UK Apprenticeships

Email Marketing 101

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Email campaign

Email Marketing plays a crucial role in any digital markers marketing campaign. It is a great way to nurture your leads as it allows you to communicate with those who are already subscribed to your mailing list, meaning that you are communicating with those already interested in your company. It can also increase brand awareness and drive traffic to your website to ultimately reach your goals.

In 2022, Litmus found that the average ROI (Return On Investment) for email marketing was $36 for every $1 spent. With many different types of emails, you can send to your customers, email marketing is a great way for businesses to reach out to their target audience, It is no surprise that Litmus found that 79% of marketers list email marketing as their top 3 most effective marketing channels.

Getting started with email marketing

Getting started with email marketing is easy but the first thing you must do is work out what you want to achieve from your campaign. Do you want to drive traffic to your website? Convert your audience into leads? Encourage people to sign-up for an event? Establishing your goals is key to a successful email campaign and aligning those goals with your KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) means that you can easily measure the success of your campaign as well.

Gmail

Building a mailing list

When getting started with email campaigns companies will need to bring together a mailing list. A mailing list is a list of people to whom you want to send your email campaign. These are the people who have given consent to receive email marketing from your company. If you do not already have a mailing list you will need to start thinking of any which you can get people to sign-up for your emails. You can do this by:

  • Putting links/buttons to sign-up forms on email signatures, your website, your social media pages, the end of blog posts, etc.
  • Making sure that the sign-up form is short and easy to fill in.
  • Providing sneak peeks of your newsletters, this could be in social media.
  • Advertising offers only available through email sign-ups.

When building your mailing list you should also consider segmenting your list. You can put your audience into different categories depending on characteristics they may have stated on your email sign-up form, such as location, interests, etc.

Types of email marketing

Another thing to consider is deciding the type of email campaign you will send to your audience. There are countless types of email marketing and the type you choose to send should align with your goals to achieve a successful campaign. Types of email marketing include:

  • Welcome emails
  • Newsletters
  • Company updates
  • Job advertisements
  • Promotional

Different technologies

You will need to decide what technology you want to use before getting started with email. There are hundreds of different technologies available to create email campaigns, all of which have different factors which set them apart. You should choose the technologies that will help your company achieve its goals and objectives. Some examples of email marketing technologies include:

  • HubSpot – a cloud-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform which helps marketing teams optimise their email campaigns powered by CRM data.
  • MailChimp – an email marketing platform used for creating and managing email campaigns. It is best for actionable data insights to improve your strategy.
  • Moosend – an email marketing automation platform designed to send and manage email campaigns. It is best for creating automation and sending personalised emails.

Why is email marketing important?

There are many reasons why email marketing is important for your business. For starters people use email every day and according to Statista there were over 4 billion email users worldwide in 2020, so it is easy to connect and communicate your messages to your audience. It has many benefits, some of these include:

  • Boosting other marketing channels.
  • Keeping your audience engaged with your company.
  • Cost-effective
  • Allows for targeted messages
  • Generates traffic to your website
Email messages

What makes a successful email campaign?

There are many things that can make an email campaign successful, these can include:

  • Relevant to your audience – making your email marketing relevant to your audience, whether that be through personalised/targeted content can lead to your audience driving traffic to your website and making purchases.
  • Engaging subject lines – subject line will be one of the first things your audience sees and this will determine whether or not they will open your email. Making your subject line engaging will help push them to open your email and click on your content.
  • Clearly defined goals – setting goals means that you know what you want your email campaign to achieve and it can help measure the success of your campaign.
  • Optimised for mobiles – according to Adobe in 2018 85% of email users use their phone to access emails.
  • Proofread before sending – by proofreading your email before sending you can check that you have made no errors such as spelling mistakes. Sending test emails allow you to see what your email would look like to your audience and it allows you to test that all links work and go to the right places.

