Apprenticeship glossary

Security clearance

What does Security clearance mean?

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.

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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.
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.
National Security Vetting
Security clearance some defence employers need. BAE Systems says it usually means 5 to 10 years of living in the UK without a break.
Shift work
Working set periods that can include early mornings, nights or weekends. Amazon's mechatronics apprentices, for example, may work weekend or night shifts.
Site manager
The person who runs a construction site day to day, keeping work safe, on time and on budget. Morgan Sindall has site management apprenticeships.
Situational judgement test
An online test that describes work situations and asks what you'd do. It's about how you'd behave at work, not what you know.
Sixth form
The last two years of school (Years 12 and 13 in England and Wales), usually studying A levels or equivalents. Lots of people apply for apprenticeships during sixth form.

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.