Where to begin?
Apprenticeships at Ulster University are delivered in partnership with over 150 different employers across Northern Ireland. The first step in any Apprentice's journey begins with finding an organisation that is a good match for you. Once you have decided on the Apprenticeship framework you want to join, you should start your search.
You should consider the profile of your ideal employer. Where are they based? Would you prefer to work for a large, multinational organisation, or are you more interested in staying nearby with a small or medium sized firm that you can grow with?
Our Find an Apprenticeship page is a great place to start, but it's limited to the organisations that have already reached out to us and want to advertise on our page. There are many employers in Northern Ireland who could be eligible to support an apprentice but haven't considered it yet. Finding an Apprenticeship can be hard work, but persistence in looking for the right employer can lead to success.
Getting your search started
- Reach out to local firms in your area - if you are interested in an Accounting apprenticeship, you should reach out to local Accountancy firms to see if they are hiring, or if they are interested in taking on an apprentice.
- Attend Careers events at your school, in your local community, or at the University when they come up - it's often the best chance to meet Apprenticeship employers and make a good impression.
- Use resources like Workplus or NI Job Finder to identify firms that are hiring in your area, or bodies for sectoral partnerships or associations to identify employers in your area of interest.
- If you're already employed, and your current organisation would support you in an internal move into a new career, speak to your HR team about the possibility of doing an Apprenticeship as a way to retrain or reskill for the new role.
- Speak to family or friends to see if their employer could support an apprentice.
Finding a Suitable Employer
In order to participate, employers should be a private sector employer with a permanent base in Northern Ireland. They should be able to support you by providing you with the experience and mentorship necessary on the job to support the learning that you'll do off the job at the University.
If you find an organisation that is interested and wants to know more, have them contact apprenticeships@ulster.ac.uk. Our team can tell them more about the programme and assess their eligibility to take you on as an Apprentice.
I've found the right organisation - what next?
It's important to remember that Degree Apprenticeships can be very competitive roles to apply for, so if you are invited to an interview make sure that you put your best foot forward. For some programmes and employers, you might be invited to an assessment centre, which could involve a combination of interviews and tasks designed to see if you would be a good fit for the organisation.
Employers like applicants with the transversal skills that lead to success in the workplace so demonstrating these is critical to your success when applying for an Apprenticeship. For example, Ulster University Apprentices are good communicators, who often demonstrate initiative in the workplace. They are often critical and creative thinkers who bring their knowledge and experience with them while solving problems. Developing these skills prior to your interivew (through work experience, volunteering, or leadership in social or athletic clubs) and demonstrating them clearly in your application and interview can really help your chances.
Subject Specific Guidance
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Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences
Apprentices join this programme at Level 6, so to be considered for entry, you need an employer and should have successfully passed the FdSc HLA Applied Industrial Sciences Level 5 programme in order to apply.
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Civil Engineering
The Civil Engineering Apprenticeship at Ulster requries mentorship from a Chartered Civil Engineer who has had completed Mentor training with the UK Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) . The ICE website has more information including a database of qualified Engineers.
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International Hospitality Management
Apprentices join this programme at Level 6, so to be considered for entry you should have an employer and have successfully completed Levels 4 and 5 either via Foundation Degree or through prior learning.
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Quantity Surveying and Commerical Management
The Quantity Surveying Apprenticeship at Ulster requires mentorship from a Chartered Surveyor in the workplace. A list of organisations that employ Chartered Quantity Surveyors is available on the RICS website.