Higher Apprenticeships What you need to know

Higher Apprenticeships What you need to know by Michael Cheary Looking for an apprenticeship that suits your skills? It might be time to aim higher… OK, so most of us have probably heard about the benefits of apprenticeships. But rather than being something only available to you straight after you’ve finished school, there are a number of different types of apprenticeship you could be taking â€" many of which you might actually be unfamiliar with.To help point you in the right direction, here’s everything you need to know about Higher Apprenticeships â€" and why they could be one of the best-kept secrets in education:What are Higher Apprenticeships?Higher Apprenticeships are similar to other apprenticeship schemes but are available at higher education level.Essentially, a Higher Apprenticeship is equivalent to one or more years of university. A Level 6 Higher Apprenticeship is comparable to a Bachelor’s Degree, and those who complete Level 7 have the same industry knowledge as a Masters graduate.They’re the t op level of all the apprenticeships you can take, coming after both Intermediate Apprenticeships and Advanced Apprenticeships. As with all other apprenticeships they combine workplace training with classroom study.Advanced Apprenticeships: What you need to knowHow long do they last?Higher Apprenticeships run for a minimum of 12 months, and can last up to four years.However there is no fixed maximum time limit to complete the study and assessments, and the exact length of time yours takes will be determined by your employer.What can I study?Higher Apprenticeships are currently available in over 40 different industry areas.That means that the range of options on offer is vast, with opportunities in everything from Aerospace Engineering to Agriculture up-for-grabs. Some of the most popular Higher Apprenticeships include Business Administration, Construction, IT, Fashion Textiles, and Social Media Digital Marketing.Additionally, due to the increasing popularity of Higher Apprenticeshi ps, the government is actively looking to expand the industry areas further in the near future.Five apprenticeships you may not have consideredHow old do I have to be for Higher Apprenticeship?You must be at least 16 years old in order to start an apprenticeship.However, as Higher Apprenticeships require UCAS points for admission, you usually won’t be able to enrol until you’re over the age of 18.Apprenticeships for school leavers  Can I continue my education while I’m doing an apprenticeship?Absolutely. The purpose of the Higher Apprenticeship is to provide classroom experience alongside practical on-the-job training.As a result, the majority of those completing a Higher Apprenticeship negotiate with their employer to either have a set day out of the office for study each week, or blocks of a few weeks throughout the year to complete their course in a classroom setting.Many employers will also encourage you to develop your computer and IT skills at your study centre should yo u wish to improve in these areas.Am I eligible for a Higher Apprenticeship?You’ll generally need at least a Level 3 qualification to qualify for a Higher Apprenticeship. Popular examples include A Levels, BTECs and Cambridge Nationals.And, as Higher Apprenticeship is the next step up from an Advanced Apprenticeship, this is also a suitable entry requirement.Applying for apprenticeshipsApprenticeships: How to get startedWhat are the advantages of a Higher Apprenticeship?The main advantage of a Higher Apprenticeship is that you can earn money while you study â€" with the added bonus being that you won’t have any tuition fees or student debts when you finish.Exactly how much you can earn will vary, but starting salaries for Higher Apprentices will usually be around £10,000 per annum, and in some industries can progress up to £24,000 per annum.Other than a regular salary, a wide range of companies offer Higher Apprenticeships. So whether you want to work for a boutique PR agency, an established accountancy firm or a thriving tech team, there’s a work environment out there to suit everyone.Finally, promotion for Higher Apprentices in companies is fairly common. Many businesses continue to employ Higher Apprentices after they finish their studies due to their excellent knowledge of the business and their clients.And even if you found that the field you worked in wasn’t for you, with this qualification you’ll find it easier to move into other areas of the business â€" and beyond.Why choose an apprenticeship?What next?After completing a Higher Apprenticeship, you can either continue on with your current employer, choose to change companies, or even move on to an Honours Degree or chartered status in some industries.Ready to get started? View all available apprenticeships now.Find a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the

