Combine work and study
Traineeships
Traineeships
A traineeship is a skills development programme for 16- to 24-year-olds and includes an unpaid work placement which is designed to help you get ready for an apprenticeship. The unpaid work placement can last from 6 weeks up to 1 year, though most traineeships last less than 6 months.
I'M A STUDENT
To start a traineeship, you’ll need to:
- be eligible to work in England
- have little or no work experience and be unemployed
- be aged 16 to 24, or 25 with an education, health and care (EHC) plan
From the training provider you get:
- training to prepare you for work, including CV writing and what to expect in the workplace
- support to improve your English, maths and digital skills if you need it
- sector focused vocational learning to help prepare you for an apprenticeship or job as well as recognition of your learning
From the employer you get:
- a high-quality work placement of at least 70 hours
- an interview for an apprenticeship or job if available, or an exit interview with written feedback
Programmes can be tailored to meet your needs and prepare you for what local businesses are looking for.
A traineeship is a training programme and is not a job. Therefore, employers are not required to pay you for the work placement, but they can support you with expenses such as transportation and meals.
Find a traineeship:
- by asking your local college or training provider if they have opportunities
- by speaking to your school careers advisers if your 16 to 18 years old
- by speaking to your Jobcentre Plus adviser if you’re in receipt of benefits
- on the Find a traineeship page
I'M AN EMPLOYER
Employers can offer a work experience placement of at least 70 hours to a trainee, and they will work with a training provider to design the programme.
Employers will work with the training provider to plan and agree:
- the length of the work experience
- the days the trainee works
- how the programme will be delivered
Traineeships are flexible. Employers can change the programme as they go to make sure they and the trainee get the most out of it.
Employer responsibilities
Employers must provide:
- a safe, meaningful and high-quality work experience placement
- a minimum of 70 hours of work experience placement over the duration of the traineeship (if the trainee claims benefits, the placement cannot last longer than 240 hours)
- constructive feedback and advice to the trainee
- an interview for an apprenticeship or job in their organisation at the end of the traineeship if one is available
- an exit interview at the end of the traineeship with meaningful written feedback if no job is available
Benefits to employers
Offering a work experience placement gives employers the chance to:
- get to know and work with a young person to see if they’re right for an apprenticeship or job in their business
- design a programme that suits the needs of the trainee and their business
- develop current employees’ experience in training and mentoring
- recruit new talent for their business
- claim an employer incentive of £1,000 when a work experience placement of over 70 hours has been completed
Funding
Traineeships are funded by the government and are free of charge to the employer, but employers may choose to support trainees with expenses such as transport and meals.
GET STARTED
If you are interested in offering a work placement for a traineeship:
- Contact the National Apprenticeship Service to register your interest and to ask for advice and support on traineeships. They can help you set up a traineeship and advertise it on Find a traineeship.
- Partner with a training provider who will help you to design a traineeship that will meet your business needs. They will also advertise the work experience placement for you.
Agree with the trainee and your training provider exactly what each of you expects from the traineeship.