Email marketing regulations

It is important to note that there are rules to email marketing. Since 2018 there have been GDPR regulations introduced that restrict whom you can send emails to. People must have given consent to receive emails from your company, whether that be by signing up for or opting in to email marketing. This means that companies need to be careful when sending email campaigns and make sure that everyone on their mailing list has opted-in to receive and has not unsubscribed.

Email marketing is a great way to connect with your target audience and it is a technique that all digital markers should consider in their marketing strategy as it is easy to do with little cost.

If you would like to discover more posts about digital marketing click here: Digital Apprenticeships Archives – ApprenticeTips.com

What to Expect from a Level 3 Advanced Golf Greenkeeper Apprenticeship

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A Golf Greenkeeper plays an exceptionally important role, caring for the quality of the golf course to provide the ultimate experience for golf players, but they also play an interesting one as well, working with different technology, meeting new people and even having a front row seat at watching games. Discover the key skills and knowledge you could learn as an apprentice Golf Greenkeeping and how it can set you on a path to a successful career.

What is a Golf Greenkeeper?

A Golf Greenkeeper plays a key role in the golf industry and without it, the quality of the sport would suffer. The main role of a Golf Greenkeeper is to maintain and care for the overall appearance of the golf course, this doesn’t just help with the overall aesthetic but the quality of people’s games as you don’t want long grass or divots on the ground ruining your game. Greenkeepers assist in the planning supervising and implementation of the maintenance to help provide a good quality playing surface to ensure that the course offers an enjoyable experience for all players.

Landscape golf course

What you should expect from the apprenticeship?

The Golf Greenkeeper apprenticeship is a 24-month long course (not including the EPA), which is designed to provide the apprentice with the skills, knowledge, and behaviours to supervise the greenkeeping team and the maintenance of the golf course, in the absence of the Head Greenkeeper/Golf Course Manager.

This apprenticeship allows for progression into more senior roles within golf facilities after the completion of the course, with other opportunities also available in other sports facilities such as Grounds Maintenance Operator/Technician, Irrigation, Spray, or Machinery Technician.

Duties of a Golf Greenkeeper:

The apprentice will have to carry out a number of duties as a Golf Greenkeeper, some of these duties include:

  • Communicating with the greenkeeping team to allocate work and supervise the team in accordance with agreed maintenance plans.
  • Supervising the preparation of the golf course in accordance with the Rules of Golf.
  • Surveying, collecting, recording, and interpreting data on the golf course including soil and water analysis.
  • Supervising, planning, maintaining, constructing, repairing, and renovating projects on the golf course and clubhouse surrounds.
  • Preparing and maintaining golf course playing surfaces.
  • Supervising and carrying out the preparation, maintenance, and storage of machines for use.
  • Supervising and undertaking the operation, maintenance, and servicing of irrigation and drainage systems.
  • Carrying out risk assessments on the golf course and maintenance facility.
  • Contributing to the development and implementation of the maintenance budgets.
  • Assisting with the training and mentoring of the greenkeeping team.
Golfer on golf course

Key knowledge apprentices develop during the apprenticeship:

The Advanced Golf Greenkeeper apprenticeship will supply apprentices with the following technical knowledge to support them in their job role:

  • Understanding key health, safety, and environmental legislation and regulations to ensure a safe working environment for everyone.
  • Learning common aspects of soil and plant biology to promote best practices to produce sustainable playing surfaces.
  • How to plan and implement maintenance, improvement, and renovation programmes for the golf course, optimising human and physical resources available.
  • The importance of data collection and interpretation to ensure sustainable quality playing surfaces.
  • Be aware of the importance of the Rules of Golf, golf course etiquette, and how they impact the playing of the game of golf.
  • Understand all environmental and ecological best practices to maintain a sustainable golf course.
  • How to identify weeds, pests, diseases, and disorders and the most effective treatment method, and the importance of record keeping.
  • How to plan and implement machinery maintenance programmes and their impact on turf maintenance.
  • Understanding how to prepare and host team meetings and the key fundamentals of effective presentations.

Qualifications you need?

Candidates may already have experience in Greenkeeping or hold a Level 2 qualification in Greenkeeping or equivalent but it is not necessary for candidates to get on the course.