15 Things overachievers do

15 Things overachievers do 1. They use lists. High achievers organize their thinking with lists, they organize their time with lists, and when they want to spur their creativity, the best tool they have is to force themselves out of the comfort of their list. 2. They use pharmaceuticals. Adderall is de rigueur for the high-powered jobs in high-powered cities to the point that there is a shortage of available Adderall, (and a site to monitor the shortage). Pharmaceutical frenzy is nothing new for gen-yers who used prescription drugs to get a leg up on everything. New York magazines ode to Xanax lets you diagnose the type of overachiever you are with the type of pharmaceutical you like best. 3. They let doors shut all the time. Overachievers know their mom was lying when she said they could be anything. So its not that big a deal when they see doors shut. They pick a specialty, they give stuff up to get stuff, they know adult life is about making tough choices. 4. They talk about their weaknesses. Not in a stupid way, like, I wish I could not be so perfect. But in a real way, because every strength comes with weaknesses and were not good at everything. Overachievers know they arent being hired for their weakness, so they let people know that they see themselves clearly by talking about weaknesses. 5. They work for free. Internships that are (illegally) unpaid, startups that are not (yet) funded, speeches and blog posts that help you do the (unavoidable) work of building your brand. These are all acceptable paths to greatness, you just need to know when its okay to work for free. 6. They drop out of school. Most powerful people go to the same small group of schools. For all other schools, college is a ponzi scheme. Besides, today the top-tier schools are set up to favor homeschoolers over kids who go to conventional school.  And dont even get me started on grad school: its so bad for your career that youll have to leave it off your resume. 7. They get tons of coaching. High-performers get coachingthey pay for it themselves, and their companies pay for some as well, because corporations know that high-potential employees only get to full potential with coaching. Also, people who are on their way to the top ranks enlist mentors to help them get there. (Whats the difference between a mentor and a coach? The type of access you have.) 8. They get pregnant at 25. If theyre a woman, that is. Its clear that only a very small, anomalous group of women can have a high-powered job when they have young kids. So women should make a plan to have kids early, and then they can position themselves  for a high-powered job once their kids are all grown up. 9. They come out of the closet. If theyre gay. People who are openly gay at work  do better than people who hide it. Probably because,  people who hide that theyre gay cannot make true connections with people at work. The photographer Jeff Sheng has done amazing work around the importance of coming out. (Most recently, his Fearless project documents overachiever athletes coming out, and the photos in this post are from that project.) 10. They dont talk about being well-rounded.  Top performers are people who focused on something to get great at it. As kids, it means they  stop learning to meet national standards  because  the standards create mediocre learners. And as adults it means  you find a specialty so you remain employable. 11. They dont get divorced. Sure, the divorce rate is really high. But not for rich, educated parents. (Example: divorce rate among Asian college graduates is around 1%.) Divorce decreases your resources by half. But more importantly,  divorce selfishly messes up the kids lives, and overachiever parents want to raise overachiever kids. 12. They dont write books.  The book industry is dead. They have no control over distribution channels and they have no control over author publicity,  so the value publishers add in the book business is pretty much zero. Amazon so completely dominates the book industry that Forbes declared that  Amazon is now ripe for disruptionthey are the publishing model to beat. So for now, if you have an idea, put it in a blog. Harvard Business Review says that  people who are serious about ideas are blogging. 13. They dont let themselves get fat. The Economist reports that obesity in the US is largely something that does not affect rich, educated people, (which is consistent with research that shows good-looking people make more money.) 14. They sell out. Usually I do a post at the end of the year thats a list of the most popular posts of the year. But its so bad for SEO; I wanted to write something that would resonate even at the end of next year, too. So these are links to my favorite posts this year. Disguised. I didnt get to this one, though: Its the post with my favorite photo of 2012. 15. They steal stuff. Overachievers know they have tons of ideas so they dont care if people steal some of theirs. Overachievers are more likely to bend the rules to make life easier for themselves. Thats why I stole the idea for this post from Thought Catalogue.

