Your guide to having it all!
acttraining.org.uk
CO N T E N T S This is us........................................................................ 3 Why learn and earn............................................ 6 Not convinced?...................................................... 8 Become an Apprentice................................. 10 Our 12 Traineeship routes............................ 12 State-of-the-art facilities.............................. 14 Extra support.......................................................... 17 Enjoy a free outdoor adventure............. 18 Information for parents.................................. 19 Meet our Skills Ambassador..................... 21 Make it happen!................................................... 22
Your guide to having it all! 2
Live. Learn. Earn
@acttrainingltd
/acttraining
U S... ACT is Wales’ leading training provider and we help over 6,500 young people a year achieve their career ambition. We have hundreds of vacancies and opportunities specifically for young people who are looking to get started in the world of work or improve on their career prospects.
EST.
1988
W ITH A C T . acttraining.org.uk
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We love what we do, and, not meaning to blow our own trumpet, we are good at it.
83%
96%
We work with over
of our learners progress into employment or higher education
of our learners think we're GREAT!
1,100 employers in Wales including Companies House, Finsbury Food, Wilko, DS Smith, NHS Health Boards and Radisson Blu as well as successful small businesses like The Early Bird, Little Inspirations and HSJ Accountants
We have also been awarded the
Matrix Quality Standard for information, advice and guidance – only the really exceptional get awarded this unique quality measure!
Here are some of our recent wins and commendations: > Responsible Large Business of the Year Award in the Business in the Community Cymru Responsible Business Awards 2018 > Sunday Times Best 100 Companies in the UK 2018 (59th) and 2015 > Highly Commended Large Welsh Employer, Business in the Community Responsible Business Awards 2016 > Provider Award for Social Responsiveness, Apprenticeship Awards 2014 > Wales and West Utilities Inspiring Young Talent Award, Business in the Community Responsible Business Awards 2014 > Investors in People Gold Awards in 2017, 2013 and 2010
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Live. Learn. Earn
L IVE Daniel Morris As an Agency Support Executive at the award-winning marketing agency The Media Angel, Daniel is a multimedia account handler and is responsible for planning, creating, monitoring and evaluating marketing campaigns across various media platforms. When I was growing up there was always a couple of friends who were doing apprenticeships, but that would be for carpentry, plastering or something more labour based. I didn’t know that there was such a thing as social media apprenticeships. It’s brilliant that you get to earn and learn at the same time, I’ve never had that opportunity before. Certainly not with college or university.
acttraining.org.uk
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@acttrainingltd
/acttraining
LE ARN AND E ARN ? Basically, earning and learning is the full package! With any of our programmes, whether that is a Traineeship, Apprenticeship or Higher Apprenticeship, you learn on the job, achieve nationally-recognised qualifications, earn a wage, gain skills and build a rewarding career.
Eligibility
If you are:
16+
Living in Wales
Currently not in full-time education or training
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Then our programmes are for you. What is more, they are all fully-funded.
Live. Learn. Earn
Finding the right level If you are a school or college leaver with little work experience, or someone who has been working in a job role for a while, we have an opportunity for you. We offer the full range of work based learning programmes, from Engagement and Level 1 Traineeships all the way up to Level 5 Apprenticeships across 30 different sectors.
All of our programmes allow you to work towards nationally- recognised qualifications meaning you can build up valuable credits. The graphic below illustrates how work based learning and our qualifications compares to other qualifications out there.
You can start a qualification at any point of this curve depending on your experience. We will help you work out whether you should be on a Traineeship, Apprenticeship or Higher Apprenticeship.