For candidates to be eligible for this course they must have achieved their Level 2 English and Maths, else they will have to complete it alongside their apprenticeship. It is also recommended that candidates complete Level 1 ICT as part of their apprenticeship if they have not already achieved it.

Each employer may set out their own criteria that candidates must hold to get on to the Golf Greenkeeping apprenticeship.

The Level 3 Advanced Golf Greenkeeper apprenticeship is an excellent opportunity for those interested in the golfing industry. It is a crucial role that has a huge impact on the quality of the game and has many responsibilities other than just maintaining the golf course playing surface.

If you are interested in the Level 3 Advanced Golf Greenkeeper apprenticeship you can visit: www.instituteforapprenticeships.org for more information.

If you would like to find out about other apprenticeships available visit: ApprenticeTips.com.

Senior Housing and Property Management Apprenticeship (Level 4)

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Are you a proactive team player who wants to further their knowledge and career in the property management industry. Well look no further! Our level 4 senior housing and property management apprenticeship is the perfect opportunity to level up in your career and keep earning whilst learning.

Senior Housing and Property Management Job Profile

In this role you will be responsible for managing and delivering property and housing related services within the social and private housing sectors. The role also involves the management of resources with delegated authority to deliver objectives whilst complying with contractual, statutory and legal resolutions.

Professional knowledge You Will Need to be a Senior Housing & Property Management Apprentice

  • You will need to understand and interpret the principles, practices and legislation relating to current landlord and tenant law, relevant Codes of Practice and legal framework. You will also need to understand the legislation that applies to governance, court proceedings, contracts and data protection.
  • A strong understanding of the planning process, financial and risk management, organization values, structure and the range of services available to customers. You also need to understand how these responsibilities contribute to the business’s overall objectives.
  • Understanding the strategic value of the social and physical context of the estates and neighborhoods.
  • Ensuring you understand the diversity of our customers, clients and stakeholders and ensure services meet their requirements.
  • Having a developed understanding of the historical context and current trends in the housing and property markets (i.e., social, rented, affordable, private sector housing) and the strategic housing market.
  • You will understand and provide advice and guidance on housing services for example rent, repairs and maintenance and allocations.
  • Understanding the organisations policies and practices and how they relate to the services you provide and the businesses objectives.

Skills You Will Need to Succeed in Senior Housing and Property Management

  • Be able to provide leadership in order to provide the best service which meets the needs of a diverse range of customers and stakeholders.
  • Demonstrate effective and appropriate verbal and written communication skills to resolve conflict and communicate with internal/external stakeholders.
  • Lead and work collaboratively with colleagues and external organizations to achieve individual and business targets.
  • Ensure services meet the needs of vulnerable individuals and groups.
  • Undertake data analysis, interrogate, interpret and disseminate information using a variety of methods and applications.
  • Influence and negotiate with partners and suppliers.
  • Manage budgets and report on financial performance and ensure value for money.
  • Being able to take the lead on projects through effective project management.
  • Lead, motivate, manage and develop individuals and teams to ensure excellent services are delivered.
  • Use a flexible and innovative approach to problem solving and undertake forward planning.
  • Effective use of IT equipment and software.

Behaviors You Need to Succeed in Senior Housing and Property Management

  • Be responsive when addressing complex issues by taking timely, responsive and flexible action.
  • Gain and maintain trust and dependability by working in a confident and empathetic manner with a professional attitude.
  • Be adaptable by being able to change work priorities and patterns when need be.
  • Show self-motivation without by working independently and without close supervision.
  • Have a high level of resilience, tenacity and calmness.
  • Show leadership skills and be a role model to others within and outside the company.
  • Have a high level of customer care by being responsive and empathetic to customer needs.
  • Be an effective team leader and player.
  • Be responsible for you own personal development and be a reflective practitioner.

Duration: Typically, 18-24 months.

Level: Level 4.