Recruiting the Effective Job Applicant - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Recruiting the Effective Job Applicant - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career While there is no perfect employee, some job seekers are much more effective than others.   These are the individuals who are indispensable to their companies. By effective, I am referring to someone who delivers results.  They dont need to be micromanaged.  Recruiting the effective job applicant means staffing someone who is going to deliver earnings. Moreover, these individuals can thrive during turbulent times.  Clients like them.  Co-workers emulate them.  He or she has a vision, sets firm goals and relentlessly pursues those set achievements. Recruiting the effective job applicant Effective job applicants are in short supply as they carry a high demand.  Often, these employees have multiple job offers.  This is the case even when they are not actively seeking employment. Their ability to make organizations money combined with multiple parties bidding to recruit them raises their asking salary price. Regardless of asking price or availability, recruiting the effective job applicant begins with determining who can and cant get the job done properly. While the effective employee comes in every size and shape, they all share similar ingredients.  To mitigate the complexity of staffing them, here are 5 traits to actively seek out when recruiting the effective job applicant. 1. Strong leadership qualities Recruiting the effective job applicant begins and ends with strong leadership qualities.  They dont follow.  Rather, their leadership qualities allows them to innovate. They can inspire trust.  The effective job seeker is original.  They are their own person. Additionally, recruiting the effective job seeker means finding those individuals who are not people pleasers. Instead, they use their candor and self-confidence to stand up for what they believe in. 2. Desire to succeed The effective job applicant doesnt focus on limitations. Rather, they focus on possibilities.  They consistently test themselves. The ability to staff job seekers like this starts with the belief system that a manager cant motivate a person who doesnt have the drive for success. In the effective applicant, there is an inherent drive to succeed. This is both in their personal and professional life. They are passionate.  This passion to become both a better person and better employee ends up being the foundation for their ability to seamlessly execute on the jobs that need to get done. 3. High intelligence The effective job applicant embraces learning.  They want to be involved in everything.  These individuals have a curiosity that allows them to learn from errors. Their intelligence affords management the luxury of saving training time.  They realize that they are their own best teacher. When recruiting, a hiring manager can decipher the effective job seeker by that individuals belief that they can learn anything. Additionally, their calm and collected manner gives them the luxury of representing their organization in a professional, composed manner. A well-spoken demeanor derived from their intellect makes them appear more confident and leadership oriented to their clients. 4. Willingness to make mistakes The effective job applicant enjoys the journey of success.  Often, they anticipate mistakes. Though, when mistakes are made, they possess a unique outlook on the situation. Mishaps are not pervasive, career ending events. They consider mistakes one step closer to getting it right. Their ability to learn stems from discovering the wrong way to accomplish tasks. They see positives in what many consider a negative.  This fuels risk taking which, in turn encourages more innovation. Conversely, the average job seeker strives for a perfection that is never there and this ambition ends up hindering their ability to truly excel. 5. Loyalty and integrity Integrity hinders on trust.  Without it, an effective job seeker quickly become average. They keep their word. Regardless of setbacks, their personal values remain intact.  Co-workers and clients alike are attracted to their dedication to do the right thing. He or she has a vision of doing the right thing.  Recruiting the effective job seeker means finding those people who possess a rigid value system. In the end One of the biggest issues that companies face is finding and properly recruiting the effective job seeker. When staffing these individuals, look for leadership qualities that are not present in the average applicant. Youre not going to get the recruiting process right every time. However, finding those effective job seekers will allow an organization to overcome significant hurdles and climb mountains they never thought possible. Author: Ken Sundheim is the CEO of KAS Placement sales recruiting,  an executive search firm specializing in sales and marketing recruitment across over 100 different industries.

