenticeship works, take a look at the other blogs!

Level 3 Keeper and Aquarist Apprenticeship – What you need to know.

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Does a career in looking after animals and wildlife appeal to you? If so, read on to find out how the Level 3 Keeper and Aquarist Apprenticeship could help you start a new career.

Entry Criteria for the Level 3 Keeper and Aquarist Apprenticeship

The Keeper and Aquarist Apprenticeship provides opportunities for an apprentice to learn the skills required to assist and adhere to the zoological collections and industry best practice. These include jobs such as: Animal Keeper, Aquarist or Zookeeper. Aquarists’ salaries in the UK average at £33k proving that this can be a promising career choice. The Keeper and Aquarist apprenticeship provides an excellent opportunity for starting on a pathway that offers excellent career progression opportunities. You can future proof your career by using the Level 3 Keeper and Aquarist Apprenticeship as a starting point.

If this all sounds too good to be true, it’s not! Although normally set by employers, the entry requirements for the Keeper and Aquarist Apprenticeship are Level 2 English and Maths. An employer may hire you regardless of your background if you are the right fit for their organisation. This gives everyone the chance to succeed on this Apprenticeship! If you haven’t got up to date English and Maths certificates, you will get the opportunity to complete these prior if needed.

Key Responsibilities of a Keeper and Aquarist

The primary role of a Zookeeper/ Aquarist is to take responsibility for the everyday care and husbandry of the animals within the collection. Zookeepers/ Aquarists are typically involved with recording and reporting any observed changes and concerns to senior animal keeping staff/management and learning the use of up-to-date recording systems like ZIMS. An employee in this occupation interacts with volunteers, animal keepers, management, veterinary staff, staff from other departments, colleagues from other zoological collections and members of the public. As a Zookeeper/ Aquarist you will have a strong work ethic and show respect and empathy for both people and animals.

Level 3 Keeper and Aquarist Apprenticeship Competencies

As part of your job role, you will carry out duties that will satisfy several competencies. Some examples are:

  • Working effectively in a safe and healthy working environment following current/relevant health and safety legislation and workplace policies.
  • Prioritise more critical and less critical activities and tasks using scheduling techniques that enable them to meet deadlines.
  • Communicate information clearly and within a timely manner with internal audiences such as colleagues, vets, managers, and contractors, concisely, accurately and in ways that promote understanding.
  • Actively listen, process, and prioritise information, confirm understanding and react according to level of risk.
  •  Accurately record, retrieve, and monitor information and write reports using a range of systems relevant to zoo/aquarium keeping within your organisation, such as diaries, ZIMS, Tracks, and Excel.
  • Observe, describe, and interpret animal behaviour including species specific behaviours
  • Interpret diet sheets and safely store, prepare, and present diets in a manner which promotes species.
  • Identify the most appropriate methods of successfully transporting animals, considering species, level of risk, duration, animal welfare considerations, health and safety, legislation.

As a Keeper/ Aquarist, you will need to encourage public engagement with wildlife. The knowledge modules will help you understand the following:

  • Current legislation, including health and safety and Animal Welfare Act, zoo licencing act, EU Zoos directive
  • Workplace policies and procedures, such as working safely with higher risk animals and higher risk environments, working at height, working with chemicals, working with tools, manual handling, risk assessment, fire safety, relevant PPE, managing health and wellbeing
  • Key stakeholders for their area of work, including their organisation structure, organisation mission, regional, national, and international associations as appropriate
  • The increasingly significant role zoos play globally in conserving species and their habitats
  • The principles of animal movement and transportation legislation, including handling, restraint, capture and monitoring of animals and the challenges around these such as safety concerns for higher risk and wild species
  • Nutritional requirements of a range of wild species across all life stages and how diets are safely stored, formulated, prepared, and delivered including weight management, supplementation, and food hygiene
  • The principles of animal training, such as classical versus operant conditioning, cuing, bridging, reinforcing

To demonstrate that you understand the knowledge covered on the Level 3 Keeper/ Aquarist Apprenticeship, you will need to complete different assessment methods including a professional discussion.

Conclusion

As you can see, the Level 3 Keeper and Aquarist Apprenticeship is an excellent starting point for anyone looking to pursue a career with animals. The core skills covered in this Apprenticeship will open a wide range of job opportunities. In addition, you will earn while you learn, and excellent progression opportunities exist to advance your career. The type of job roles that will open over the coming years could be endless for anyone that commits their future to a career in data.

Check out our full Level 3 role here.

Level 3, Garment Maker Apprenticeship

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Are you creative with an eye for detail? An apprenticeship in Garment Making could be for you!

What is a Garment Maker?

Garment Makers use a range of cutting and sewing techniques to manufacture clothing. They are able to produce a garment from the start of the process to the finalised product, this can include pattern making, cutting, stitching and finishing. The occupation falls into multiple industries, including manufacturing, creative and design sectors across the apparel industry.

The general purpose of a Garment Maker is to create garments – bringing the design to life, following specifications and quality standards. They may work on one-off products for specific customers or garment samples to be replicated. In their daily work, an employee in this role interacts with personnel involved in garment design, development and production.

Day to day tasks

Day to day tasks can include:

  • Interpreting garment designs
  • Cutting garments from cloth
  • Sewing cut pieces to create a garment
  • Finishing garment i.e. button attach, pressing, embellishments

An employee in this role will be responsible for the pursuit of excellence in relation to the assembly, finish and look of the end product. In each stage of the construction of the garment, they need to meet the design brief, which includes specifications and quality standards. You can read more about the core occupation duties here.