Professional Body Alignment and Progression

On completion of the apprenticeship, apprentices will be able to apply to the following for membership:

  • Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) at Member level. They will also qualify for the Professional Diploma route to Chartered Membership.
  • Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) at Member Grade or Fellow Member Grade (depending on length of service within the sector and position within the organisation).
  • Institute of Residential Property Management at Member Level (IRPM).

Apprentices will be able to progress to senior managerial and professional roles within the housing and property sector.

Entry Requirements & Qualifications

Individual employers will set their own level of specific qualifications they would like candidates to have. Typically, if you want to apply to a level 4 apprenticeship you will need to have GCSE qualifications in maths and English and qualifications in a relevant subject. In your relevant subject you can showcase how you would transfer over the skills you learnt into your new role. To find out what specific qualifications are needed to apply visit Apprentice Now.

So, Is This the Right Apprenticeship for You?

If you have undertaken a lower-level senior housing and property management apprenticeship and want to increase your knowledge and skills. This level 4 apprenticeship is the perfect fit for you. The apprenticeship will help you to increase your confidence. Take responsibility for the overall quality and cost effectiveness of the business and needs of stakeholders.

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To find out more about different apprenticeship opportunities visit our overview blog page here at apprentice tips.

Level 3 Gas Network Craftsperson Apprenticeship

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Level 3 Gas Network Craftsperson

On this Level 3 Gas Network Craftsperson Apprenticeship, you’ll have the opportunity to be responsible of the United Kingdom’s gas network. This consists of around 286,000 kilometres (175,00 miles) of pipeline that supplies natural gas from on shore terminals through to 21.5 million gas users.

Gas Network Craftsperson’s are employed by organisations authorised to transport gas throughout the United Kingdoms. The projects worked on could have values in excess of £250,000. This provides you with great experience in both the highly valued jobs as well as the lower valued jobs.

Typically, the duration of this apprenticeship is 48 months where you’ll be exposed to a larger team. This may include planners, designers, supervisors and managers. This will allow you to pick up recognised, valuable experience in the industry.

Job and entry Criteria for the Level 3 Gas Network Craftsperson Apprenticeship

Entry requirements:

Candidates will typically have 3 to 5 GCSEs at grades A to C or 9 to 4 (including mathematics, English and a science), or equivalent qualifications

English/maths:

Apprentices without level 2 English and maths on entry will need to achieve this level prior to completing the end point assessment. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement the apprenticeships English and maths minimum requirement. This is Entry Level 3, also British Sign Language qualification is an alternative to English qualifications for whom this is their primary language.

As a Level 3 Gas Network Craftsperson, there will be 4 key specialist responsibility that you’ll need to learn about.

Firstly, you will need to become Network Maintenance Craftsperson (Electrical & Instrumentation).  You will be responsible for maintaining the controls and systems that measure, monitor, analyse and control the performance of the gas network.

Secondly, you’ll need to learn skills to become a Network Maintenance Craftsperson (Pressure Management). You will be responsible for maintaining the controls and systems that measure, monitor and analyse pressures and flows within the gas network. 

Next, you’ll have the opportunity to expand your knowledge and be a Network Pipelines Maintenance Craftsperson. Being responsible for the maintenance and protection of the gas transportation pipelines and associated connecting plant and equipment.

Conclusion

A Level 3 Gas Network Craftsperson is a role in high demand and there are a lot of things to learn considering the number of skills and experience you will pick up from working in four different specialist areas. We highly recommend taking it. This career path will allow you to become an expert in an individual area such as Network Pipelines Maintenance Craftsperson, or become an allrounder and pick up all the skills in the trade which will come with an above average salary for sure!

Science Process Manufacturing Apprenticeship Level 2

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Are you passionate about science or manufacturing and interested in combining your interests? This could be the perfect role for you! Build your interest into a career with a level 2 Science process manufacturing apprenticeship. Find out more below…

One person overseeing another person in a science process manufacturing warehouse in protective gear making physical alterations to electrical equipment.

