Apprenticeship glossary

Skills England

What does Skills England mean?

The body in England that looks after apprenticeship standards and assessment plans, and runs a searchable list of apprenticeships.

Apprentice
Someone doing an apprenticeship: an employee who is paid to work and train towards a recognised qualification at the same time.
Apprenticeship
A real, paid job where you also train towards a recognised qualification. In England at least 20% of your normal working hours are spent training, and you don't pay tuition fees.
Apprenticeship standard
In England, the official description of what an apprentice in a particular job needs to know and be able to do, which the training and the end-point assessment are based on.
Assessment plan
In England, the document that sets out how an apprenticeship's end-point assessment works. It's different for every apprenticeship.
Soft skills
Personal skills like communication, teamwork and time management, as opposed to technical skills. Employers often say they care about these as much as grades.
Software engineering
Designing, building and testing software. Many digital degree apprenticeships, like those at BT, JLR and Lidl, include a software pathway.

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.