Frequently Asked Questions

1. How is my salary calculated?

The minimum salary you will start on as an apprentice is £12,145. Depending on your previous experience, you may start on a slightly higher salary. The actual amount will be confirmed to successful applicants when they start their apprenticeship.

During the course of your apprenticeship, you will potentially benefit from three salary increases, known as increments. These happen each April and the first two depend on you achieving targets within your apprenticeship scheme. A target may be to complete a unit of your NVQ or a Key skills portfolio. The final increment is dependent on you having completed your apprenticeship. The exact details of what you need to achieve are included as part of your contract, if successful, and will be discussed as part of the Induction process.

2. Where will my placement be?

For your work placement, you will be covering a real job role. This can be on either a short or long term basis. We have various placements across the county within Dorset County Council, NHS Dorset, Purbeck District Council, North Dorset District Council and Weymouth & Portland Borough Council.

Currently we have apprentices working within the following areas: Human Resources, Dorset Works Organisation, Communications, Sure Start, Transportation, Catering Services, Payroll, Youth Services, Trading Standards, Pupil and School Improvement, Premises, Children’s Services Business Support and many more.

When looking at placements, where possible we try to match vacancies against skills, interests and location. Some placements may be covering a permanent vacant position, with an opportunity to move into that position on a permanent basis.

Whilst some apprentices may only have one work placement and be made permanent in that position, many apprentices may have a number of placements before finding a permanent position. This may be due to having a number of short term placements or it could be that when they join the apprenticeship scheme they are unsure of what area they want to work in, so it takes a while for them to identify what they are looking for in a permanent role.

A major benefit of our apprenticeship scheme is the range and scope of placements potentially available. It means that new opportunities come up all the time and that if someone is really unhappy in a role then we have the flexibility to find them a new placement better suited to them.

Our aim is that by the end of their final year, all apprentices will be in a permanent position.

3. What support will I receive during the Apprenticeship?

There are many sources of support available to you, throughout your
apprenticeship.

Apprenticeship Scheme Coordinator (Learning & Development):
The Apprenticeship Scheme Coordinator oversees the whole scheme
and is responsible for arranging work placements. Their role is to act as a link between the scheme and the different areas the apprentices are based in. They are also there to provide advice, guidance and support as necessary.

Course Tutor & Assessor (Learning & Development):
During the first year of your apprenticeship you will attend two workshops a month and then one a month in the second year. During these workshops you will have the opportunity to discuss any issues or concerns that you may have. Your tutor will also be happy to meet up with you or speak via the telephone or email between workshops. Your tutor may also be your assessor, or you may have an additional assessor who works closely with your tutor. Your assessor will be another source of support, advice and guidance.

Mentors:
Within the apprenticeship we run a mentoring scheme. We offer all new apprentices the opportunity to have a mentor, who is an existing apprentice. In addition to this, the Apprentice of the Year (awarded every August) becomes a mentor to all new apprentices. Many apprentices also have informal work based mentors, either apprentices who have completed the scheme or colleagues they work closely with.

Supervisor/Line Manager:
Your supervisor/line manager will have day to day responsibility for you within the workplace. You will have regular supervision meetings with this manager to review your performance and also discuss any issues or concerns you may have. In addition to this, every 12 weeks a 3 way review will be held. This is a meeting between the apprentice, their supervisor and a member of Learning & Development to review performance in both the work placement and the apprenticeship scheme and discuss any issues or concerns.

4. What will my day to day duties be?

Your actual duties will vary depending on your work placement. In addition to role specific tasks, common duties include:
• Working as part of a team
• Post – opening, sorting and distributing to colleagues
• Filing
• Photocopying
• Answering the telephone, answering queries and taking messages for
colleagues
• Sending out and responding to emails from colleagues and customers
• Greeting visitors to the office
• Entering information on to spreadsheets or on to specific computer
systems
• Sorting out agendas for meetings and taking minutes

Please see the case studies for more detailed examples of what people do in their roles as Apprentices.

5. After the Apprenticeship is completed, what happens next?

During the second year of the apprenticeship scheme, it is our aim to find permanent positions for all the apprentices. This then means that you will already be in a permanent role when you complete your apprenticeship.

We hope that this will be the start of a long and satisfying career within local government or the Primary Care Trust. You will continue to receive lots of support, primarily from your supervisor/line manager but also from the Apprenticeship Scheme Coordinator and your course tutor/assessor as needed.


