Thinking of taking on an IT apprentice or maybe an existing staff member is thinking of doing an apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships in IT can help bring valuable hard and soft skills into your organisation. The specific skills may vary depending on the particular apprenticeship programme, but Gloucestershire College has compiled six skills you can generally expect your apprentice to learn.

Technical proficiency

Depending on the particular programme studied, this can include understanding and managing IT infrastructure, writing, testing and maintaining code, learning programming languages, configuring and troubleshooting network issues, as well as cyber security risk assessment and understanding techniques to protect systems, data and networks.

Problem solving

The dynamic nature of IT apprenticeships means apprentices need to adapt quickly to real-life challenges. Whether facing a phishing attack, addressing an error in the software code or assisting a customer with a technical problem, apprentices must be agile and responsive in their problem-solving approach. This process of critical thinking is continuously honed through practical application in the workplace.

Communication skills

Whatever IT role they carry out in your business, an apprentice will gain the skills to communicate effectively with clients, colleagues and stakeholders. They will also develop the ability to create clear and concise project documentation.

Collaboration

In IT environments, apprentices may work as part of the team as well as with professionals from different disciplines. As a result, they will be exposed to different perspectives and approaches, learning to navigate group dynamics, work with differing perspectives and move towards a common business objective.

Cyber ethics and legal compliance

As part of their training, apprentices will gain a strong understanding of IT and cyber ethics and legal compliance. This is essential for any businesses to protect sensitive information, comply with laws and regulations and better adapt to the evolving legal landscape.

Continuous learning

Apprenticeships instil a mindset of continuous learning, encouraging individuals to seek new solutions, helping your business keeping abreast of the latest technology and changing and advancing industry trends.

Gloucestershire College's apprenticeship team can help your business recruit a new apprentice, upskill your existing workforce and support you and your employee every step of the way.