National Apprenticeship Week 2023 will be held from 6-12 February. Our free teacher resources will enable your students to explore their future with apprenticeships.
National Apprenticeship Week highlights the exceptional work being done by employers, education providers and apprentices across England;. 2023 is the 16th year that the annual week-long celebration of apprenticeships will have been held.
The theme for National Apprenticeship Week 2023 is ‘Skills for Life’. A range of virtual and in-person activities will take place across England to showcase how apprenticeships have helped young people, schools, training providers, businesses, and industry sectors.
Having a spotlight on opportunities, employers and training providers means that more and more career options open up for young people to gain valuable work experience whilst studying for the qualifications to be a young professional. Apprenticeships can help individuals to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career; and they can help businesses to develop a talented workforce equipped with future-ready skills.
#NAW23 Teaching Resources at a Glance
- Free online course for students: Explore Apprenticeships
- Free online course for learners: In Apprenticeships
- Free student skills building programme: Young Professional
- Apprenticeships Finder
- Apprenticeships advice and FAQs
- Skills & careers student activity workbook
Scroll on to see more information about each resource.
Teacher Resources for National Apprenticeship Week
FREE Online Course: Explore Apprenticeships
This short modular online course is designed to help your students explore Apprenticeships and see if they could be a good career pathway now or in the future. Students can take the course in one go or over time, in home or classroom settings. They will earn a certificate of achievement on completion.
Course topics include:
- Apprenticeships and how they work
- Useful plans and guides to help you navigate your next steps
- The skills you need and which you’ll develop
- Where to start with looking for an apprenticeship and how to find one near you
- Long term apprenticeship goals and career planning
FREE Online Course: In Apprenticeships
Created in partnership with the Careers & Enterprise Company, this short modular online course is designed to help your students explore Apprenticeships in greater detail, allowing them to understand what it’s really like to earn and learn in a structured paid training programme. They can get a better idea of what’s involved in balancing work and study, and how to make the most of End Point Assessments.
Course topics include:
- Managing your learning
- Putting life and work skills into practice
- Getting to know work culture
- Managing your confidence and emotions in work
- What’s next after an Apprenticeship? Goals and future plans…
FREE Young Professional Programme – build #SkillsForLife
The cost-free Young Professional Programme offers your students a suite of resources, online courses, activities and toolkits to help them build their skills for life.
Which skills for life are covered by the programme?
- Communication (written and verbal)
- Teamwork
- Problem solving
- Self-belief (confidence, resilience, motivation)
- Self-management (agency, being organised)
After registering as a Young Professional, your students can access:
- Weekly tips and activities when they opt into the newsletter
- Weekly apprenticeships and early career opportunities when they opt into the newsletter
- Online courses with certificate on completion
- Connection to our Youth Friendly Employer network
You can invite your students to sign up here. Your establishment can also join our network as a Young Professional Provider (it’s free) to access group cohort management and specialist CPD support.
Find Apprenticeship Vacancies with #CreateYourFuture
Our Youth Voice Census, the largest annual survey of young people in the UK, reveals that young people have little confidence in finding quality opportunities in their area. You can help your students expand their horizons with the Create Your Future Apprenticeships Finder. The Create Your Future database is like a jobs board for young people, offering apprenticeships, work placements, entry level jobs, CV workshops, virtual opportunities and much more. When they sign up as a Young Professional and log in, they can see apprenticeships and other early career opportunities local to their area!
Apprenticeships FinderApprenticeships FAQs
It’s natural for your students to have questions about Apprenticeships. We’ve collated answers to the questions they are likely to ask. You can share the links with your students, or read up on the topics yourself so that you can answer student queries with confidence.
- Busting myths: Are Apprenticeships worth it?
- Jobseeker’s guide to Apprenticeships
- What to expect from a quality Apprenticeship
- What are Degree Apprenticeships?
- How to succeed in the first month of your Apprenticeship
- Apprenticeships vs Uni
- How can Jobcentre Plus help you find apprenticeships?
Schools and colleges can sign up as a Young Professional Provider for FREE.
If your organisation signs up as a Young Professional Provider, you can get specialist CPD support and custom support in signing cohorts of students up to the Young Professional programme. You also get access to our Group Management system which allows you to monitor and evidence student progress.
To find out more, please email our Head of Schools Pete Thorpe at pete@youthemployment.org.uk.
Skills and careers activity booklets for students aged 14-17
These free Skills and Careers Activities booklets are perfect for your students to work through at home, and for schools to share or use as part of their careers education activities. They are editable so students can use it exactly how they want to. The tips and activities in the booklets aim to boost students’ skills, knowledge and confidence – whatever stage of education they are at.
Activities covered:
- Young Professional – free online training for young people aged 14+
- Choosing a career
- Understanding career options and pathways
- Boosting your skills
- Volunteering & work experience
- Employers & work
- Youth Voice Census
- Getting help
- Your Reflections
Register For Our Teachers’ Newsletter
Teachers and careers leaders can sign up to our newsletter for free resources to help them support their students with careers education. You can sign up via the form on our careers education hub.
Sign Up For Teachers NewsletterNational Apprenticeship Week teaching resources around the web
- Amazing Apprenticeships – find resource bundles to get students thinking about apprenticeships.
- Find An Apprenticeships – students can search and apply for apprenticeships through the government website.
- UCAS lesson plans – Here are some great activity ideas from UCAS to get students thinking more deeply about apprenticeships and why they should consider them as well as the university route into further education.
