Apprenticeship glossary

National Security Vetting

What does National Security Vetting mean?

Security clearance some defence employers need. BAE Systems says it usually means 5 to 10 years of living in the UK without a break.

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Employer profile BAE Systems apprenticeships The UK's biggest defence company, with around 5,100 apprentices in training and more than 60 UK programmes, from intermediate to degree level, in engineering, manufacturing, business and tech.
Security clearance
Checks some employers, especially in defence, need you to pass before you can work on certain projects. BAE Systems says everyone needs at least the Baseline Personnel Security Standard.
Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)
The basic level of security check for working on some UK government or defence work, covering identity, right to work and employment history.
NCTJ Diploma
The National Council for the Training of Journalists' diploma, a widely recognised journalism qualification. Sky's Level 5 journalism apprenticeship includes it.
Net pay
Your take-home pay after tax, National Insurance and anything else, like pension contributions, has been taken off.
nidirect
Northern Ireland's official government website, with the official information on apprenticeships there.
Numerical reasoning test
A timed online test of how well you work with numbers, charts and tables. Many big employers use one early in the application process.

Definitions are our own plain-English summaries. Where we give figures, they come from the official sources listed on the linked guide or profile. Rules can change, so check the official source before you make decisions.