acttraining.org.uk
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CON V I NC E D Learning and Earning
FE & HE
TRAINEESHIPS
APPRENTICESHIPS
COLLEGE
Qualification achieved
Traineeship Level 1
Apprenticeship Level 2 to 5
A Level
Wage while learning
£2,500 per annum (Any child benefits will not be affected and this is more than EMA)
Between £7,118 and £25,000 per annum
£0
Work experience gained
We will find you a high quality work experience placement as part of your Traineeship where you will spend between 1-5 of your training days
An Apprenticeship is on the job training so you will receive the best work experience you could possibly get
Each college is different but you can expect to be offered a 1-day to 2-week unpaid work placement as part of your course
Timeframe to complete
From 6 weeks to 12 months
12 months
2/3 years
Progression rates
83% of our learners positively progress onto an Apprenticeship, higher education or employment
90% of Apprentices stay in employment after finishing their Apprenticeship
64% of students progress onto higher education
Progression route
Apprenticeship Level 2
Apprenticeship Levels 3 to 5
University
Enrolment period
Anytime
Anytime
September
You can sign up to our training programmes or apply for any of our live Apprenticeship vacancies at any time
You can sign up to our training programmes or apply for any of our live Apprenticeship vacancies at any time
96%
96%
Learner satisfaction rate
8
86%
Live. Learn. Earn
Maybe this chart will help change your mind...
(Sources: Skills Funding Agency, Office of National Statistics, National Student Survey, and LV Insurance)
Other UNIVERSITY
UNEMPLOYED
VOLUNTEERING
GAP YEAR
Degree, Masters or PhD
None
None
None
-£53,330 A standard 3 year university degree can leave you with £53,330 worth of debt
Job Seekers Allowance
£0
Between -£12,000 and +£5,000
You can expect to be offered work experience, volunteering or shadowing placements from 1 day to 100 hours based around your study time. Some courses even include a 1 year work experience placement
None
Whilst volunteering you will gain transferable skills to add to your CV and you will also be giving something back to the community
Some gap year programmes offer exciting projects to work on abroad where you can gain transferable skills
3-6 years
0
0
1 year
47% of graduates end up in non graduate roles and have to work a further five years to progress to the level they expect to be working in
None
Volunteering can lead to a part-time or full-time paid job
None
Postgraduate study
None
None
None
September
Anytime
When vacancies are available
January or September
86%
n/a
n/a
n/a
acttraining.org.uk
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A PPR E N T I C E Being an Apprentice gives you the opportunity to gain a recognised qualification and develop professional skills, while earning a salary - making it an excellent career choice for any young person. At ACT we are committed to offering you the best Apprenticeship opportunities in Wales. We offer a huge range of high quality Apprenticeships with leading employers who are waiting to meet young, passionate candidates like you.
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Our Apprenticeships span over 30 different sectors, including:
>
Business
>
Care
>
Catering
>
Finance
>
Hair and Beauty
>
Hospitality
>
IT
>
Management
>
Manufacturing and Engineering
>
Playwork
>
Retail
...and many more!
By signing up to one of our vacancies you can expect to:
Earn a salary
Get paid holidays
Receive training
Get one-to-one support from our expert Assessors
Gain qualifications
Learn job-specific skills
Gain skills that employers want
Open doors to excellent progression routes
Live. Learn. Earn
@acttraining
Already have a job? Great news, we can work with you and your employer to develop an Apprenticeship relevant to your job and level. You will grow your skills, gain qualifications and get ahead in your career.
Meet a few of our Apprentices 1
Robert Smith, 20, from Caerphilly, is undergoing a Manufacturing Apprenticeship at the UK’s leading machine guarding specialists, Procter Brothers.
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Poppy Evans, 20, from Cardiff, has completed a Level 3 Hairdressing Apprenticeship and is now employed full-time at New Dimensions and has also been named Welsh Junior Stylist of the Year 2015.
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Darren Watts, 18, from Cardiff has successfully progressed from a Traineeship to an Apprenticeship in Childcare, happily breaking the mould in a predominantly female profession. Darren was also a runner up at Apprenticeship Awards Cymru 2016.
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Check out our website where all of our live Apprenticeship vacancies are listed.
Visit: acttraining.org.uk/vacancies and start applying now, or give us a call on 029 2046 4727 for more information, support and advice.
acttraining.org.uk
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TR A INE E S HI P R O U TE S If you are not quite ready for an Apprenticeship, our Traineeship routes are an ideal way to help you become work-ready. A Traineeship is a fantastic Pre-Apprenticeship training programme that prepares 16-18 year olds for the world of work. Having spent most of your time in school or college, you will need a helping hand progressing from education to the workplace – and this is what our Traineeship routes are for.
