With GCSE results now in and students having had a couple of days to digest them, some Stone school leavers may still be weighing up what comes next.
Sixth form and college are familiar routes, but apprenticeships offer another option, combining paid employment with training towards a recognised qualification.
There are currently several opportunities being advertised in the ST15 area, covering everything from business administration and warehousing to childcare and retail.
Careers beyond the obvious choices
One industry hoping to attract more young people is the building materials sector.
The Builders Merchants Federation, the trade body representing builders’ merchants and suppliers, has published a new careers pack aimed at people considering their options after leaving school.
Its Building Materials Careers campaign highlights that jobs within the sector extend well beyond traditional construction roles, with opportunities including sales, logistics, marketing, finance, HR and digital technology.
The Building Materials Careers website also includes information for people starting their careers, alongside apprenticeships, vacancies, employer information and other resources.
Marianna Peet MIBM, Learning & Development and Apprenticeship Manager at the Builders Merchants Federation, said
“You can start as an apprentice, earn while you learn, gain professional qualifications and progress into management and leadership roles.
“Apprenticeships provide a route into a wide range of careers beyond traditional construction roles, with opportunities in sales, logistics, marketing, finance, HR and digital technology, as well as many others.”
Apprenticeships available around Stone
At the time of writing, examples of apprenticeships being advertised in Stone and the surrounding ST15 area included:
- Global Group at Cold Meece is advertising for a Business Support Administrator Apprentice. The Level 3 apprenticeship pays £15,600 for the first year, with applications currently due to close on Sunday 30 August. View the Global Group apprenticeship
- Wells Performance Materials at Stone Business Park is looking for a Warehouse Apprentice. The Level 2 role pays £15,600 for the first year and is also currently due to close on Sunday 30 August. View the Wells Performance Materials apprenticeship
- Mumbles Day Nursery is advertising two childcare apprenticeship positions in Stone, with a salary of £16,640 a year and training towards an early years qualification. Applications are currently due to close on Monday 14 September. View the Mumbles Day Nursery apprenticeship
- Superdrug on Stone High Street is advertising for an Apprentice Retail Sales Assistant. The role pays £9.75 an hour and includes training towards a Level 2 Retailer Apprenticeship. The advertised closing date is Wednesday 2 September. View the Superdrug apprenticeship
Each vacancy has its own entry requirements, so applicants should check the full advert and current availability before applying.
Where to look for an apprenticeship
The Government’s Find an apprenticeship service allows people to search by location, employer and type of work, making it a useful starting point for anyone wanting to see what is currently available around Stone.
Search Find an apprenticeship on GOV.UK
For anyone interested specifically in building materials, the Building Materials Careers website includes information about different roles, apprenticeships, work experience and employers within the industry.
Visit Building Materials Careers
Readers can also keep an eye on the A Little Bit of Stone jobs section for vacancies being advertised locally.
For those whose GCSE results have prompted a rethink of their original plans, apprenticeships are one of several routes available as they decide what to do next.
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