About this industry

Firstly, one thing you need to know is that science process manufacturing is varied. It includes industries such as:

  • Biotechnology
  • Chemical
  • Composites
  • Petrochemical
  • Polymer
  • Pharmaceutical

The science process industry combines raw materials and apply a science based process or processes biological, chemical or physical to create products. Furthermore, these products are made continuously or in batches.

Within the science process manufacturing industry The Health and Safety Executive and other industry regulators will regularly inspect employers. The Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Regulations will also apply to some process manufacturing companies. Employers must manage risks to the employee, product, environment, and sometimes the wider community.

People in a warehouse at a workstation in protective gear making physical alterations to electrical equipment.

Key Duties of a Science Process Manufacturing Apprentice

You’ll be responsible for various duties in this role. Here are a few examples of what you will be given the opportunity to get involved in:

  • Help to carry out process manufacturing operations by using operating plant or equipment in line with standard operating procedures
  • Arrange and prepare materials for process activity
  • Carry out checks of equipment and process before they run or as part of handover responsibilities
  • Contribute to quality control – This is where you will conduct quality checks and escalate concerns
  • Carry out end of process activities – For example, finish, pack, discharge or move goods

Core knowledge, skills and behaviours

Within your apprenticeship you’ll build a solid working knowledge, along with skills and behaviours. This will be in a mix of practical and education situations. You’ll get the most out of your studies through this. For example, knowledge of science process manufacturing, improve your ability to collect and interpret information, follow procedures in line with process industry environmental and sustainability regulations and adapt to changing work requests. Plus much more!

Lastly, for a more in depth look at this apprenticeship, you can read the brief full brief here.

Not feeling like the right fit? Why not take a look at Apprentice Tips full range of Apprenticeship blogs here.

Level 3 Maintenance & Operations Technician Apprenticeship

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Maintenance Technicians have a wide range of responsibilities, whether they work in a specialist role or one requiring a wider skill set. Typically, the role includes anything from carrying out routine or emergency repairs to fixtures, fittings, and equipment to conducting routine inspections of buildings and liaising with external specialists and contractors.   

Jobs and entry criteria

The level 3 Maintenance & Operations Technician Apprenticeship is ideal for individuals wanting to pursue a career in engineering and it provides the skills and knowledge in 7 roles:

  • Electrical Technicians
  • Mechanical Technicians
  • Control & Instrumentation Technicians
  • Wind Turbine Technicians
  • Electrical System and Process Control Technicians
  • Electromechanical Technicians
  • Plant Operation Technicians
Two female technicians working in an industrial plant

Regardless of the role, the Maintenance & Operations Technician is responsible for maintaining the safety, integrity, and effective operation of plant and equipment. It can involve working in exciting sectors such as the generation of electricity, oil and gas refining, nuclear waste, pharmaceuticals, food and cosmetics, to name a few.

A Rewarding Career

Salaries in the UK for a Maintenance & Operations Technician average at £33,000 demonstrating that this can be a rewarding career choice. The level 3 apprenticeship will provide you with an excellent grounding to a rewarding and lucrative career with lots of opportunities for career progression. There are many opportunities open to you such as becoming a supervisor or project manager, or you could choose to specialise in areas like CAD design or quality control.

Despite the wealth of opportunities on offer, the entry requirements are not too onerous as the entry requirements are typically 3 GCSEs at grade C or higher including maths, English and science, or equivalent relevant experience. However, don’t despair if you haven’t got GCSEs in English or maths as you will get the opportunity to complete these during your apprenticeship if needed.

Your Key Responsibilities

Electrical/Mechanical/Control and Instrumentation and Wind Turbine Technicians will work on various types of plant and equipment commonly found throughout the engineering industry sectors.

To support the business and operational requirements of modern integrated engineered production plant and services, Electrical Systems and Process Control Technicians and Electromechanical Technicians will need to apply a range of conventional skills and knowledge to undertake engineering activities on a selection of electromechanical and process control plant, systems and equipment.

These Technicians will undertake installation, testing, servicing, removal, replacement, maintenance and repair of a range of equipment. Sometimes the work will be complex, as part of planned preventative and reactive maintenance programmes. They may also undertake decommissioning activities when plant is being removed from service.

