personal statement examples for degree apprenticeship

How to write an apprenticeship personal statement

If you know what career or industry you want to work in, an apprenticeship might be the best way to get a foot in the door.

There are thousands of apprenticeships across the country, and finding the right one for you is the first step. The second step? Writing your application.

Here’s everything you need to know to help you feel confident and prepared before you write your apprenticeship personal statement.

What is a personal statement?

A personal statement is a brief summary of who you are and your background.

It helps interviewers get to know you, and is a great way to show your skills, experience, education and personality to potential apprenticeship employers. If you’re interested in an apprenticeship that’s especially popular, your personal statement could be the make or break between getting accepted or not.

Do you need a personal statement for an apprenticeship?

It depends. it’s very common for apprenticeships and interviewers to ask for a personal statement, and this is a good thing – it gives you the opportunity to demonstrate what a great candidate you are.

Some apprenticeships will just ask for your CV, personal details, academic certificates or portfolio, or they might ask you to complete a test. Others might expect you to apply on employer career portals, where you type your information directly into the website.

What should I include in my apprenticeship personal statement?

An apprenticeship personal statement is usually less than one A4 page long, so you don’t need to delve into extreme detail. What you write will vary between applications, but here are the fundamental topics that you should include:

Employment/volunteering experience

Discuss any work experience, part-time jobs or volunteering that you have done. Focus on the skills and knowledge you learned, what you gained from the experience, or what you contributed. If your work/volunteering experience isn’t directly relevant to the apprenticeship, make sure you still include it – instead, try to focus on the transferable skills.

Academic background and qualifications

The chances are that you will have more academic experience than work experience, but this isn’t a problem. Write a few sentences about what you have learned from your studies, what skills you have developed, where you succeeded and what you enjoyed.

Show your enthusiasm

Don’t be afraid to be enthusiastic and show your interest – after all, interviewers will want to know that you are excited about this course and ready to learn.

Hobbies/interests

You don’t always need to include your hobbies and interests, but it can be a useful addition to your personal statement. You could discuss what skills you have learned from your extracurricular hobbies and how these are applicable to the apprenticeship or your future.

Future goals

There’s one big question that interviewers will ask: what do you want to do in the future? Briefly discuss what your future goals are, e.g. what job, industry or company you are working towards. Then, link it back to how the apprenticeship can help you achieve these goals.

What do I need to know before writing my apprenticeship personal statement?

Before you even put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard!) brainstorm your responses to the following questions. Try to briefly answer all, if not most, of them in your personal statement:

• Why do you want to work in this industry?
• What is it about this specific apprenticeship or company that interests you? Do some further research on their websites.
• What skills are required for this apprenticeship? And do you have them?
• When have you demonstrated the relevant skills? Think of some examples.
• What are your top 3 strengths or qualities?
• Why do you think an apprenticeship is right for you?

Not only will your answers help you write a high-quality personal statement, but this is a good reflective exercise to help you feel confident you’re on a path that you feel passionate and excited about.

How many apprenticeship applications should I send?

There’s no right or wrong answer. Each application should be personalised and relevant to the specific job or course that you’re applying for. Even if you apply for 5 accounting apprenticeships, don’t assume that every application can be the same just because they are all for the accounting industry.

But personalisation takes time, so don’t expect to spam 50 apprenticeships with your application if you want to be successful. In summary, there’s no limit to how many apprenticeships you can apply for, as long as you put the time and effort into personalising each application. 

Extra personal statement tips

Plan, plan, plan.

You know what they say: ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’. Once you’ve brainstormed your answers, organise them in a cohesive, concise manner so you know what you are going to say about each topic, and how you will link them together. This will help you to fit everything in without writing too much.

Check for errors

Once you’ve written your personal statement, make sure your proofread it for any typos, spelling mistakes or other errors. If you’re not confident that you’ll spot the mistakes, ask a friend, family member or a teacher to read it for you.

What’s the best thing you can do if you don’t have the right skills or subjects for a particular apprenticeship? Tell the truth. Don’t lie about what you have and haven’t done. Instead, describe any similar experience that you have, and explain why you want to learn new skills.

Apprenticeship personal statements take time to write. So don’t leave it until the night before the application closes – start early and give yourself enough days, weeks or even months to write an application that you’ll be proud of.

