Apprenticeship CV Example & Writing Tips

Ensure your CV format is structured to best highlight your unique experience and life situation.

Apprenticeships are an opportunity to earn money while you learn practical skills you can use for your whole career. Depending on the qualification level you’re aiming for, an apprenticeship can last between one and five years.

In England, you can start apprenticeships after you turn 16. But you should check the country-specific apprenticeship policies and opportunities if you live in Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland.

Most apprenticeships will be formal programmes (that usually have 20% of time dedicated to structured learning), but apprenticeships that don’t have a formal education component — often called junior or trainee roles — also exist.

No matter the kind of apprenticeship you’re applying for, follow our five tips to write a CV that lands you your desired apprenticeship:

1. Research your target apprenticeship

If you’re confident you want to do an apprenticeship but are still unsure about the particular field, scan the official UK site for available positions. Job boards will also list apprenticeship opportunities. As you look through the options, consider:

• the location of the company and the training provider
• how well the apprenticeship responsibilities match your strengths and interests
• the length of the apprenticeship (if you’re still unsure about the apprenticeship type, you may prefer to do a shorter apprenticeship)

When choosing a field, think about whether you can see yourself in any one of the careers opened up by that apprenticeship. For example, a banking apprenticeship can lead to a career as a retail banker, change manager, financial risk analyst, etc.

Once you’ve settled on a field, research your target company. Using your research to tailor your apprenticeship CV shows the company you care about working for them and that they should invest in your training.

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2. Write a succinct but informative personal statement

Usually written last so that you can take the highlights from the rest of your CV, your CV’s personal statement summarises your qualifications to encourage recruiters to read your application carefully. Aim to include the following in the personal statement of your apprenticeship CV:

• apprenticeship-relevant qualifications, such as education or skills
• why you want to do an apprenticeship in your chosen field
• the name of the target company and why you want to apprentice with them

See how the aspiring apprentice below writes their personal statement:

3. Be detailed in your education section

If you don’t have a lot of work experience, expanding on your CV’s education section can do the same job of showing recruiters that you’re diligent and able to be trained.

Write your education qualifications in reverse-chronological order, starting with the highest qualification you’ve earned first. For example, you should list your A-levels before your GCSEs. Only list the qualifications in which you’ve received grades A*–C (or 9–4 for GCSEs after 2019).

4. Include a section that highlights what you’d be like as an apprentice

As you progress in your career, the place to show recruiters your skills and accomplishments is in your CV’s work experience section. But, as a would-be apprentice, it’s natural and expected that you may not have much work experience. Instead, discuss other experiences that show what you’d be like at work, such as:

• traineeships
• volunteering
• hobbies and interests

Emphasise the outcomes of your relevant experiences, including detailing achievements or numerical results. By using specifics on your apprenticeship CV to show what you can do, you give recruiters more confidence to invest in your career development.

Below is an example of a work experience bullet using hard numbers:

In this example, the candidate highlights an achievement from their hobby:

List experiences that demonstrate transferable skills useful for your target apprenticeship. For example, if you’re applying to a HR apprenticeship, you might add more detail about the teamwork and leadership skills you gained while playing on your local football team.

5. List general and industry-specific skills on your apprenticeship CV

Apprentices need both hard skills (those learned through formal training) and soft skills (personality-related skills developed through life experience).

Hard skills appropriate for most apprenticeships include basic maths and computer skills.

If you already have some industry-specific hard skills, ensure you put them in the skills section of your apprenticeship CV. For example, if you’re applying for an administrative apprenticeship, you might want to list the phone etiquette and data entry skills that you learnt from your summer job as a cashier. Don’t worry if you don’t have more advanced technical skills — that’s what the apprenticeship will teach you.

Good soft skills for your CV when you apply for an apprenticeship include:

• communication skills
• organisational skills
• interpersonal skills
• time management skills
• problem-solving skills
• self-motivation
• creativity
• enthusiasm
• willingness to be trained
• good work ethic