Apprenticeship CV Example (School Leavers and Career Starters)
An apprenticeship is a job and a training course at the same time, so the employer reading your CV is choosing someone they'll invest two to four years in. They don't expect experience in the trade. They want to see that you understand what the apprenticeship involves, that you've got the school basics it needs, and that you'll turn up, learn and stick with it. This example shows how to make that case on one page, using your grades, your work experience placements, part-time jobs and the things you do outside school.
What an employer looks for in an apprenticeship CV
Apprenticeship recruiters, whether at a large company or a small local business, read for four things:
- Motivation for this trade or field, not just for any job: why engineering, why hairdressing, why accounting
- The school basics the training needs, usually Maths and English, plus any subject linked to the role
- Reliability: attendance, part-time work, commitments you've kept for a long time
- Practical evidence: a placement, a project, a hobby or a job where you used your hands or your head in a relevant way
Everything on the page should support one of these four. If a line doesn't, it can go.
CV example for school students looking for a first job or placementThe structure that works for an apprenticeship CV
Keep it to one page, in this order:
- Header: name, town, phone number and a professional email address
- Personal statement: three or four lines on who you are, which apprenticeship you want and why
- Education: your school or college, the qualifications you have or are working towards, and grades that matter for the role
- Work experience: placements, part-time jobs, volunteering, helping in a family business
- Skills: practical, technical and personal skills you can back up
- Interests and achievements: only those that say something about you or the trade
- References: a teacher, tutor or employer, or 'available on request'
Education stays near the top because for most applicants it's the strongest evidence. If you've already worked for a year or two, move experience above it.
How to lay out a CV when you have little work experienceThe personal statement: show you chose this apprenticeship on purpose
This is where most apprenticeship CVs win or lose. Name the apprenticeship, say what drew you to it, and give one piece of evidence. For example:
- 'Year 13 student taking Maths, Physics and Design Technology, applying for an engineering apprenticeship. I've built and repaired bikes for three years and spent my work experience week in a machine shop, where I learned to read technical drawings. Keen to work towards a Level 3 qualification.'
- 'School leaver with good GCSEs in English and Maths, applying for a business administration apprenticeship. I keep the bookings and accounts for my football club and enjoy organising people and paperwork.'
- 'Seventeen-year-old applying for a hairdressing apprenticeship. I've worked Saturdays in a salon for a year, washing hair and greeting clients, and I practise styling on family and friends every week.'
A specific reason and a real example tell the employer you'll still be motivated in month eighteen, which is exactly what they're worried about.
How to write a short summary for the top of your CVEducation: the grades and subjects that count
Many apprenticeships have minimum entry requirements, so make your education easy to check:
- Name of the school or college, town and years
- Qualifications with grades, or predicted grades if you haven't finished yet
- Maths and English first, because most apprenticeships require them
- Subjects related to the role: Physics or Design Technology for engineering, ICT for IT, Business for administration
- School projects, competitions or roles that show initiative
If your grades are below what's asked, don't hide them; show the effort elsewhere, for example a resit you're taking or a course you completed.
Work experience: make every placement and part-time job count
Any experience is useful, as long as you describe what you actually did:
- Work experience placements: name the company, what you did and what you learned
- Part-time or weekend jobs: shop, café, warehouse, deliveries, all show reliability
- Volunteering and helping in a family business
- Practical projects outside school: fixing bikes or cars, building a PC, making things, gardening
- Clubs and youth programmes where you took on responsibility
Use action verbs and numbers where you can: 'Served around 40 customers per shift', 'Helped fit kitchens on 6 jobs during a two-week placement'.
Strong action verbs to start your CV bullet pointsSkills: practical, technical and personal
Pick skills that match the apprenticeship and that you can prove:
- Practical skills: hand tools, basic electrics, cooking, cutting and styling, depending on the trade
- Technical and computer skills: Excel, CAD basics, coding, typing
- Communication: talking to customers, working in a team, following instructions
- Reliability and time-keeping, backed by attendance or a long-term commitment
- A driving licence, if you have one and the job involves travelling between sites
- First aid or health and safety certificates
Six to eight well-chosen skills are enough. Leave out vague ones you can't support.
How to choose the skills that belong on your CVTailor the CV to the trade and the company
Send a slightly different CV for each application:
- Use the apprenticeship title from the advert in your personal statement
- Move the most relevant subject, placement or project to the top of its section
- Mention something about the company: what it makes, its customers, why you want to train there
- Check the entry requirements and show clearly that you meet them
- Write a short covering letter or message, which most apprenticeship employers expect
Many large employers recruit through online forms; keep your CV ready anyway, because you'll copy from it and some ask you to upload it.
How to write a cover letter that gets readCommon mistakes on apprenticeship CVs
The same few problems come up again and again:
- A generic statement that could be for any job
- Leaving out Maths and English grades when the advert asks for them
- Listing hobbies with no detail, such as 'football, gaming, music'
- Spelling mistakes, which suggest you won't pay attention in the training
- An unprofessional email address or a CV saved under a random file name
- Two pages or more when one tidy page would do
Before you send it, ask someone who works in the trade, a teacher or a careers adviser to read it.
The most common CV mistakes and how to avoid themFrequently asked questions
What should I put on a CV for an apprenticeship?
A short personal statement that names the apprenticeship and says why you want it, your education with grades (especially Maths and English), any work experience or part-time jobs, practical skills linked to the trade, and one line of relevant interests. Keep it to one page.
How do I write an apprenticeship CV with no experience?
Lead with your education and your motivation. Use school projects, work experience placements, volunteering, hobbies and responsibilities as evidence, and describe each one with what you did and what you learned.
Do I need a cover letter for an apprenticeship?
Usually, yes. Most apprenticeship employers expect a short letter or message explaining why you chose this trade and this company. Keep it to three or four paragraphs.
Should I put my grades on an apprenticeship CV?
Yes, especially Maths and English, because many apprenticeships have minimum entry requirements. If you haven't finished school, give predicted grades.
How long should an apprenticeship CV be?
One page. Employers read many applications, and a clear, tailored single page makes it easy to see that you meet the requirements.