An apprenticeship provides the opportunity for someone to break into a new industry while learning on the job. You’ll get a salaried position entitling you to holiday leave and workplace benefits such as pension contributions and will spend 20% of your working hours working towards a nationally recognised qualification.
To be eligible for an apprenticeship you need to be over the age of 16 and not in full-time education and either early in your career, looking to upskill in your current job, or looking for a career change. They’re not permanent positions, but there’s a high chance that an employer will offer you a permanent job at the end of your apprenticeship.
Each month, around 40,000 apprenticeships are advertised with an average salary of £28,515. With some apprenticeships having an average salary of £37,862 you could be taking home a great salary and a qualification.
Ready to find an apprenticeship? We’ve got you covered with 20 of the best-paying apprenticeships in the UK.
Electrical apprentice
Average salary: £37,862
There is a range of careers for electrical apprentices. You could be working in people’s homes installing, fixing and maintaining electrical systems or working in a commercial setting doing anything from rolling out street lighting to working on specific machinery.
You can complete an apprenticeship in this field from level two to four which means there are plenty of opportunities depending on your level of education.
If you’re not sure if you want to work for someone forever, a lot of electricians choose to work for themselves after they qualify.
See more engineering jobs.
Mechanical apprentice
Average salary: £35,569
Do you love cars? Becoming a mechanical apprentice could be a great way to get under the bonnet of your favourite motor vehicle.
You could find yourself working at an auto centre, working for a car rental company, or even working directly with an automotive brand like Ford or Tesla.
There are lots of different apprenticeship routes allowing you to specialise in a specific field such as heavy-duty mechanics (who work on large vehicles and equipment), motorcycle mechanics, and marine mechanics.
See more trade & construction jobs.
Engineering apprentice
Average salary: £32,673
Engineering is a really broad industry. You could work in aerospace, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, research and development, or even join the space race.
There are a variety of apprenticeships, depending on your level of education, and you can even do a degree apprenticeship to get a BEng.
See more engineering jobs.
Legal apprentice
Average salary: £30,706
Know your Suits from your Judge John Deed? If you’re interested in knowing how our laws work then perhaps a legal career is for you.
At GCSE level you can complete a CILEx Level Two Diploma for Legal Secretaries which teaches you about secretarial and administrative work in a legal setting.
Entering with some A-Levels? You can complete a legal secretaries route (level three), a paralegal route (level three) or a solicitor apprenticeship (level seven).
If you’d like to become a legal executive, you’ll need to complete one of the level three programmes in advance. In most firms, you can progress up the levels and could get a really lucrative job at the end of it.
See more legal jobs.
Accounting apprentice
Average salary: £28,057
Love numbers? Apprentice accountants work towards becoming accountants. You’ll normally specialise in something like tax or audit.
The beauty of an accountancy apprenticeship is it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re working at an accountancy firm, you could be within the finance team at another organisation.
The apprenticeship route actually means you’ll reach the same level as a graduate a year quicker!
See more accounting & finance jobs.
Design apprentice
Average salary: £27,468
Want to try your hand at design? An apprenticeship could involve designing websites, creating marketing assets, and developing a brand identity.
You’ll need to have some creative flair and enjoy working on your computer for a lot of the day. You’ll also need to be happy working with others, as you’ll need to take briefs from colleagues that you accurately implement.
See more creative & design jobs.
Banking apprentice
Average salary: £26,148
Typically offered by the main retail banks, a banking apprentice can be a great foot in the door.
You’ll normally join a team within one of the bank’s main functions such as risk, customer operations, or digital transformation.
This apprenticeship could lead to a career in data analytics, finance management, operations, project management, retail banking, or risk.
See more accounting & finance jobs.
Human Resources apprentice
Average salary: £25,941
A career in human resources means that you’ll work with a range of people and work through any people issues that arise. This could be supporting a colleague who is unwell, transitioning someone back into the workplace, or even having to work on a company restructuring.
Apprenticeships in HR are available at two levels, three and five, with the lower level enabling you to reach HR support and the higher level helping you to become an HR consultant or partner.
See more HR and recruitment jobs.