Use key words

Key words aren’t a necessity, but you could think about what words are frequently used to describe the apprenticeship. E.g. if you’re applying for a hairdressing apprenticeship, you might use words like ‘customer-focused’, ‘friendly’ and ‘creative’. You can usually identify keywords by reading job descriptions for the apprenticeship or similar jobs in that industry.

Re-read the apprenticeship description

Have you addressed the skills and experience that the apprenticeship is asking for? Have they asked you to write about something specific that you may have missed out? Re-read the apprenticeship description to make sure you’ve included everything.

If you haven’t heard back about your application, send a polite email or give the relevant person a call. Not only is this a great way to demonstrate your enthusiasm, but it will help you build a relationship with your potential employer.

Start writing your application today

This might seem like a lot of info, but once you have written a couple of personal statements it will feel much easier. Plus – it will be worth it when you secure your apprenticeship and dive into an exciting career.

Still not sure what to apply for? Take a look at our industry guides . From beauty to paramedics , science to tattooing , we’ve got everything you need to know about apprenticeships in your dream industry. 

More from the world of apprenticeships ...

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21 September 2023

How to Write an Apprenticeship CV

Are you struggling to write a CV for an apprenticeship? What a nightmare! If you’ve just stumbled across this page, you are incredibly fortunate.

Keep reading for a step-by-step guide to writing a CV for an apprenticeship application.

Before we begin…

There’s no need to put ‘Curriculum Vitae’ at the top of your CV. It’s just stating the obvious. It can be difficult to spell too. So why risk it?

Just use your name.

Now that’s out the way, you’re probably wondering if an apprenticeship is even for you. Let’s break it down a little.

Why should I do an apprenticeship?

An apprenticeship is a great option for any school leaver who wants the qualifications to start a career in a wide range of industries, but doesn’t want to tread the path of university.

If you’re dead set on uni, and you like the idea of apprenticeships – there’s a way. They’re called degree apprenticeships , and you don’t need to take out a student loan to do one. The government and your employer will pay your fees. So no debt for you. Score.

To find out more about the different types of apprenticeships and their entry requirements, read our overview of apprenticeship programmes .

Apprenticeship CV Guide

Step 1: your details.

After your name, you need to provide the employer with relevant contact information. Contact information is crucial. How will an employer get in touch to say ‘come in for an interview’ without your phone number or email address?

Step 2: PERSONAL STATEMENT

Keep it brief. Keep it focused.

Nobody cares for a long, rambling statement, which details your fondness for summer walks, soft cheese and watching re-runs of Friends.

In no more than five sentences, explain who you are, why you’re interested in this particular apprenticeship, and your career aspirations.

Apprenticeships train candidates to perform a specific job. Or for a role in that wider industry. Your personal statement should relate to that job or industry, and be tailored around the apprenticeship you’re applying for.

If you’re struggling with your personal statement, try and answer this question…

* How will you benefit the company during your apprenticeship? *

Step 3: KEY SKILLS

There can be an unholy number of applicants for each apprenticeship. And that means an unholy amount of CVs. Employers are unlikely to read each one from start to end.

A good apprenticeship CV has to grab the employer by the ears and scream ‘EMPLOY ME!’ within twenty seconds.

The best way to make an impression in such haste is with a series of bullet points listing your key skills. See it as a summary of your strengths. You can include things like…

• Time-management
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Working as part of a team.

Meet some of the RateMyApprenticeship team and find out some of their CV faux pas so you don’t make the same mistakes.

@ratemyapprenticeship We made the mistakes so you dont have to ✨👏🤝 #apprenticeships #cv #students #advice #gcses #alevels #school #jobs #exams #freshers2023 #examtimetable ♬ original sound – Ratemyapprenticeship

Step 4: EDUCATION

The first thing to remember in the education section of your apprentice CV is to put your most recent qualifications first. Put your A-Levels before your GCSEs.

Any modules studied during your A-Levels or GCSEs that are relevant to the apprenticeship are also worth a mention.

If you’re applying for an accounting apprenticeship, and you completed a project or a piece of coursework that focused on collecting and analysing data, let the employer know!

We’ve designed a template for an apprenticeship CV. This CV template is downloadable. And you can use it for any type of apprenticeship. 

If you follow our step-by-step guide to writing a CV for apprenticeships, you can use the template to create a CV that will have employers chasing you through the streets. 

Step 5: EMPLOYMENT HISTORY/WORK EXPERIENCE

If you have a job, list your key responsibilities and any awards or achievements you have been given.