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By signing up to a Traineeship you will get:
Paid between £30 and £50 a week plus travel expenses (this will not affect any child benefits your family receive)
An exciting work experience placement with a top employer in Wales
Employability training to help you stand out in the job market - including CV writing, interview preparation and job searching
English and Maths training if you need to improve your skills in these areas
All the support you need to progress onto the next stage of your life
And, once you have completed the Traineeship you will gain a Level 1 qualification in your chosen route, meaning you can then progress onto an Apprenticeship or further learning.
Live. Learn. Earn
@acttrainingltd
/acttraining
12 Traineeship routes 1. Animal Care and Land Based Studies 2. Automotive Engineering 3. Beauty 4. Business Administration 5. Care 6. Construction 7. Customer Service 8. Hairdressing and Barbering 9. Hospitality and Catering 10. ICT 11. Retail 12. Step-up Progression Pathway Our Step-up Progression Pathway is a full-time course for those looking to progress onto bigger and better things after completing post-16 education. Whether you know exactly what you want to do for your career, or you don’t know where to start, our course will put you on the right path in as little as 6 weeks.
acttraining.org.uk
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FACILITIES
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We offer some of the best specialist training facilities in South Wales for young people. Our training centres boast a range of industry led training areas that will enable you to build your confidence, gain industry-specific skills and get real life experience in a particular working environment.
Live. Learn. Earn
If you are interested in catering and hospitality, then come and check out Ocean Park Cafe – it is a fully-equipped cafe run by our learners and always has something exciting on the menu. If you are more interested in hair and beauty, then The Salon would be more up your street. Based in our Cardiff Skills Academy, The Salon offers a full range of hair and beauty services that members of the public can enjoy.
From motor vehicle to animal care, and IT to customer service, no matter what vocation you are interested in, we have an exciting environment for you to start your career and learn the skills you need to progress into your dream job. What is more, all of our centres offer modern learning environments with study areas that are fitted with stateof-the-art IT facilities, including Apple Mac computers, designed to enhance your learning experience and enable you to succeed.
2 fully-equipped cafes
3 fully-equipped salons
2 fully-equipped garages
2 fully-equipped construction zones
2 fully-equipped animal care zones
acttraining.org.uk
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L E A RN Emily Smith-Jaynes Emily left college to pursue a career she loved. Her passion meant that she completed her traineeship in record time and is now an apprentice at Land Rover in Cardiff, working on high-end engines and vehicles. I’ve been working at Land Rover now for just over a year. I was originally doing A Levels at sixth form but I didn’t like the academic side of things. I couldn’t sit through a lesson and take notes from a PowerPoint. I had to be doing something. Cars is something that I had an interest in so I thought I should be doing something that I know I enjoy. The motor vehicle Traineeship provided me with an opportunity to be on my feet doing something and learning and earning money at the same time. You can go to ACT without having any prior knowledge of the sector you’re interested in. They will build up your understanding and they are really supportive and they will help you find and progress onto an apprenticeship.
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Live. Learn. Earn
@acttrainingltd
/acttraining
SU PPOR T During your time at ACT your Tutor and Assessor will give you all the care, support and guidance you need to work towards your Traineeship or Apprenticeship. However, there are other support services available to ensure you make the most of your time at ACT.
As an ACT learner you will also be able to take full advantage of our:
Opportunities Team
Each centre has a dedicated team of people there to help you find work. They are there to guarantee your success beyond ACT so make sure you use them. They will equip you with the tricks, tips and techniques to help you with job searches, CV writing and interviews.
Learner Rep
We have a full-time Learner Rep who is there to represent our learners. If you have any feedback, concerns or thoughts on training then please book in for a coffee and a catch up with our Learner Rep.
Safeguarding Officers and In-House Counsellor
Whatever your problem, whether it is a problem you are experiencing on your learning journey or you have issues outside of ACT, our support team are there for your welfare and will give you the time and space to talk privately about your troubles and will help resolve any issues you have.
