Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2nd - 6th March 2026: Kick-start your career with an apprenticeship
Scottish Apprenticeship Week is 2-6 March, and this year’s theme, ‘Working for Scotland’, highlights how apprenticeships benefit everyone.
From the Highlands to the Islands, from familyrun businesses to multinational corporations, apprenticeships are powering the nation’s economy, while, at the same time, creating careers and helping young people reach their full potential.
Whether a it’s school leaver wondering what’s next, an employer looking to grow the team or an educator shaping futures, Scottish Apprenticeships are, to put it simply, working.
What is an apprenticeship?
Foundation, Modern and Graduate apprenticeships provide hands-on experience, industry-recognised qualifications and the skills employers need.
Apprenticeships enable young people to earn while they learn and establish a career. They offer a clear path to success without the burden of student debt.
In an age of rapid change, Scotland needs skilled, motivated workers who understand their industry from the ground up. For businesses, apprenticeships provide a pipeline of talent that is supported and trained to meet their needs.
Get involved with Scottish Apprenticeship Week with #ScotAppWeek26!
- If you’re an apprentice, share your story. Show yourself on the job and how the skills you’ve learned are helping you grow and succeed. Get involved in events and tell others that there’s more than one path to success.
- Employers, this is the perfect time to showcase your apprentices’ achievements. Share an image and why you are investing in them to meet your workforce needs. Work with schools to open doors for the next generation.
- Learning providers and schools, invite local employers to speak to pupils. Share resources from Apprenticeships.scot and help young people see the full range of opportunities waiting for them.
Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2026 is all about building careers, strengthening businesses and growing the economy. Because when young people thrive, Scotland thrives!
A quick guide to Foundation Apprenticeships
What is a Foundation Apprenticeship?
A Foundation Apprenticeship is a subject choice that allows pupils to get real industry experience while they are still at school. Foundation Apprenticeships can set pupils up for a big future in some of Scotland’s most exciting and fastest growing industries.
Who can take a Foundation Apprenticeship?
Pupils can take a Foundation Apprenticeship at SCQF Level 6 in S5 or S6 and Foundation Apprenticeships are offered in all 32 Scottish local authorities.
How does a Foundation Apprenticeship work?
Foundation Apprenticeships takes up to two years to complete and usually starts in S5 as part of your subject choices. Your time is spent with a
learning provider and an employe.
What will be involved?
You will be placed with an employer to do industry projects that can be done either in person or virtually. This will count towards your qualification and help you to develop industry knowledge and experience.
What subjects does it cover?
- Accountancy Business Skills
- Civil Engineering
- Creative and Digital Media
- Engineering
- Finanial Services
- Food and Drink Technologies
- Hardware and System Support
- Scientific Technologies
- Social Services Children and Young People
- Software Development
- Social Services and Healthcare
There are also pilot SCQF Level 4 and 5 Foundation Apprenticeships in selected schools, for pupils from S3 to S6 to gain a work-based learning qualification at an earlier level of learning in Construction, Automotive and Hospitality.
What are the benefits of a Foundation Apprenticeship?
- completing a Foundation Apprenticeship can help with progression on to a Modern or Graduate Apprenticeship
- get knowledge, skills and experience
- you will gain an industry-recognised qualification (at SCQF Level 6 - same level as a Higher)
- enhances your CV and job applications
- gives you a qualification recognised by colleges and universities
- helps build confidence and develop key skills: creativity, problme-solving and communication
- the qualification is recognised by all colleges and universities in Scotland for entry into their further and higher education courses
A quick guide to Modern Apprenticeships
What is a Modern Apprenticeship?
A Modern Apprenticeship allows an individual to learn on the job – gaining skills, experience and qualifications to kick-start their career.
The individual will learn real-life industry skills while they work towards a qualification that’s accredited by the SQA. Modern Apprenticeships are mapped to the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework, from levels 5 – 12 which includes technical and professional level Modern Apprenticeship qualifications.
The di ffererent qualification levels mean the individual can train at the standard that’s the best fit for them and their job.
Who can get a Modern Apprenticeship?
Anyone over the age of 16 in Scotland can apply to become a Modern Apprentice and they are open to new or existing employees.
Any employer in Scotland looking to widen their talent pool and address skills gaps can recruit a Modern Apprentice.
How does a Modern Apprenticeship work?
Modern Apprenticeships are jobs with structured training – so you earn while you learn. They are designed with industry – so the skills apprentices learn are the ones that employers want.
Modern Apprentices spend most of their time learning in the workplace while being supported by a local college or specialist independent learning provider.
What will be involved?
You will spend most of your time gaining the skills and hands on experience that employers value with a real employer, although you may also undertake formal learning off the job, which is supported by a provider such as a college. As you will be working and learning you will earn a wage from your employer and work towards an industry recognised qualification.
What types are available?
There are over 100 types of Modern Apprenticeships across a wide range of industries, such as Construction, Design, Engineering, Sport, Healthcare, Marketing and much more.
Depending on the subject, the apprenticeship can take between one and four years to complete.
What are the benefits of a Modern Apprenticeship?
- earn a wage
- get training that is designed for industry and employers
- learn in a real-world environment
- gain experience that helps with a CV and job applications
- get a career moving
Completing a Modern Apprenticeship opens up a world of opportunities:
- progress your career with their current employer or within the sector
- progress on to a Graduate Apprenticeship
- do further learning at university or college
A quick guide to Graduate Apprenticeships
What is a Graduate Apprenticeship?
A Graduate Apprenticeship is a job with learning up to Master’s degree level. Graduate Apprentices get the skills and experience employers want.
Who can get a Graduate Apprenticeship?
Graduate Apprenticeships are jobs open to anyone over 16 who wants to work, learn and earn up to Master’s degree level.
How does a Graduate Apprenticeship work?
Graduate Apprentices spend most of their time learning on the job while being supported by a structured learning programme working towards a degree qualification.
What will be involved?
The integratin of work and learning counts towards the qualification, meaing that attendance at university can be flexible, based on the employer’s requirements. Completiton time of the qualification can take between two and five years depending on the level of qualification.
What subjects does it cover?
Some of Scotland’s most innovative and exciting employers offer Graduate Apprenticeship jobs.
The types of Graduate Apprenticeships on offer are all in growing sectors with great career prospects. They include:
- Accounting - SCQF level 10/11
- Buisness Management (Including Financial Services) - SCQF level 10
- Civil Engineering - SCQF level 10
- Construction & the Built Environment - SCQF level 10
- Cyber Security - SCQF level 10 & 11
- Data Science - SCQF level 10
- Early Learning & Childcare - SCQF level 9
- Engineering: Design & Manufacture - SCQF level 10
- Engineering: Instrumentation, Measurement & Control - SCQF level 10
- IT: Management for Business - SCQF level 10
- IT: Software Development - SCQF level 10
- Operating Department Practice - SCQF Level 9
What are the benefits of a Graduate Apprenticeship?
- get a job, get paid, get a degree
- work towards DipHE, Honours and Masters professional qualifications
- be in paid employment with fully funded learning costs
- develop transferable, recognised skills that are considered relevant by industry, employers and universities
Pathways from taking a Graduate Apprentice, dependent on the level of completion, include:
- progression on to other levels of the Graduate Apprenticeship
- receive further university or college learning
- gain further ‘on-the-job’ training
- opens up more career opportunities with the existing employer or in their chosen sector
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