If you’ve never had a paid job, this is a fantastic opportunity to discuss any unpaid or voluntary work you have under your belt. Detailing previous work experience is a great way of providing evidence of the key skills you have said you possess.

Anyone can write on their CV that they have a strength in customer service. How does an employer work out who is telling porkies? If you can point to your fortnight of work experience at Sainsbury’s, in which you dealt with a number of customer inquiries, you will look like royalty.

Some employers will hire apprentices even if they don’t have the required grades, but have completed relevant work experience. Not only is it crucial to finding an apprenticeship, but can make a difference when applying for jobs.

If you don’t have any work experience in the field of your apprenticeship, it’s a good idea to try and find some. Even just a week-long work experience placement in a role that is similar to the apprenticeship is valued highly by employers.

PRO TIP: When listing your responsibilities, it’s better to use words that convey action and a sense of purpose. Writing ‘I made a new pricing system’ is not going to inspire a prospective employer. However, if you change it to ‘I introduced and developed a new pricing system’, it sounds like you had a more active role.

Step 6: INTERESTS

If you don’t have the qualifications or relevant work experience, the interests section is the most important part of your apprenticeship CV.

Here, you can use your outside interests and extra-curricular activities to show an employer why you are an ideal candidate for an apprenticeship.

If you play in a sports team, now’s the time to convince the employer that you work well in a team. If you are a team captain, you can feed in your leadership qualities.

If you have any extra-curricular activities or interests that relate to the apprenticeship, highlight them. What you do with your free time is valuable information to an employer.

It tells them about your passions. If you can assure an employer that you are passionate about accounting, engineering or design, they are more likely to employ you.

Employers invest time and money in apprenticeship schemes. They would rather employ an apprentice who is enthusiastic about the course, rather than someone who is more qualified, but doesn’t care.

Step 7: REFERENCES

‘References are available on request’.

Unless an employer asks for your references ASAP, put this at the end of your CV.

You usually have to pick two referees. It’s a good idea to pick a person who knows you academically – perhaps a teacher in a subject that is similar to the apprenticeship.

If you have a job, your second referee could be your manager. They can testify to all the skills you have outlined throughout your CV. If you haven’t worked, choose someone you know from any work experience or volunteering you have done.

It’s better to choose referees that know you well. And who you share a good relationship with.

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Apprenticeship CV: How To Write A CV For An Apprenticeship

Have you found yourself at your wits’ end as you struggle to create a CV for an apprenticeship application? 

Chances are, you’ve typed in “how to write an apprenticeship CV” and stumbled on this page (thankfully!). 

Carry on reading for an in-depth guide on how to write a CV for an apprenticeship. Here are our top tips on what to include:

First things first – why choose an apprenticeship?

Have you recently left school? Want the certifications to get your career off to a brilliant start but don’t fancy going to university? 

Then an apprenticeship could be just the thing.

Yet, if you’re keen on going down the university path but not so keen on the soaring student debts, consider degree apprenticeships.  

The government launched these in 2015 and they pave the way to get a degree without the price tag. 

Plus, there’s more chance of becoming employed by several of the UK’s largest firms.

For more reasons why an apprenticeship may be the right choice for you , make sure to read our blog.

How to write a CV for an apprenticeship

Keep this nice and simple – the title of your apprenticeship CV should be your name. There’s no need to add anything else to it, not even ‘CV’ or ‘curriculum vitae’.

Contact information

Once you’ve stated your name, you must give the hiring manager the correct contact details – in particular, your email address and mobile phone number 

If you don’t, how will they reach out to you for an interview?

Personal statement

The secret to nailing the perfect personal statement is to keep it short, snappy, and to the point.

Your best bet is to tell the hiring manager a little about yourself, what drew you to this specific apprenticeship and your professional goals – but limit it to five sentences.

An apprenticeship aims to teach applicants how to perform a particular position or about working in the wider sector. 

Make it relevant to the industry or position. You can do so by adapting your personal statement to the apprenticeship you’re interested in. 

Are you finding it tough to put together a personal statement? Have a read of our blog to find out how you can sell yourself in a personal statement .

Main strengths

The competition for apprenticeship schemes is fierce. Each apprenticeship will be flooded with CVs and hiring managers won’t look at every single one in detail. 

