Should I get an apprentiship or go straight in for a job?

[Ozwin]

Yeah I'll bare that in mind. I've heard good things about my connexions at college though, they're apparently quite helpful and I'll stand my ground if I need to This is my life choice after all so I have to be careful.

[Matt]

Connexions did fuk all for me, Promised the earth, Gave fuk all.

Luckly I knew someone who worked at the college so that got me in 'the system' abit quicker and easier.

I did a Carpentry/Joinery course, I've been qualified for 2 years in the summer (I think, Might be 3 years ). I did 3 years at college NVQ Level 1 is 1 year, NVQ Level 2, and whatever other certificates and qualification I have are 2 years, after that there is an 'Advanced' course Level 3 which I was offered to go on but I turned down because 1) I wanted out of college 2) More job protection (As an apprentice you really do have little protection, You get paid poorly, and companies can get rid with little notice) and 3) Apparently due to the type of job I did I would stuggle with Level 3, as I work in shopfitting I would have had to go out to shops, design them, e.t.c.

I will warn you, You will most probably find it hard to get a job as an apprentice, I can see the view from both points, As an employer you want young people to work for you, at the same time especially the smaller companies want a good, quick job, and don't have the time or money to train, watch, young people, at the same time how do you get good, experienced people to work for you if your not willing to train them up? Catch 22.

Level 1 is just general Carpentry/Joinery, Basic joints, Basic carpentry, Basic Timber Information, and Key Skills (Numeracy, English, e.t.c), Level 2 is where you get a choice (Normally based on your job) you either do Site Carpentry or Joinery, I did a bit of both, so have both qualifications.

My first job was on Site, which originally I wanted to do, When I first started with that company they said i'd be working with a Sub-Contact Carpenter, Because I was working for a small company of which they were only Brickies there, Whilst I worked there I didn't even touch a piece of timber, I was basically a labourer for the brickies, and coincidently when the work slacked off I was layed off with the excuse "We're no good for you, You're no good for us" really I think I was just seen as cheap labour (That is what i'm on about when I said you get paid poorly and can be got rid off with little notice) and whilst working there I hated it but I saw it as if I could just complete the course while working there, it'd atleast get me through the course, I'd have little experience in my desired/specified trade but at least i'd have the bit of paper with the qualification on it, but it wasn't to be.

Anyway I'd already started Level 2 so was already learning mostly Site Carpentry, Luckly I was only about half a year into the course so was told by my tutor if I had to it wouldn't be the end of the world if I had to change to Joinery.

I found another job which was in shopfitting (Which is where I still work now) and that was classed a Joinery so swapped over at college, tbh what I do at work is nothing like what I learnt at college, I learnt how to make Staircases, Doors, Door Frames, Frameworks, e.t.c, at work I make plinths, frames, counters, walls. If I was asked to make a staircase now I wouldn't have a clue which is why perhaps in the future i'd be interested in going to a 'proper' joiners shop.

Don't know if any of that has helped, I've told you a little bit about the course, If you have any other questions about the course or stuff i'll try and answer

And congratulations for even considering an apprenticeship, There are others options to uni

[Benji]

You want hands on construction but also have the brains... architect?

Or just join the lawyers

[Ozwin]

Architect? Didn't even think about that. That's pretty interesting actually.

[davieG]

Architect? Didn't even think about that. That's pretty interesting actually.

I think that can involve a 7 year long full time degree course

[AoWW]

This website might be worth a look The Guild of Master Craftsmen there's a brief section on apprenticeships but the 'Learning, Training and Information' section looks pretty useful. It also links to another site where you can search for specific trades in an area - might be handy?

Architect? Didn't even think about that. That's pretty interesting actually.

A good career choice but the training's long. As far as I know there are very few 'learning on the job' apprenticeships. Seems the norm to study it at Uni then look for a graduate position. I could be wrong, but I know a few people who went this route - I didn't get the impression they had many other options.

[Ozwin]

7 years? Bugger that.

[Webbo]

If you decide on an apprenticeship make sure you get 1 with a proper firm and not 1 of these govt. retraining schemes. They consist of 3 month training schemes run by people who have never worked for a firm in their lives.

When I did my apprenticeship it was 3 years working for a firm with 13 weeks block placement at college(2/3 weeks now and again)every year and 2 nights a week at college. And after that i would say it was 2 years before I considered myself really good.

[Ozwin]

Well it's either get an apprenticeship or get a job and seeing as I don't know what I want to do and don't really fancy working in a shop, this seems to be my best bet. Although if connexions tells me of jobs that are available and sound interesting then maybe, just maybe I'll go for that instead.

[Matt]

I think NVQ Level 3 - 'Advanced' of the Carpentry/Joinery course leads to Archetictural, Design, Draftsmen line of work, Don't quote me on that but think it does focus more on that type of work rather than the creative/machining/manufacturing part.

It would make sense because as I said if I did opt for Level 3 myself, working in shopfitting I would have had to find my own shops to design, e.t.c, so would make sense that Level 3 is more Design and Draftsman line of work.

Bear in mind though Draftsman/Architect/Design involves sitting infront of a computer for a long time/majority of your career - Something you say you wouldn't be too keen on.

[Ozwin]

I don't suppose anyone knows what kind of jobs I could get quite easily with the qualifications I'll have in the summer do they? For incase I don't go the apprenticeship way. Surely there's more things available than working in a shop available for me isn't there?

[coale39]

Dont go connextions. fooking useless morons.

[Ozwin]

They're my only option, I don't have many personal connexions.

[Daggers]

Every one needs Electricity every one needs plumbing, these are trades that wll still be around in a 100 years time so u will never be out of a job and very good job to have

Interesting point - but if you pop into a library you can read transcripts from 19th Century online forums discussing just the same topic...and amazingly there was a post just like yours:

I have been thinking of going into the Thespianic world instead of engineering, can any advise me?

Every one needs ships every one needs wrought iron bridgeworks, these are trades that wll still be around in a 100 years time so u will never be out of a job and very good job to have

[hairy]

If you want an apprenticeship in a construction trade you need to get in touch with Construction Skills (old CITB) at Loughborough 01509 610266. But I fear you have missed the boat for this years intake.

As stated do a proper apprenticeship not one of these government 3 month things.

There is not much call for furniture makers these days but there are specialist joinery firms such as Thorpes at Great Glen. If you became a carpenter or bricklayer you could travel the world and work.

[Samilktray]

Im starting a Plumbing course at Leicester college after the summer.

Hoping to secure a apprenticeship for the second year of the course.

[Ozwin]

So is it pretty certain that you can't get apprenticeships in graphic design? That's always been what I'd like to do and become great at but without doing design at A Level I feel I may have missed out on the oppertunity.

[Ozwin]

Getting an interview after the Easter holidays at college, I'll probably need to go in prepared with ideas of what I'd like to do but I really want to get paid while I work/learn/whatever. I really hope they have a good solution waiting for me.