Finding The Road To Simplicity

Finding The Road To Simplicity Simplicity. Even the word itself has a pleasant, calm ring to it.   Most of us, if we slow down long enough, can pretty easily look around and notice how we’ve complicated our lives.   Sometimes, we complicate them so much that we have to take a step backwards, re-group, and begin again.   Since we’ve all experienced that, it seems it would be better to evaluate and adjust our course before we reach the point of knowing it’s gone too far. I think we all set out in life with the idea that life will be wonderful.   It’s only human to fantasize about all the great things we’re going to be or have or do.   We forget about the costs involved.   We forget to ask ourselves, “When I get to that place in life, and really look at it, am I going to like what I see?” Looking Inward and Looking Outward One of the easiest to see examples  of this is in the lives of celebrities.   On the outside, they seem to have it all.   An exciting life, wealth, and all the glamour we could ever want for.   And yet there’s a constant flow of news articles about how they’ve gotten themselves into drugs and alcohol abuse.   They divorce even more frequently than the rest of us.   In all their “have everything-ness,” their lives betray an odd unhappiness. I’ve noticed a couple exceptions to that, one of whom is Jim Carrey.   I have a lot more admiration for the celebrities who seem just a little more real, a little more insightful than others.     My notion of Carrey was confirmed recently when I came across this video, a compilation of snips of a commencement speech he delivered. There seems to be a growing interest in simplifying life.   A realization that what’s important maybe isn’t what we originally thought.   Not just personally, but in business and even government there’s a growing awareness that over-complication leads to frustration and lower productivity in general.   I just finished a new book, Think Simple by Ken Segall.   In it, he examines   the results of doing business, and life, in a far too complex way.   He lays out clear steps to make changes that embrace simplicity.   The results are amazing, with happier people who are much more highly productive. If   this resonates with you, if you’re feeling an urge to simplify a few things in your life, here’s my adaptation of some of the steps outlined in Think Simple: Wishing and hoping for anything won’t make it real.   If you are really done with all the web of craziness you’ve woven, make a firm commitment to change it, and begin to take action. Examine your life to find the sources of stress.   While some stress is actually a good thing, if the payoff is below the costs, it’s time to make some changes. Our life isn’t lived in isolation.   There are others involved.   Be sure to consider the perspective of the significant relationships in your life.   And remember that it’s least stressful when you walk neither in front of nor behind others, but beside them. The cliché goes “if you want something done, do it yourself.”   The close cousin to that is the person who micro-manages everything.   Neither work very well.   Empower and trust the others in your life to do their part.   Yes, they’ll make mistakes sometimes.   And they’ll learn, just as you did. Know how to aim. Aiming high is fine, but that doesn’t mean anything less than that mark is a failure, or not good enough.   In defining and judging your results, make it easier to feel success and happiness.   The direction of your travel, and progress,   is far more important than the speed. Just keep swimming.  Sometimes, you’ll have to swim upstream to build experience and stamina.   At other times, allow yourself to enjoy the blissful and joyous ride downstream.     Take time to smell all those roses you didn’t even notice on the way up. Simplicity:  Bliss is Waiting For You It’s becoming ever more evident in our hectic, high-speed world that the constant pursuit of more, bigger, and better doesn’t necessarily bring satisfaction and happiness.   There’s a wonderful freedom in shifting from doing life by having what you want, to wanting what you have.   It’s not that difficult.   It’s called simplicity. Images: Simple or Complicated:  Catalina Rusu  Simplicity  Alice Popkorn

Discover the Benefits of RBK Resume Help and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Help

Discover the Benefits of RBK Resume Help and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) HelpThe right one of the many RBK Resume Help programs can be a blessing for those who are searching for any kind of information that will help them find work. Whether it is about filling out resumes or compiling a CV, or any other aspect of finding employment, this is something that can make things much easier for all parties involved.Unfortunately, a lot of the people who use search engines to find jobs will get a lot of junk mail in their email inbox. This will include resume and CV samples that don't do anything to help them find work. They will only add clutter to your inbox, but are not going to help you at all.Finding the right RBK resume help is not as difficult as you might think. With so many programs on the market, you should be able to find a program that fits your needs and objectives. These should be tailored to suit the needs of any one person who needs some assistance.When looking at a numbe r of these programs, the first thing that you might notice is that they are all designed in a way that works with search engines and advertisements. This can be a little disconcerting if you are looking for something completely different. However, it is important to look at this as an advantage.The small amount of free time that most people have is enough to make it worthwhile to pay for a service that will help you find what you need. Look for a program that is user-friendly. This means that you will not have to hire someone to help you through the process and can spend more time looking for work.This is the first step towards getting rid of the clutter in your inbox that might be distracting you from finding something that will help you find work. Don't lose the chance to look fora job by getting overwhelmed with the large number of applications out there. You can't stand to lose your job by wasting time on applications that will not help you in your efforts to find employment.Wha t is most valuable to you is to find something that will help you find the information that you need, without adding too much clutter to your life. The first step to finding this is to think about the kinds of things that you are looking for in your next employer. You should be able to pick out the type of resume and CV that will best meet your needs. This can all be done quickly by taking a look at the RBK resume help available online.This will give you a better idea of the proper RBK resume help to help you find employment. This is the one of the most valuable and important ways to avoid wasting your time. It will help you find what you need quickly and easily, saving you time and frustration.