Plant Operation Technicians will undertake the safe and efficient operation of complex integrated energy conversion and production plant and systems. These activities could include plant commissioning, isolation and testing, plant preparation, plant start-up and shut down, monitoring and controlling plant and dealing with critical operational problems.

They will be responsible for the quality of their own work and possibly others’ whilst ensuring the work is completed safely, meets stakeholder quality, time and budget requirements. All whilst maintaining the efficient running of plant and equipment.

Caucasian male engineer using digital tablet working late night shift at petroleum oil refinery in an industrial estate

Level 3 core competencies

Level 3 core competencies

As part of your role, an apprentice carries out a number of tasks to satisfy the competencies such as:

  • complying with industry health, safety and environmental working practices and regulations
  • communicating with and provide information to stakeholders in line with your personal role and responsibilities
  • reads, understands and interprets information and works in compliance with technical specifications and supporting documentation
  • carrys out planned, unplanned and preventative maintenance procedures
  • diagnoses and determines the cause of faults

Depending on the area you specialise in, there will be other competencies you will need to display, ranging from installing and dismantling equipment to evaluating and solving complex problems within your work environment.

You can find out more information about the specific competencies for each area and the other competencies and knowledge by reading the occupational standard and assessment plan which will help you understand and prepare for the end-point assessment.

Group of technicians working on an aircraft at Stansted Airport

Conclusion

Apprenticeships are an excellent way to enter the engineering field because you learn on the job. Your days will be balanced between working alongside someone experienced in the field to obtain practical skills and studying towards a recognised and valued qualification. The level 3 maintenance & operations technician apprenticeship takes between 36 and 42 months to complete allowing you to earn a wage as you study.

The apprenticeship will provide you with the core skills you need to progress in your chosen career, but you don’t need to stop there! There are many more apprenticeships available to help you progress or you could choose to qualify as an engineer by completing a degree.

The engineering sector will always be in demand as although some jobs may disappear, new sectors quickly open up enabling you to have a career anywhere in the world. This is why a Level 3 Maintenance & Operations Technician apprenticeship could really be your passport to success.

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 2 Land-Based Service Engineer Apprenticeship

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Male engineer in hard hat pointing

Are you one for getting your hands dirty whilst learning new skills? An apprenticeship as a Land-Based Service Engineer could be right for you. This could be your ideal entryway into a brand new career, or simply stepping up your current role to the next level. Whatever your approach, read on to find out more about this unique and exciting opportunity.

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Role description and entry requirements for engineers

Prior to diving in head first into a (potentially) new career, you should know what is required.

Land-Based Service Engineers will work of their own initiative on an employers premise under supervision of a senior technician. This one role contains a wide variety of tasks, including: preparation of new & second-hand equipment for sale, performing routine service and maintenance on said equipment, and conducting operation and systems testing. In reality, LBSE’s will be required to perform a wide range of duties. It’s a strict environment with the opportunity to develop useful knowledge, as well as learn the disciplines of safe working practice.

This may sound pretty heavy hitting right now, but this is a fantastic path to explore. Especially if you love the outdoors! Now let’s talk entry requirements. These are set by the employers but will typically include English and Maths GCSEs at a C/4 or equivalent. It is preferred that potential candidates also have a basic understanding of ICT, but this isn’t strictly necessary to begin with. Don’t panic if you haven’t got recent English and Maths certificates, however. There will be a chance to complete these before the end point assessment of the apprenticeship.

Occupational behaviours and knowledge of an engineer

As well as the entry requirements it’s vital that Land-Based Service Engineer apprentices adhere to a certain set of behaviours. This is to ensure success both in their role and in the overall company.

These behaviours include being:

  • Safety orientated – disciplined, responsible, risk-adverse.
  • Quality focused – logical, good listener, seeks opportunities to improve.
  • A strong communicator – open, honest, respectful.
  • A team player – considerate, pro-active, interactive with others.
  • Open to learn – reflective, adaptable, attentive.