The best apprenticeship CVs entice the hiring manager and implore them to hire you within roughly 20 seconds.

So, to grab an employer’s attention, we recommend: 

• Compiling a sequence of bullet points that list your principal strengths
• Summarising your key skills – list things like ‘exceptional written and verbal communication’, ‘excellent time management’ or ‘work effectively as part of a team’

These are the traits that hiring managers are seeking. Including key strengths in your CV is a terrific way to stand out from the crowd.

Be sure to mention any A-levels, GCSEs or other qualifications when you apply for an apprenticeship. You should list them clearly and include your grades, starting with your most recent qualifications.

You can also include details of specific projects you completed that are relevant to his apprenticeship. 

For example, if you’re interested in a bookkeeping apprenticeship, you could write about a time you completed some coursework that concentrated on compiling or analysing data.

Work history / employment experience

If you’re currently working or have had a job in the past, list your primary duties and any achievements.

Use language that communicates action or purposefulness. Using the right vocabulary is vital when detailing your responsibilities. 

Stating ‘I created a pricing scheme’ isn’t going to wow a prospective hiring manager. 

Instead, tweak it to something like: ‘I conducted market research and led the team in developing and launching a brand new pricing scheme’.

This section is also a great chance to include any voluntary or unpaid work you secured, especially if you haven’t had a paid job. 

Listing your employment is a brilliant way to provide proof of the top talents you claim to have.

Hiring managers don’t always recruit applicants with the right marks. If possible, they will also want to hire applicants who have a proven track record of success at work. 

Hobbies and interests

This part of your CV for an apprenticeship may be critical, particularly if you don’t have fitting work experience or credentials.

Tailor your extracurricular activities and hobbies to show an employer you’re the ideal candidate.

If you play football, you can use this to persuade the hiring manager that you can proactively work in a team. Or if you’re a sports team captain, this points to your leadership and management skills.

Your after-school interests and activities are key to apprenticeship success, so don’t forget to use them. 

How you spend your free time can tell the employer a lot about you as a person, and if you can convince a hiring manager you’re enthusiastic about your chosen field, they’ll be more likely to hire you.

Hiring managers put a lot of time and money into training apprentices, so they’d prefer to hire someone who’s passionate about the scheme, not a candidate with more qualifications who seems less enthusiastic

References serve as a way for potential employers to validate the skills you have listed on your CV.

However, your references should not typically be included on your CV , instead you should write ‘References to be made available on request’ at the end.

It’s best to have two references prepared in advance by asking for their permission to be your reference beforehand.

Pick one referee who knows you on an educational level – for example, your schoolteacher in a subject related to the internship. 

If you’re already working, select your line manager as your second referee. They’ll be able to confirm all the abilities you’ve summarised in your CV. 

If you haven’t had a job yet, choose someone you know to be your second referee, for example from volunteering or work experience you’ve done.

Pick individuals who know you and with whom you’ve built a good rapport.

Apprenticeship CV example

There’s tremendous competition for apprenticeship roles, so if you want to entice the best companies, wow employers with a standout CV.

Want to craft a compelling, captivating CV? 

Check out our real-life apprentice CV template aimed at marketing apprenticeship placements:

The takeaway: how to write a CV for an apprenticeship

When writing your apprenticeship CV, you need to emphasise your transferable skills and passion for the programme. 

Use our clear-cut CV template above to show your enthusiasm for the apprenticeship to which you’re applying and entice employers to delve deeper into your CV. 

Need a little more help? Make use of one our expert CV writers and don’t hesitate to contact us for more information. 

Good luck with your next application!

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CV Template For Apprenticeship

Finding the right apprenticeship to start your career can be a daunting process. To help you stand out and maximize your chances of success, having an effective CV is essential – a CV template for apprenticeship applications can be a useful tool. Discover our CV template for apprenticeship here.

There’s power in upskilling

Do you need a cv for apprenticeship.

Just like for any other job, you will need a CV to apply for an apprenticeship. Having a professional-looking and well-written apprenticeship CV shows employers that you are serious about getting an apprenticeship and demonstrates your commitment to learning new skills. It also gives them a clear picture of your qualifications, experience, abilities, and potential. Your CV should include information such as work history, education background, awards or certificates received and references. Additionally, it should be tailored specifically to the apprenticeship position applied for in order to show how your skills match up with what they are looking for. You can simplify the process for yourself by following the CV template for apprenticeship that we’ve outlined here.