Seven Stakeholders Every Company Should Try to Please

Seven Stakeholders Every Company Should Try to Please If you would like to be successful in business, it is important that you pay attention to the relationships your brand builds with different stakeholders. Keeping in touch with various stakeholders who have an interest in the operation of the company will help you maintain your reputation and create a positive brand image. Many authors and business experts focus too much on one of the most important group of stakeholders: customers. Other groups, however, are just as important if you would like to plan for growth and gain commitment. Find out more below. 1. Customers Of course, customers should be taken care of first, as they are the direct beneficiaries of the company’s activities. When you design a product and set the pricing strategy, delivery method, and quality requirements, you are trying to please and impress your potential customers. However, as your market share increases, the demographics of your customers will change, and you will need to check with them to make sure your company is still able to meet their requirements. 2. Business Partners Your company might also be dependent of its business partners. If you are renting an office from another company or have a financial agreement to fund your project with another business, it is important that you are maintaining a positive relationship. Good partnerships are built on reciprocity, so you will always have to check whether or not there is a balance between what you give and what you get. Check with your business partners whether they are still happy with the agreement you have, so you can plan your business long term. 3. Employees Your employees are the most productive part of your business, and in some cases they will be the face of your brand. If you respect them and keep your workers happy, they will be more committed to the business, and they will be more motivated to do a good job. If you don’t yet have a detailed reward and recognition program at the workplace, it might be time to sit down with your workers’ representatives, so you can find out how you can meet their needs and help them achieve their full potential. 4. Government Authorities It is always a good idea to stay on the right side of the law. Most businesses in the 21st century are regulated, and need to comply with legislations set by industry organizations and government authorities. If you are unsure whether or not you are doing the right thing, it is better to check before you make a decision than receiving a fine and seeing your reputation getting ruined. Most government agencies have designated services for businesses to obtain information and advice. Make use of them, and show your willingness to comply with the law. 5. Shareholders You might be asking yourself what is a shareholder. A shareholder is simply a person or a business that owns a proportion of the company. If your firm is publicly trading, you can start selling shares in the company. In some cases, companies reward and motivate their employees with granting them shares in the firm, so your employees will be your shareholders. No matter who they are, they are looking for guaranteed growth and solid performance, so they can see their investment grow. Your aims are aligned, so you should increase your profits and remain compliant to  keep your shareholders happy. 6. Communities Companies should also take their responsibilities for communities seriously. If you are using any resources, or provide employment in the local area, it is important to build positive, meaningful relationships. Listen to what community leaders have to say and try to create shared projects. Whether you are willing to allow the public to use your open space for events, or would like to support a donation campaign for a local cause, your brand’s reputation will increase, and your community will be more likely to accept you. 7. Suppliers Many manufacturing and retail businesses also depend on their suppliers. If you communicate your standards and requirements regularly and clearly, you are more likely to have solid relationships with your suppliers, and will not be let down by them. There are several ways you can collaborate with your suppliers: providing training,  offering support, or sharing information or resources. Whether you own a small accounting firm or a national retail business, you need to take into consideration the values, preferences, and interest of your stakeholders. If you look after these groups, they are more likely to support and help you in the future.