These behaviours should be demonstrated in the day-to-day work environment. It is vital to adhere to them, not only for personal development, but also for safety reasons.

By the end of the apprenticeship, you will also have a decent bank of knowledge under your belt. It’s important that our apprentices understand how to operate within this working environment as well as how to do the job itself. This is to ensure the safety of workers, both during their apprenticeship and after.

This is a unique aspect of practical apprenticeships such as this one.

Knowledge requirements include:

  • How to comply with Health & Safety at Work Act.
  • How to comply with Manual Handling regulations and the abrasive wheel regulations.
  • Learning workplace procedures, such as the chain of command and company staff handbook.
  • How to record information.
  • Workshop best practices, such as tool identification and storage.
  • Knowing the methods of thermally and chemically joining metals and components.
  • Learning the operating principles of certain machinery.
  • Interpreting and accessing technical data relating to machinery and equipment.
  • Handing over machinery, plant and equipment to the control of another.
  • A good grasp on emergency first aid.

Again, it sounds like a lot to begin with! But it certainly will be worth it by the time you reach your end point assessment.

Two farm vehicles collect crops in the middle of a field.

What you will learn as a Land-Based Service Engineer

Speaking of end point assessment, by the time you get there you will have a wealth of knowledge at your disposal. All things you will be able to take with you into the wider working world. Below are a list of the key things you will learn on this apprenticeship:

  • Select and apply appropriate tools and equipment.
  • Demonstrate dexterity, resourcefulness, and a professional approach.
  • Maintain and conduct basic repairs and maintenance activities under supervision.
  • Thermally and chemically join metals and materials.
  • Access and interpret technical data relating to service and maintenance operations.
  • Communicate well with customers and colleagues, written and oral.
  • Expressing technical information in clear concise terms whilst demonstrating customer care principles.
  • Work efficiently both under supervision, individually and as a team member.
  • Demonstrate a logical, safe and systematic approach to work practices.
  • Carry out operational tests on low technology plant, equipment and machinery.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a unique, hands-on apprenticeship, then a Level 2 Land-Based Service Engineer could be just the right one for you. The skills you will learn will open up a wide range of job opportunities within the Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture sector. Some examples of this are Agricultural Service Engineer, Forestry Equipment Service Engineer, or an Outdoor Power Equipment Service Engineer. Employers are looking towards apprenticeships to accelerate their work force, and this opportunity could be just what you need to take your first steps within such a specialist industry.

For a more in depth look at this apprenticeship, you can read the brief full brief here.

Not feeling like the right fit? Why not take a look at Apprentice Tips full range of Engineering and Manufacturing Apprenticeships here.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Email Marketing Campaigns

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Envelopes fly out of a laptop into the air to demonstrate emails being sent

There are so many different marketing methods out there nowadays, especially with the rise of digital marketing, that it can often be difficult to pinpoint which methods will be most successful in reaching your audience. Luckily, there are a few trustworthy methods that prove their effectiveness time and time again – one of which is email marketing! While it can be daunting starting an email marketing campaign from scratch, especially as a digital marketing apprentice, there are plenty of free tools to help break it down. This blog is one of them, and I’m going to go over some of the major do’s and don’ts of implementing an email marketing campaign to hit as many competencies in your Level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship as possible!

A figure gives the thumbs up while leaning on a green tick

Email Marketing Do’s

Use a Free ESP (Email Service Provider)
There are plenty of tools available online for free that can make the process of preparing and distributing an email campaign much easier. Platforms such as MailChimp and SendGrid offer built-in segmentation tools to segment your audiences, as well as drag-and-drop email editing and easy-to-navigate analytics reports. Using a tool like these simplifies the process, reducing the need to manage mailing lists and content in separate applications. If that wasn’t enough, using an ESP properly and effectively to build an email campaign can contribute towards multiple competencies, including but not limited to implementation, technologies, written communication, and analysis.

