Apprentice CV Example & Writing Guide

If you’re a recent grad or someone looking to make a career change, an apprenticeship is a great way to learn, gain hands-on experience, and get paid at the same time. It doesn’t matter how old you are or where you are in your career. In the 2022/23 academic year, 48% of the apprenticeships started in England were by people over the age of 24.

Competition is tough. Thousands of people begin apprenticeships in the UK every year, but to land the most exciting ones, you’ll need a great apprenticeship CV. This document can help you show the hiring manager why you’re the perfect candidate. 

CV guide for an apprenticeship CV

With a library of CV examples and writing guides, Resume.io is an expert resource for job seekers in all fields and levels of their careers — including apprentices. Use our CV builder to create the most compelling application.

This CV guide, along with the corresponding apprenticeship CV example will cover the following topics:

• How to write an apprenticeship CV
• Choosing the right CV format for an apprenticeship
• How to add your contact information
• Using summaries
• Adding your apprenticeship experience
• Listing education and relevant experience
• Picking the right CV design/layout
• What the apprenticeship market looks like, and what salary you can expect

How to write an apprenticeship CV

The very first step in writing your apprentice CV is understanding what sections to include. Your CV should contain the following elements:

• The CV header
• The CV summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The CV skills section
• The education section

As apprenticeships are a learning opportunity, candidates aren’t expected to come to the job with significant amounts of experience. While that can be a relief, it also means that many other applicants will have similar entry-level skills, relying on their work ethic and determination to land the job.

A neat and organised CV is one of the best ways to stand out and show an employer you’re a professional applicant. Research the company before applying and customise your CV for the exact apprenticeship you hope to complete. By tailoring your CV to the needs of the employer, you’ll show that you’re the right fit.

By following these guidelines, you can increase your CV’s success:

• Include relevant keywords and phrases throughout to ensure your CV gets past the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Many recruiters and businesses now use this software to rank incoming applications. Only the best-ranking CVs make it onto the hiring manager’s desk. To make sure that pile includes yours, you need to include relevant keywords and phrases throughout the document. Return to the original job posting and pick out industry-specific words there. Use these throughout your CV.
• Select a professional design and layout that matches the tone of the document. If in doubt, use one of our tried and tested CV templates and allow our team of experts to do the heavy-lifting for you.

Choosing the right resume format for an apprenticeship CV

Apprentices have a few options when it comes to choosing the best CV format. If you have worked any jobs or completed any internships before, even if it wasn’t related to the field of your desired apprenticeship, you may opt for the reverse chronological CV. 

This approach places your experience in an employment history section starting with the most recent and then moving backwards. Reverse chronological is considered the standard CV approach because it’s the one hiring managers expect to see.

If you are just starting out in the world of work, you may consider the functional or hybrid structures. These options focus more on skills at the top of your CV and minimise the employment history section. You can see how each of these formats work in our CV examples.

Include your contact information

Next up, you need to present a clear CV header. This part of the document is much like a business card — it gives the reader information about how to contact you. Keep things simple. The most important thing here is that the hiring manager can read the info.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what you should include in your CV header:

• Full name & title. Include both your first and last name here, as standard. You should also write ‘Apprentice’ in this section.
• Professional email address. Make sure that the email address you use is suitable for a workplace environment.
• Phone number. Put in a number where you can be reached. (Pro tip: Check that your answerphone message is suitable for a hiring manager to hear!)
• Location. You don’t need to include your full address. Simply write your location, i.e. your city/town and county.
• LinkedIn. So long as your LinkedIn profile is updated, you should add it here — if you have one, of course!

Don’t include:

• Date of birth. This detail is not relevant and can lead to age discrimination.
• Personal details. The hiring manager does not need to know your NI number, passport details, or marital status, for example.

Make use of a summary

The summary of your CV is the perfect place to introduce yourself and make the case for why you’re the right choice for a company’s internship. These 2-3 free-flowing sentences are likely the only place on your CV where you’ll get to speak personally to the hiring manager and call their attention to your strengths, motivations, and any previous experience. 

The goal is to encourage the hiring manager to read the rest of your CV. You can make it more interesting by adding in engaging action verbs and anecdotes. You should also include results-based points that show your value to the hiring manager. Find an adaptable summary example below.