Experience as a garment maker can open doors into a variety of different career options, such as sample machinist, product technologist, fashion designer and with additional training could move into roles within tailoring or buying.

Based on current data and according to UKFT.org, an average starting salary
can vary between £16,000 – £25,000 per year. Experienced garment makers annual
salary varies from £30,000- £40,000.

Desired Characteristics

Every role has skills that are desired on a personal and professional level, for a Garment Maker the below points are key in the role:

  • Health and safety first attitude, for example prioritises the health, safety and welfare of self and others over other demands
  • Takes ownership for work, for example accepts responsibilities, demonstrates initiative, motivated and self-managing
  • Team player, for example builds co-operative and respectful working relationships across all relevant levels and department; takes account of equality and diversity interactions
  • Committed to continued professional development, for example reflects on knowledge, skills and behaviors, seeks opportunities to develop and advance in response to the evolving production environment and technologies

Entry Requirements

Each employer has their own requirements when choosing apprentices however the following information is common within apprenticeship hiring: 

In most cases, some sewing experience is required, this is dependent on the employer/organisation.

Apprentices will be expected to have achieved a level 2 English and Math prior to taking the End-Point Assessment. Certificates for proof of this will be required. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeship’s English and Math minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. A British Sign Language (BSL) qualification is an alternative and can be used instead of the English qualification for those whose primary language is BSL.

Conclusion

An apprenticeship in Garment Making offers an exciting career path, and joining one of our apprenticeships in this field could be just the beginning. 

If you think this sounds along the lines of an apprenticeship you would be interested in then you can find more information by exploring our website on a series of articles from our coaches and our (past and present) apprentices or you can take a browse directly at what apprenticeships we have on offer here.

You can also subscribe to our newsletter below for more on our apprenticeships as well as inspirational stories from our team and event invites! 

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Top 5 Interview Tips for your Dream Level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship

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Handshake at Level 3 Digital Marketing apprenticeship interview

Are you preparing for your dream level 3 digital marketing apprenticeship interview? Want to get a boost ahead of other candidates for the role? Here are the top 5 interview tips for your level 3 digital marketing apprenticeship.

1. Maintain a summary of prior digital marketing experiences 

You must make a list of experiences to show off your already developing digital marketing competencies. Whether that be work experience or a side hustle, anything to show off that you possess a genuine passion and interest for the standard. Some good ideas to include could be:

  • Using social media insights to generate posts (e.g. Instagram Insights)
  • Writing a blog about digital marketing topics
  • Describe how you keep up to date with the latest
  • Create a website with the intent to rank highly on Google

Overall, you want to get across in your interview that the passion for digital marketing resides in you, you just need that real-world practicality and learning to take your skills and knowledge to the next level!

Digital screen displaying LinkedIn

2. Update your LinkedIn profile and other digital channels

When applying for digital apprenticeships it is more crucial than ever that you have set up a LinkedIn account and keep it up to date. If you want to grow your digital marketing connections, an impressive presence on LinkedIn is a must. Hiring managers across different industries use LinkedIn to scout talent before interviews. It allows them to personalise questions and gain a greater insight into an individual’s digital history. So, if you’re not on there… how are they supposed to find you! Even worse, an account that is not up to date could leave an employer questioning your professionalism.

It is also vital that you update any other digital channel where you professionally present yourself. This could be an Instagram account where you sell products or advertise a service. These are the small differences to make your future employer believe in your initiative.

3. Prepare using practice questions

If your interview is 30 minutes long, that is approximately 30 minutes of questions. Therefore, it is key that you practice relevant questions. An example of digital marketing questions could be:

  • What do you like most about digital marketing?
  • What do you like least about digital marketing?
  • What digital marketing platforms and software do you use?
  • What do you think is the biggest challenge in digital marketing, and how are you addressing it?
  • What are the most important qualities for a digital marketer?

These types of questions can be practiced by writing answers down or speaking out loud. However, the most effective way is to practice them with a family member or friend. Through this method, you can also perfect your tone of voice and body language to convey confidence.

4. Be aware of key level 3 digital marketing terminology

Research the most used terms in digital marketing and make a list of them. These can be found on level 3 digital marketing assessment plans. Throughout your preparation for the interview learn and memorise what each term means and what connects them to digital marketing. Some examples that could be on that list:

  • SEO
  • SEM or Search marketing
  • Customer acquisition
  • Conversion rate
  • SERP
  • Impressions
  • CTR
  • CPM
  • CPC
  • CRM
  • ROI

And there are plenty more! Being able to drop these digital marketing terms could give you the edge and impress your interviewer.

5. Research the organisation you have applied for a level 3 digital marketing apprenticeship with

Dropping digital marketing terms into answers on your interview communicates your interest in the standard. However, in addition to this, you also want to pass on your interest in the organisation you have applied for. Be sure to research previous successful (and unsuccessful) digital campaigns that organisation had delivered and follow them on all platforms to keep up to date with new projects. Not only will this tip show you have done your research but display willingness to work on digital campaigns such as these.

Bonus tip!

Now that you have actioned each of these Interview tips for level 3 digital marketing apprenticeship, you are in a much better position to show off your digital marketing competencies before your interview. But there is one final tip that you should know… relax and be yourself! Remember why you have made it to the interview stage and that they are impressed already, now it is time to impress them even more!

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