Segment Your Audience

As mentioned above, it’s important to segment your audience to ensure that you are sending the most relevant content to each group. There are four types of audience segmentation:

  • Geographic Segmentation
    Grouping audiences together based on geographical location and borders.
  • Demographic Segmentation
    Grouping audiences together based on demographic, such as age, gender identity, education level etc.
  • Psychographic Segmentation
    Grouping customers based on traits such as their personalities and interests.
  • Behavioural Segmentation
    Grouping customers based upon their decision making and purchase history.

As an example, if you were to run an email newsletter based on fashion trends and industry news, it may make sense to use demographic or behavioural segmentation. Demographic segmentation could be used to segment audiences based on their gender identity, to ensure they are only receiving information on trends that impact them. Likewise, behavioural segmentation could be used to segment audiences based on their purchasing history, and to break audiences down into those who have purchased different items, i.e. purses, handbags, shoes, clothes etc.

Not only will segmenting your audience lead to higher open and click-through rates, but you will again meet several competencies from the Level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship, including research, implementation, and digital tools.

Utilise A/B Testing
A/B testing is a method whereby two almost identical emails are sent to two different test groups, with the aim of finding out which is most effective and produces the best results/analytics. It’s important to note that when conducting A/B testing of an email, the elements that are changed should be kept to a minimal amount. If too many features are different, such as the subject, preheader, imagery and links, then it may be difficult to determine exactly which feature/s impacted the results. In contrast, using only a different subject line and preheader for both emails will enable you to easily track what impacted the results, with whichever one having a higher open rate and generally better metrics being the ‘winner’. Since A/B testing is conducted with just a small sample of your total audience, the ‘winning’ email can then be sent out to the rest of your audience knowing that the more effective and impactful subject and pre-header are being used.

A figure gives a ‘halt’ gesture to signal not to do something

Email Marketing Don’ts

Send Emails for the Sake of it
Since there are particular competencies and projects you may need to complete for your Level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship, it could be tempting to put together an email marketing campaign and send the emails out in quick succession to ensure you meet the competencies. This could have the opposite effect though, as it is one of the quickest ways to lose your audience’s interest, and can lead to a dramatic increase in unsubscribes and spam reports. If you’ve taken the time to segment your audiences and curate content that is relevant and engaging to them, you don’t want to overdo the emails and bombard them with too many! It’s important to create and adhere to a campaign schedule for email marketing, which should evenly space out emails and prevent too many being sent close to each other. This could lead to audiences losing interest in your content, and may result in email providers marking your emails as spam/junk, further damaging your campaign’s analytics.

Forget to Check Your GDPR Compliance
Since the EU’s GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) was enshrined in UK law via the Data Protection Act 2018, it is vital that every email you send adheres to these regulations and legislation. Every email marketing campaign must include the sender’s physical address within each email, whether it be an office address, home address, or PO Box. In addition, you must also provide a way for email recipients to easily change their preferences or opt out of all email communications from you. This is usually found at the bottom of an email, with buttons stating ‘Unsubscribe Preferences’ and ‘Unsubscribe Completely’. By including these simple elements, you are ensuring that your emails are GDPR-compliant and mitigate the risk of any legal or financial backlash.

Use Too Many Images
Finally, don’t use a lot of images in one email! While it may look nice when you’re designing your campaign, images can have a large impact on email’s loading times, and may not even display due to data limitations on mobile devices. It’s fine to use a couple of images in each email, but using too many images reduces how well your content will display on different devices, and may therefore result in people losing interest in your campaign. If you are including imagery in your email campaign, be sure to test the email before sending, and view the email on multiple devices and platforms to ensure the content and imagery are optimised and fully visible on every one.

Conclusion

While it may seem a daunting task with too many technical aspects to remember, building an effective email marketing campaign can reap sizable rewards for your company. If you stick to best practice and the advice above, you can easily build and schedule an amazing email marketing campaign that takes care of itself, with you only needing to monitor the analytics once each email is sent. In turn, you should have a brilliant campaign to include in your portfolio for your Level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship, and hopefully have ticked off quite a few competencies along the way!