Frequently Asked Questions about the Higher Apprenticeship in Creative and Digital Media – Interactive Media Pathway (Level 4)
What is an Apprenticeship?
What will Apprentices Learn?
Where will the Training Take Place?
What Roles does this Apprenticeship Cover?
How Many Roles can Applicants Apply for?
Who Can Apply to this Apprenticeship Programme?
Who Cannot Apply to this Apprenticeship Programme?
What Skills/Qualifications do I need to Apply to this Apprenticeship Programme?
Do Apprentices have to Pay Anything to Study or do they get Paid?
Where will Apprentices be Working?
How will the Apprenticeship Programme be Structured?
What is Expected of Apprentices once accepted onto the Apprenticeship?
How will Apprentices be supported on the Apprenticeship?
How will Apprentices Benefit from this Apprenticeship?
Interview Process
Who are the Funders of this Apprenticeship Programme?
WHAT IS AN APPRENTICESHIP?
An apprenticeship is a way of working and learning at the same time. Being an apprentice means that you have a job that includes gaining recognised qualifications and essential skills whilst you are working and earning a wage.
The types of apprenticeships offered by Sgil Cymru are:
- Apprenticeship in Creative and Digital Media Level 3
- Higher Apprenticeship in Creative and Digital Media (Interactive Media Pathway) Level 4
WHAT WILL APPRENTICES LEARN?
Apprentices will learn the skills needed to build a media career, focusing on one job in particular.
They will also work towards a Diploma in Interactive Media, Essential Skills and Employer Rights and Responsibilities. Further information about the framework can be found here.
WHERE WILL THE TRAINING TAKE PLACE?
Training will be split between the classroom and on the job training.
All classroom-based training will be held at Sgil Cymru in Great Point Seren Stiwdios, Cardiff.
WHAT ROLES DOES THIS APPRENTICESHIP COVER?
The roles offered will depend on what jobs companies are able to offer. In the past they have included:
- Web Development
- Multimedia
- Games Development
- Online Content Creation
- App Development
HOW MANY ROLES CAN APPLICANTS APPLY FOR?
You may only apply for ONE role.
WHO CAN APPLY TO THIS APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMME?
In 2019, the Higher Apprenticeship in Creative and Digital Media (Interactive Media Pathway) Level 4 is open to anyone who is 18+ when they start.
WHO CANNOT APPLY TO THIS APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMME?
This Apprenticeship is what is called a Level 4 qualification equivalent to 1st year in University.
Please note: our apprenticeship schemes are not aimed at graduates.
WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO I NEED TO APPLY FOR THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMME?
At least 4 GCSEs at grades A to C (English and Maths preferred) or equivalent.
DO APPRENTICES HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING TO STUDY OR DO THEY GET PAID?
No, they don’t have to pay towards their training and yes, they get paid.
The minimum that apprentices will receive is the National Minimum Apprentice Allowance from the company they will be working for. As skills develop many employers may increase the wages. The current rate is £3.90* per hour (please note that this is under the annual total taxable rate of income). The actual allowance paid will be decided by each employer, and some will pay more.
For further information on the minimum wage go to – www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates
* Those aged 19 years or over will be eligible to at least the National Minimum Wage for their age group once their first 12 months as an Apprentice has been completed.
WHERE WILL APPRENTICES BE WORKING?
Employers will be based in Wales.
HOW WILL THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMME BE STRUCTURED?
This is a 15 Month full-time programme and is structured as follows:
- The programme will commence with a induction course to the creative industries. This will give all apprentices the opportunity to meet the Sgil Cymru staff, meet fellow apprentices who will also be on the programme and meet industry professionals. Apprentices will work towards their qualification during this time and also gain the skills and knowledge before going out on placement.
- All apprentices will then go to their employers where they will work ‘on the job’ gaining the skills and knowledge required to work in the creative industries. Further classroom based training will be provided during the 15 months of the programme, whereby apprentices will be expected to come in to Sgil Cymru in Great Point Seren Stiwdios, Cardiff for blocks of two to three weeks to complete the ‘off the job’ elements of the qualification.
- Towards the end of the programme the apprentices will come back to Sgil Cymru in Great Point Seren Stiwdios, Cardiff to complete an Exit Programme. This will prepare the apprentices to become freelancers in the media industries.
- IMPORTANT – Following the 15 months of learning and training it is hoped that many of the apprentices will gain work with their employers. However, this is not guaranteed as the industry is ever changing and many companies depend on commissions in order to gain future work. The likelyhood is that following the 15 month programme individuals will become freelance rather than permanently employed.
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF APPRENTICES ONCE ACCEPTED ONTO AN APPRENTICESHIP?
You will be expected to:
- work as a junior member and complete tasks set by your supervisor
- attend 8 weekly monitoring meetings with the Sgil Cymru Head of Training
- meet your industry assessor on a regular basis to build competence unit portfolios
- attend every classroom based session
- attend placement monitoring meetings with a representative from your training placement
- complete all elements of the Framework resulting in the completion of the qualification.
HOW WILL APPRENTICES BE SUPPORTED ON THEIR APPRENTICESHIP?
- A Sgil Cymru staff member will work with each apprentice to create an individual training plan that will reflect the individual’s training needs and the progress will be monitored
- An assessor will help/guide and support the apprentice with gaining the qualification
- A Sgil Cymru staff member will meet each apprentice to discuss progress, and a placement company staff member will be appointed as the industry mentor to offer support and advice when needed
- The placement company supervisor will give feedback to Sgil Cymru on the apprentice’s progress and this will be used to monitor training needs
HOW WILL APPRENTICES BENEFIT FROM THEIR APPRENTICESHIP?
At the end of the 15 months apprentices will have:
- Workplace experience – practical ‘hands-on’ training
- Showreel/portfolio
- Reference from their employer
- Industry contacts
- Improvement of job prospects
- Technical and professional skills
- Diploma in Interactive Media
INTERVIEW PROCESS
- Following the short listing of applications by Sgil Cymru staff and the employers, the short listed applicants will be invited to attend a face to face interview with the employer and a representative from Sgil Cymru and maybe work experience.
We will inform you if you need to prepare any material before the interview. However, you are welcome to bring anything that demonstrates your skills, knowledge and potential to take part in this scheme.
If you are successful following the interview, you will be required to sit initial assessments in numeracy, literacy and digital literacy. Sgil Cymru will then notify you through e-mail that you have secured a place.
If you require further information, please contact the Cardiff office on 07843 779 870 / help@sgilcymru.com
WHO ARE THE FUNDERS OF THIS APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMME?
This Apprenticeship programme is part financed by the European Social Fund through the Welsh Government.
This Apprenticeship has been made possible through Cardiff and Vale College Apprenticeships; the Lead Training Provider for the Quality Skills Alliance (QSA) Consortium. Cardiff and Vale College Apprenticeships have been awarded a contract of by the Welsh Government to deliver work based learning programmes across Wales.
The Quality Skills Alliance (QSA) is a collaboration of 22 WBL providers who operate in specialised sectors and bring their skills and expertise to Apprenticeship delivery. Cardiff and Vale College Apprenticeships and the QSA cover a very wide geographical area with provision extending pan-Wales. Cardiff and Vale College Apprenticeships and the QSA offer a broad range of programmes and work across 25 different vocational routes.