Apprenticeships & Internships

• Internships last for a shorter period of time; perhaps just a few weeks.
• The intern doesn’t gain any formal qualifications at the end of the internship, but there is sometimes a chance of being offered a job.
• Sometimes internships are offered as a ‘work trial’ or ‘working interview’ for a full-time position.
• Internships are best suited to people who are not sure of which profession they want to go into.
• Internships give people a chance to explore different career options, to gain experience and improve their CV.
• Internships are less formal as they have nothing to do with the government.
• Internships are traditionally office based, white-collar work.
• Internships are not often paid, although some offer a basic wage or cover travel and lunch expenses.
• There is no guarantee of a job at the end of the internship.

	Level	Equivalent Education Level
Intermediate	2	5 GCSE passes at grade A* - C or 9 - 4
Advanced	3	2 A level passes/ Level 3 Diploma/ International Baccalaureate
Higher	4,5,6,7	Foundation degree and above
Degree	6,7	Bachelor's or master's degree

The national minimum wage (NMW) for apprentices is £3.90 per hour as of April 2019. The apprentice NMW applies to apprentices aged under 19, or for those aged 19 or over who are in the first year of their apprenticeship. Apprentices aged 25 and over, and not in the first year of their apprenticeship, will be entitled to the National Minimum Wage.

Year	23+	21-25	18-20	<18	Apprentice
April 2022	£9.50	£9.18	£6.83	£4.81	£4.81

While this is the legal minimum pay per hour, most receive more. Higher apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships often pay higher than the National Minimum Wage and National Apprenticeship Minimum Wage; sometimes as high as £25,000 per year.

Employers will usually be offering apprenticeships to civilians along with those leaving Service, so there may be very little negotiation in terms of salary. While we understand this can lessen the appeal of an apprenticeship if the wages are less than your current role in the military, it’s important to remember that this is an opportunity for you to raise your level of education at no extra cost, while still earning a salary. Plus, apprentices enjoy marked salary increases when they complete their training, and those completing a higher apprenticeship could see increased earnings of an estimated £150,000 over their lifetime.

Apprenticeships will be advertised alongside normal jobs and employers who are particularly keen on employing Service leavers may use CTP RightJob, their own website and other forms of advertising media to promote them. All apprentice opportunities should also be advertised on the Governments apprentice website.

The perception that apprenticeships are only for younger people is definitely changing, partly due to the introduction of the apprenticeship levy. The levy is effectively a tax for all employers with a paybill of £3 million or more, whereby they must pay 0.5% of their paybill to the apprenticeship Service, which they can then draw upon to train their own staff.

A good example of this is EDF Energy’s apprenticeship programme where they say:

"Apprenticeships are growing in popularity and are increasingly being utilised by more experienced candidates as an option to re-train, change career path and learn valuable new skills. We believe that experience and variety make for a better workforce and have seen Service leavers successfully join our apprenticeships. We’re looking for candidates who are good team players, independent and that have good time management – as well as a passion for developing a career in the nuclear industry."

You can read more about it here.

Internships

There is no formal structure to an internship and how you might access one can vary. Some employers may choose to offer and advertise them on an ad-hoc basis, while others will create them bespoke when the right opportunity arises.

Since the January 2017 report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Social Mobility, there has been lots of discussion in the media around internships and their legal standing in relation to ‘workers’ and the national minimum wage, which has mostly been driven by concerns over graduate recruitment. Although leaving the military is very different to graduating, the rights and responsibilities of all parties during an internship compared to work experience may change as a result. To get an understanding of the current definitions, please refer the Governments websitehere.

It is important to remember internships are an opportunity for you to experience and gain insight into an industry of your choice.

Here are two examples of established internships that are offered to Service leavers via CTP:

Barclays Military Internship

The internship runs for 9 – 12 weeks (exact duration will be confirmed on a case-by-case basis) and is open to any Service leaver able to complete the placement whilst in the final 6 months of their Resettlement. As the placements are for those still in Service, they are unpaid, and all costs are to be incurred as part of the individual’s resettlement process.

• Internships are available across all Barclays business areas and number of geographical locations across the UK
• Depending on past experience, transferable skills and the applicant’s interests, an appropriate placement will be allocated. This will be discussed and agreed during the application stage and subsequent interviews
• We invest in the development of our colleagues to make sure we have the most dedicated and driven people in the market. This opportunity could be a steppingstone to a future career.

“I was very keen to work for Barclays as I knew about their unique support to veterans through the AFTER programme. I did not know where I would be best suited or where I could add most value, but luckily was able to take part in the three-month internship. This let me gain an understanding of the bank but also a good idea of where I could be successful. As part of the internship, I was given tailored teaching on banking but also on CV and interview techniques. I was also given the chance to network across the bank and have informal mentoring from a wide range of personalities across all areas of the business”

- Rafe Roylance, Assistant Vice President, Barclays International Structural Reform Programme (Military Intern 2016, now FTE)


J.P. Morgan Military Insight Programme

Pursue your post-military career with a company that aligns with your values – determination, dedication, and service. You’ll have opportunities to put your skills to work and immediately make a difference in one of our many areas of operations. We’ll help you build your product and industry knowledge, make connections across the firm and gain real-world experience that will help you take your career in any direction.

J.P. Morgan Military Transition programme

J.P. Morgan Military Transition & Pathways Programme UK - London, Bournemouth, Dorset, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Glasgow, and Lanarkshire.

Our 6-month paid military transition programme will give you first-hand experience of working at J.P. Morgan, and help you make the most of your potential in a brand new environment.

Programme Overview:

The placement programme aims to:

• The placement programme aims to:
• Aid your transition from a military world to a corporate one
• Provide the opportunity to gain exposure into financial services
• Strengthen your CV to assist in future career searching
• Provide you with an opportunity to build a network within J.P. Morgan

Insight events start in August/September each year, with the applications window opening the first week of October and running for 3 weeks. The programme commences in February the following year.

J.P. Morgan Military Technical pathway

We’re looking for people with a passion for technology, who are curious and want to continually learn, and who improve our products and services.

This is a 6-month paid placement with successful applicants commencing in July each year. The insight events commence in November/December, with applications opening in February for three weeks.

Difference between Civilian Work Attachment and Internship

A Civilian Work Attachment or CWA is typically an unpaid work experience undertaken in your resettlement period, to give you some experience of civilian work. This term is usually unfamiliar to civilian employers who will instead refer to it as work experience, placements or internships. So, there would be nothing stopping you from doing an internship with an employer and getting approval for it as a CWA from your Chain of Command.

However, bear in mind an internship will be on the employers’ terms and may last longer than your available Graduated Resettlement Time to do a CWA, so you’ll need to ensure you’re able to complete the full internship. Also, if there are any wages or remuneration from gained the internship, you’ll need to be aware of any Tax implications.

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