Apprenticeships Apprenticeships 2010 Welcome About Dorset The Business Administration Apprenticeship What's involved in the application process Case Studies Frequently Asked Questions General Apprenticeship Information --- Subscribe to our RSS feed What is RSS? --- Text Size: A A A ---	Frequently Asked Questions 1. How is my salary calculated? The minimum salary you will start on as an apprentice is £12,145. Depending on your previous experience, you may start on a slightly higher salary. The actual amount will be confirmed to successful applicants when they start their apprenticeship. During the course of your apprenticeship, you will potentially benefit from three salary increases, known as increments. These happen each April and the first two depend on you achieving targets within your apprenticeship scheme. A target may be to complete a unit of your NVQ or a Key skills portfolio. The final increment is dependent on you having completed your apprenticeship. The exact details of what you need to achieve are included as part of your contract, if successful, and will be discussed as part of the Induction process. 2. Where will my placement be? For your work placement, you will be covering a real job role. This can be on either a short or long term basis. We have various placements across the county within Dorset County Council, NHS Dorset, Purbeck District Council, North Dorset District Council and Weymouth & Portland Borough Council. Currently we have apprentices working within the following areas: Human Resources, Dorset Works Organisation, Communications, Sure Start, Transportation, Catering Services, Payroll, Youth Services, Trading Standards, Pupil and School Improvement, Premises, Children’s Services Business Support and many more. When looking at placements, where possible we try to match vacancies against skills, interests and location. Some placements may be covering a permanent vacant position, with an opportunity to move into that position on a permanent basis. Whilst some apprentices may only have one work placement and be made permanent in that position, many apprentices may have a number of placements before finding a permanent position. This may be due to having a number of short term placements or it could be that when they join the apprenticeship scheme they are unsure of what area they want to work in, so it takes a while for them to identify what they are looking for in a permanent role. A major benefit of our apprenticeship scheme is the range and scope of placements potentially available. It means that new opportunities come up all the time and that if someone is really unhappy in a role then we have the flexibility to find them a new placement better suited to them. Our aim is that by the end of their final year, all apprentices will be in a permanent position. 3. What support will I receive during the Apprenticeship? There are many sources of support available to you, throughout your apprenticeship. Apprenticeship Scheme Coordinator (Learning & Development): The Apprenticeship Scheme Coordinator oversees the whole scheme and is responsible for arranging work placements. Their role is to act as a link between the scheme and the different areas the apprentices are based in. They are also there to provide advice, guidance and support as necessary. Course Tutor & Assessor (Learning & Development): During the first year of your apprenticeship you will attend two workshops a month and then one a month in the second year. During these workshops you will have the opportunity to discuss any issues or concerns that you may have. Your tutor will also be happy to meet up with you or speak via the telephone or email between workshops. Your tutor may also be your assessor, or you may have an additional assessor who works closely with your tutor. Your assessor will be another source of support, advice and guidance. Mentors: Within the apprenticeship we run a mentoring scheme. We offer all new apprentices the opportunity to have a mentor, who is an existing apprentice. In addition to this, the Apprentice of the Year (awarded every August) becomes a mentor to all new apprentices. Many apprentices also have informal work based mentors, either apprentices who have completed the scheme or colleagues they work closely with. Supervisor/Line Manager: Your supervisor/line manager will have day to day responsibility for you within the workplace. You will have regular supervision meetings with this manager to review your performance and also discuss any issues or concerns you may have. In addition to this, every 12 weeks a 3 way review will be held. This is a meeting between the apprentice, their supervisor and a member of Learning & Development to review performance in both the work placement and the apprenticeship scheme and discuss any issues or concerns. 4. What will my day to day duties be? Your actual duties will vary depending on your work placement. In addition to role specific tasks, common duties include: • Working as part of a team • Post – opening, sorting and distributing to colleagues • Filing • Photocopying • Answering the telephone, answering queries and taking messages for colleagues • Sending out and responding to emails from colleagues and customers • Greeting visitors to the office • Entering information on to spreadsheets or on to specific computer systems • Sorting out agendas for meetings and taking minutes Please see the case studies for more detailed examples of what people do in their roles as Apprentices. 5. After the Apprenticeship is completed, what happens next? During the second year of the apprenticeship scheme, it is our aim to find permanent positions for all the apprentices. This then means that you will already be in a permanent role when you complete your apprenticeship. We hope that this will be the start of a long and satisfying career within local government or the Primary Care Trust. You will continue to receive lots of support, primarily from your supervisor/line manager but also from the Apprenticeship Scheme Coordinator and your course tutor/assessor as needed.

Apprenticeships

Frequently Asked Questions