Learning Coaches
Similar to a sports coach, our Learning Coaches are there to give you more direction and support to help you achieve your goals.
acttraining.org.uk
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@ynyshywel
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A D V E N T UR E We are the only provider in South Wales that can offer you an unforgettable outdoor adventure as part of your training. We have an excellent partnership with the popular outdoor activity centre, Ynys Hywel. Ynys Hywel provides an amazing learning experience outside the classroom or working environment and, as a result we send a lot of our Trainees and Apprentices to enhance their learning journey. Not only is Ynys Hywel an extremely fun place, but it can really help boost your confidence and set you up ready for the world of work or whatever else life throws at you.
ynyshywel.co.uk
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Live. Learn. Earn
@acttrainingltd
/acttraining
FOR PA R E N T S As a parent you will want to help your child make the right decision about their future and give them the best possible start in their career. If your child is considering their next steps, whether that is to continue in education or to find employment, there is no reason why they cannot do both with an Apprenticeship! Apprenticeships can offer your child a wealth of different qualifications and training. Many programmes offer the equivalent to foundation degrees and degrees as part of the programme, so young people can get the same qualification as their university peers while working, earning and applying the skills learned.
Did you know... More than 850,000 young people are currently earning and learning on an Apprenticeship 90% of Apprentices stay in employment after finishing their Apprenticeship The average Apprentice wage is ÂŁ25,000
ACT is a very good training company, giving Ethan a very good opportunity to achieve a lifelong career. ACT is a far better experience for Ethan than college. I was always slightly worried about him at school being one of the youngest pupils, but ACT has helped Ethan to far exceed what he achieved at school. He has matured into a fine young man. He has gained qualifications, confidence and experience and a career thanks to ACT. Colin Robinson, Ethan Robinson’s Dad,
acttraining.org.uk
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E A RN Bryony Zorlutuna Bryony Zorlutuna is a Healthcare Support worker in the Accident and Emergency department for Cwm Taf University Health Board. She recently completed her Level 2 Clinical Healthcare Support Apprenticeship with ACT and is now well on her way to achieving her dream of becoming a nurse. The best thing about Apprenticeships is that you’re able to learn and earn. I’m much better learning hands on than in the classroom. My Apprenticeship has given me more confidence and knowledge within my role, and it’s fully funded too, which is a great bonus. Now that I’ve completed my Apprenticeship I’m studying towards a Foundation Degree in Community Health and Wellbeing and I’ve now also been accepted onto a degree in Adult Nursing. My Apprenticeship really helped me get to where I am now.
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Live. Learn. Earn
www.acttraining.org.uk/skills-ambassador
SKI LLS AMBASSADO R The Apprenticeship gave me the vital experience that prepared me for the discipline and structure of working life in professional sport and that’s why I’m working with ACT today, to help get young Welsh people into employment via Apprenticeships. As ACT’s Skills Ambassador I’d urge all learners and young people in Wales to maximise on the opportunities for practical learning and hands-on training.
We are proud to have Welsh rugby legend Jonathan Davies OBE as our Skills Ambassador. It is not very well known that Jonathan Davies left school with just two O Levels and started his working life as an Apprentice painter and decorator. He now, in his role as ACT’s Skills Ambassador, helps others to cross the divide from unqualified school leavers to work ready Apprentices. His goal is to help learners realise their potential and improve their future the way that he did when he was 17. Coming from an Apprenticeship background himself, Jonathan knows the challenges faced by young people in searching for an opportunity in the workplace.
Jonathan Davies OBE, ACT Skills Ambassador
acttraining.org.uk
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@acttraining
HA P P EN! We have hundreds of vacancies and opportunities specifically for young people who are looking to get started in the world of work or improve on their career prospects. Find out more
Apply now To make it easier for you, we do not have a specific enrolment period so you can apply anytime and online at: acttraining.org.uk/apply
If you want to find out more before applying then please get in touch. 029 2046 4727 or info@acttraining.org.uk
We have centres across South and Mid Wales: Aberdare
Cardiff
Barry
Ebbw Vale
Bridgend Caerphilly
Newport Powys
Visit our website to find your nearest location: www.acttraining.org.uk/locations
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Live. Learn. Earn
All information is correct at the time of printing but may be subject to change without notice. For the latest information please visit the ACT website: acttraining.org.uk v6-08/18
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Your guide to having it all! 23
CONTA CT If you want to find out more before applying, then please get in touch.
029 2046 4727 info@acttraining.org.uk acttraining.org.uk
Connect with us via social media!
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eg
Cym ra
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Live. Learn. Earn