Outline your apprenticeship work experience: show your journey

Next up, you need to tackle your work experience section. If you have already had a job or a volunteer position, include it here. You need to outline the basic details. That is the name of the business (or charity), the dates you served, and your position title. 

When you have done that, expand on the position. Include bullet points that describe what you did in the role. When you are talking about your duties, specify the impact your work had. Avoid generic terms such as:

• Worked with a group of volunteers
• Helped keep the shop running

You’ll be the one to elevate yourself above other candidates. With that in mind, use more specific terms, such as the below:

• Lead a group of 12+ volunteers each day
• Oversaw the restocking of the shop every shift
• Played for Kelham Island Football Club and scored five goals last season

Take a look at the apprenticeship employment history CV sample below:

How to write an apprenticeship CV with no experience

The employment history section can feel difficult when you’re applying for an apprenticeship. After all, this will likely be your first professional experience. One way to tackle this section is to list any part-time jobs, volunteer positions, school activities, clubs, or hobbies.

You can use these to discuss your existing skills. These are abilities you have used in the previous situation that would carry over to an apprenticeship. Organisation, efficiency, the ability to follow instructions or learn quickly could all be good examples of transferable skills. 

If possible, give concrete examples of how you used these traits and the positive results they brought about. The more detail you give here, the better.

Include the relevant key skills that make you a great apprentice

The skills section of your CV is the best place to call the employer’s attention to any special skills or interests that you don’t want them to miss. Any foreign language abilities can be included here, along with hobbies that may be relevant to the apprenticeship. 

If you have any hard skills (i.e. technical ones) that are relevant to the job, you can list them here. You also need to focus on soft skills, or personality traits that will make you the perfect apprentice. 

Here’s what the skills box looks like in our apprenticeship CV template. 

Detail your education & relevant apprenticeship certifications

As a potential apprentice, the education section of your CV is crucial. Employers need to know whether you’ve completed any GCSEs, college courses, or even university courses. 

Your current level of education serves as the starting point for the apprenticeship. Here’s a breakdown of the apprenticeship education equivalents, according to the government website: 

• Intermediate apprenticeship: Level 2 = GCSE
• Advanced apprenticeship: Level 3 = A Level
• Higher apprenticeship: Levels 4, 5, 6 and 7  = Foundation degree and above
• Degree apprenticeship: Levels 6 and 7  = Bachelor’s or master’s degree

Make sure to include the school name, dates attended, and location. You may also place any academic achievements, awards, certifications or memberships in this section as well.

Pick the right CV layout and design for an apprenticeship CV

The layout and design of your CV are what make you stand out from other candidates and show that you’re serious about the apprenticeship. 

Start by creating a header that calls attention to your name and contact info and is appropriate for your industry. You may choose an accent colour, but a neutral colour scheme can work for a variety of industries. 

An apprentice won’t need a complicated design. Instead, aim for consistency and organisation. Use the same 1-2 font styles throughout your CV and keep a balance of white space to text to avoid visual fatigue for the reader. A professionally-designed CV template can help eliminate formatting mistakes. Before you submit, use spell check and identify any typos or grammar mistakes.

Apprenticeship text-only CV example

Apprenticeship job market and outlook

Looking to break into a new career? Nearly 70% of professions in the UK can now be broken into via the apprenticeship route. In 2023, there were more than 750,000 people taking part in apprenticeships around the country. If you are ready to start the next chapter of your career, there has never been a better time to do so. 

What type of salary you can expect as an apprentice

As an apprentice, you are entitled to the National Minimum Wage Rate. If you are aged between 16 and 18 years old, that is £6.40 per hour. If you are aged 19 or over and in your first year, the same rules apply and you should get at least £6.40 per hour. When you complete your first year, you will be entitled to the National Minimum Wage Rate for your specific age group.

Key takeaways for building an apprentice CV

Apprenticeships are a great way to earn hands-on experience in a variety of fields, so now is the time to create your CV. The summary is a useful tool to call attention to your skills and any previous experience while showcasing a bit of personality. 

You should also focus on internships, hobbies, and volunteer positions in your employment history section and give concrete examples of your successes.

Check out our adaptable apprentice CV sample for more insight into making a great page design. Use our range of CV templates to help you get started and create your application.