Insurance apprentice
Average salary: £25,282
Insurance is an industry with a skills shortage, so many companies are keen to attract talent into junior positions and train them on the job.
There are plenty of apprenticeships available at levels three and four in a variety of specialisms including risk, audit, credit control, and insurance.
This could be a great industry in terms of progression and company benefits.
See more accounting & finance jobs.
Business apprentice
Average salary: £22,140
As you might expect with a term such as business, there is a broad range of apprenticeship routes available.
Business apprenticeships fall into three main routes, business administration leading to roles such as a personal assistant or office manager, business development leading to roles in project management or business development, and management apprenticeships leading to roles in leadership positions.
Degree apprenticeships are also available if you’d like to pursue a degree and a career at the same time.
See more admin jobs.
Software developer apprentice
Average salary: £21,451
The software industry is booming and it can be really lucrative. The average salary for a software developer is £58,342, so it’s hardly surprising that this is a popular apprenticeship route.
You’ll learn how to code and during a higher level apprenticeship specialise in a specific language.
See more IT jobs.
Recruitment apprentice
Average salary: £21,381
Do you find the world of jobs really exciting? You’ll learn how to find the right candidates for vacancies and how to find the vacancies too.
At level two you’ll learn to be a resourcer which means that you’ll do a lot of research behind the scenes. At level three, you’ll be meeting clients and candidates and working on your own customer-facing projects.
See more HR and recruitment jobs.
Customer service apprentice
Average salary: £21,278
Customer service is a vital part of most businesses and this is a great apprenticeship for anyone who likes helping people, working as a team and has great communication skills.
Once you’ve completed your apprenticeship there are loads of opportunities to work in most industries. You could be dealing with customer enquiries for your local council, resolving issues on a web chat for an e-commerce site or working in a contact centre.
See more customer service jobs.
Retail apprentice
Average salary: £21,258
Retail is a lot more than just working on the shop floor. Apprentices could become buyers, merchandisers, managers, style advisors, or even travel consultants.
You could work at a big high street brand such as Boots, Aldi, or Marks & Spencer and work your way up to a senior position.
The schemes vary, depending on the company, so spend some time researching which retailer is for you.
See more retail jobs.
IT apprentice
Average salary: £20,028
IT apprenticeships are offered at advanced, higher, and degree levels in a whole range of disciplines including AI, networking, and general IT.
A lot of the IT schemes are around 24 months in duration and at the end of the scheme, you’ll have gained both broad and specialist knowledge.
Although the average wage for an IT apprentice is quite low, the average wage for IT jobs once you qualify is £55,220.
See more IT jobs.
Pharmacy apprentice
Average salary: £19,773
Pharmacy apprenticeships can prepare you for a role as a pharmacy technician or pharmacy support. Although currently there isn’t a pathway to becoming a pharmacist, that is in development.
You could also choose to do a clinical pharmacology scientist integrated degree which enables you to lead clinical research and trials.
See more healthcare & nursing jobs.
Digital marketing apprentice
Average salary: £19,446
A career in marketing could really take you places. You could become a social media manager, a paid ads director, a copywriter, or an SEO lead.
As a digital marketing apprentice, you’ll usually get the chance to try your hand at a few things so that you can specialise once you’ve completed the programme.
See more PR, advertising, and marketing jobs.
Administration apprentice
Average salary: £19,123
This is a junior apprenticeship that is best suited to someone who doesn’t currently have much work experience or training.
Administration skills will give you a good foundation to explore a career in HR, office management, marketing, sales, or finance.
See more admin jobs.
Business administration apprentice
Average salary: £18,620
A business administration apprenticeship trains you in skills that are important for so many other careers. You’ll be learning how to file and compile financial data, how to use key software such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel and manage a reception desk and deal with enquiries.
You’ll need to love organising, be interested in how businesses work and want to support other colleagues.
See more admin jobs.
Childcare apprentice
Average salary: £18,468
Childcare and education are more varied than you might initially expect. Apprenticeships include opportunities in teaching, learning mentorship, and children, young people, and family management.
If for example, you were currently working as a teaching assistant, you could do an apprenticeship to become a fully qualified teacher.
See more childcare jobs.
Read more: The highest paying jobs that don’t require a degree
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