How to Negotiate a Salary Increase - Jane Jackson Career

How to Negotiate a Salary Increase - Jane Jackson Career How to Negotiate a Salary IncreaseYou love your job, you work long hours, you deliver without fail and you like your boss.   However, you have a sneaky feeling that you are not getting paid what you are worth.     Before you march into your manager’s office and insist on a pay rise, prepare well for your negotiation to give yourself the best possible chance for success. Approach the negotiation with an open and positive mindset.  The conversation should be a request for a salary review based on your performance in the role, not a demand for a salary increase.  The salary discussion is not a battle, it is a conversation and should end up being a win-win situation for both you and your manager.  1.   Conduct Your ResearchBefore you approach your manager, ensure that you conduct research to find out the current market value of your role in your industry.  You can do this by gathering information from your network of contacts that work in a similar industry and by comparing the inf ormation provided in various online salary surveys through major recruitment agencies such as www.robertwalters.com.   These salary surveys provide the current market rate for different roles in different industries and I have found the Robert Walters survey to be an excellent indication in the commercial environment.Ensure that the job size, company size and extent of responsibility are on par with your job when making a comparison.   Contact recruitment consultants who are specialists in your field and talk with them about your role. Indicate your key responsibilities (including revenue and number of staff you are responsible for) to get a feel for the market value of similar sized positions.   An Operations Manager in one company can mean and hold differing responsibilities and salary to the same title in another company.  Recognise  the difference between the value of the role that you perform from your managers perspective and your value as an individual  from your perspective.  When approaching a salary review, think of it from your managers perspective.2.   Find out internal budget constraints  Many companies plan for salary increases months in advance and managers are given a % increase figure that they need to spread across their staff when considering salary increases. Conduct research to gain an understanding of what the average % salary increases are in your industry.  If you approach your manager with this knowledge it may be possible to negotiate an ‘out of cycle’ pay increase if you are willing to wait a few months.3.  Justify your request with evidenceHIghlight how well you get along with your team members, how you contribute to the positive, pro-active atmosphere.Your accomplishments in the role will be the main selling point when it comes to a positive result in a salary review.  Make sure you prepare yourself well before approaching your manager by documenting your achievements in your role to date.  You may have increased profits, s aved money, saved time, improved relationships with customers or clients, streamlined processes, improved morale, generated positive feedback and appreciation, demonstrated your creativity and innovation in your role to the benefit of the organisation.   These are your accomplishments.   Write them down so they are clear in your head.   You can talk about how you have contributed to the success of the company or department with tangible results.  This will remind your manager of your value to the organisation.  You will not get a salary raise because of emotional reasons, you will get a salary raise because of your worth to the organisation so stick to the facts.  The manager does not need to know that you have multiple debts, a mortgage to service, school fees to pay, expenses that are going out of control.4.  Indicate how your continued excellent performance is a future investmentDiscuss with your manager about how you would like to use your accomplishments as goals for contin ued achievement in the future. Managers know that a pay increase is not only a reward for past achievement but also for your future efforts. You salary raise will be an investment in you and not a cost. 5.  Know how to negotiate a win-win outcomeWhen you are ready, make an appointment with your manager for a discussion. Make sure you have time set aside for a one-on-one discussion without interruptions, early in the day is a good time before things get too busy.  If you pop your head in the door of your managers office and ask for a discussion on the spur of the moment you will not set yourself up for success.  Always discuss your salary review face to face if possible, not in an email or over the phone.  It is important to be able to read your managers body language, positive or negative, during the course of the conversation.Highlight your achievements in a broad sense initially. At this point you can let your manager respond. If they respond favourably you are in a good positi on. Think of the salary review discussion as an opportunity to gain feedback from your manager on how you are performing in your role.   Gaining insight from your manager will be valuable so that you can ensure that you capitalize on the positives of his or her comments during the discussion.If the answer is no to a salary increase, there may be other options that will be satisfying to you such as subsidised training to upgrade your skills, professional memberships of associations, flexible working arrangements, employee incentive plans.  Discuss these with your manager, keeping an open mind.   If subsidized training and participation in professional associations expand your skills sets and professional networks, this will put you in a stronger position the next time you approach your manager for a salary increase.In summary to be successful when negotiating a pay rise, you need to demonstrate your worth and value to the company.    And remember to conduct the negotiation with pr ofessionalism and grace.Jane Jackson is Director of Style Success, career management coaching services.   For more information visit www.janejacksoncoach.com or contact jane@janejacksoncoach.com