Apprenticeship CV example

Below is an apprenticeship CV example that you can refer to while writing your own apprenticeship CV.

Structure and format

Your apprenticeship CV should facilitate ease of reading through a clear and well-defined structure. A strong structure will enable your reader to navigate your details, pinpointing your potential with ease.

Formatting tips

When writing your CV for apprenticeship, keep to a clear CV structure, sticking to a muted colour pallet and easy to read font. Maintain a length of between 1 to 2 sides of A4 to tell your story quickly. Avoid adding imagery like logos or headshots, as these aren’t needed in the decision making process.

Structuring your CV

Break your CV up into clearly defined sections, working to the below order:

• Contact details – have your contact details handy at the top of the page
• Profile – engage recruiters at first glance, with an opening paragraph that summarises your suitability for apprenticeship roles
• Education – documenting your educational history, focusing on the qualifications/courses most related to the apprenticeship you’re pursuing
• Work experience – detail any employment, voluntary experience or personal pursuits undertaken
• Interests and hobbies – add hobbies that showcase your transferable skills

What to include in your CV profile

When creating your profile, be sure to include key information such as your current job title, relevant industry experience and any specialist qualifications which make you suitable for the role in question. You should also write about any particular career highlights or successes that show off your strengths in relation to the position applied for. Additionally, it’s important that you demonstrate how these experiences have prepared you for this new opportunity by detailing how they gave you transferable skills which will benefit this role in particular.

Core skills and achievement section

Beneath your profile, include a core skills and achievement section that is comprised of two to three columns of bullet points. Use your industry research to tailor these skills to those required for your apprenticeship opportunities.

Work experience

This shouldn’t be limited to just full-time paid employment – you should also include any voluntary work undertaken, freelancing or even any personal pursuits.

If you have more limited work experience, your education should be highlighted throughout your CV, but provide more in depth information in the education section. List each qualification in bullet point form, documenting the course title, year obtained and the establishment you attended.

Clubs and memberships

Look to include any club involvement or memberships acquired within your education section. Consider any sporting clubs you have been a part of, drama groups or whether you were a prefect or school champion whilst in education.

Interests and hobbies

When you have limited work experience, your hobbies section is a great way to support your application by describing your transferable skills. Avoid cliché hobbies like ‘socialising’ and instead include interests that confirm strengths like team work, communication or organisation.

Essential skills for your CV

First, communication skills are incredibly important in any role and should be mentioned on your CV. This includes written communication – such as emails or reports – verbal communication like presentations or phone calls, and non-verbal communication like body language or facial expressions. Make sure you highlight any relevant experience that demonstrates your ability to communicate effectively with different audiences. Another key skill employers look for is problem solving; being able to think critically and come up with creative solutions when faced with obstacles.

Personal statement for apprenticeship

You may be asked for a personal statement for apprenticeship applications with some companies. A personal statement is your chance to show potential employers that you have the qualifications and enthusiasm needed for the job. It is important to make sure your statement stands out, as it will be read alongside many others.

Your personal statement for apprenticeship should explain what makes you suitable for the role. Include information on why you are interested in the industry or sector, any relevant skills and experience from previous jobs or education, and how this position fits into your overall career aspirations.

How to write a personal statement for apprenticeship

Before you write your apprenticeship personal statement, you should do your research about the company that you are applying for so that you can demonstrate how your own values align with theirs. The personal statement part of your application is a chance to dive deeper into your career history, interests and skills, as well as showing a genuine interest in the work of the company itself.

Your personal statement for apprenticeship should follow a structure like this:

• Explain why you want to do your chosen apprenticeship and how the apprenticeship aligns with your future career aspirations
• Give brief examples of any relevant academic or work experience from your past
• Demonstrate knowledge of the apprenticeship and pinpoint reasons why you would be well-suited to the course
• Give an overview of any hobbies and interest you’ve had and societies or teams you have been a part of, especially those which might be of relevance to the course.
• Proofread your personal statement in full before sending, checking carefully for spelling and grammar mistakes.

You should try to keep your personal statement clear and concise, between 350 and 500 words.

Find an apprenticeship with Estio

Estio is a leading provider of digital and technology apprenticeship programmes, offering a comprehensive apprenticeship course informed by industry expertise, and delivered remotely to ensure enough flexibility for your apprentice’s needs to be suited. 

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