Apprenticeships combine practical training in a job with study. By studying an apprenticeship, you will learn up-to-date recognised strategies and increase skills. These will allow you to be more efficient and drive better outcomes from your time.
As an apprentice with us, you will:
- work alongside experienced staff
- gain job-specific skills
- national minimum wage for age and 25 days annual leave
- time for study relating to your role (minimum 20% off the job training)
Apprenticeships take between 1 and 5 years to complete, depending on their level.
We offer apprenticeships in our departments and all maintained schools. Apprenticeships are for new recruits or existing members of staff. Some of the apprenticeships DACES offers are business administrator, childcare, school business professional, adult care, customer service and team leader.
Search for an apprenticeship on the IfATE website.
If you are one of our existing employees, please complete the apprenticeship application form.
Complete the apprenticeship application form
For any other enquiries please email workplace.learning@derbyshire.gov.uk
Learner quotes
Tracey Spencer - business administrator said:
"I started my journey within children's services team coming from a hotel background where I had a small amount of reception cover and wedding planning. Now my children were growing up and coming to an age where they could look after themselves more, I wanted to gain a better career for myself.
"At the start of the apprenticeship, I had basic skills within IT including Word, Excel and Outlook. Then as I started to work on set tasks both alone and as a team, I started to pick up the skills I needed to use the IT provided to me. I attended training courses that were offered to me to ensure that I was able to fulfil my role.
"One of my biggest achievements was the understanding and skills I learnt from using Excel on a daily basis. I worked alongside many different children's services teams supporting them with office moves which was both face to face and by email.
"In April 2023 I decided to look for a full-time permanent position within the council, this is when I achieved my full-time role within highways. From here the skills I have achieved have helped me to work beyond and above my current position and has helped me understand the IT systems used within the role. This has helped me to achieve a good relationship with the team and also has shown my manger the IT skills that I have and to use these to the best of my ability. The apprenticeship has helped me to be comfortable within the role I have taken on and has given me the opportunity to show my skills.
"The support and communication received from my tutor throughout the apprenticeship has been to a high standard. With the many changes to management and roles within the council I had, without my tutor I don't think I would of got the grades I did."
Katie Newsome - business administrator said:
"I have really enjoyed my apprenticeship journey. I didn't have much knowledge in the administration role before starting this apprenticeship, however, it has been a great experience where I have developed knowledge and skills which have helped me within my role. Not only have the skills and knowledge learnt helped me with my role they have also given me confidence in using the different IT software, for example, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and similar. It has also enabled me to gain a full-time position within the council. I have had so much support from my apprenticeship tutor, she was always there whenever I needed answers to questions, advice, guidance, or support. I would recommend an apprenticeship to anyone thinking about starting. I am already looking at other apprenticeships I can start in the future to further my career.
“When starting my apprenticeship, I was a little nervous as I wasn't familiar with the administration role or what it entailed, I didn't need to be, the support was amazing and nothing was too much trouble.”
Georgia Bourne - business administrator said:
“I found the apprenticeship really interesting, and it has been a great opportunity to expand on and learn some new skills. My tutor has been really supportive!"
Josie Champion - team leader said:
"I went from being a residential care worker in a children's home to a deputy manager in a day centre for older adults, this was my first management position, so I had no management experience before. I had already completed 2 level 3 diplomas, one in adult care and one in children's but this was the first learning I had done for a management role. Taking up the apprenticeship has really helped me to develop my knowledge and skills to be the best leader I can be for my team. I have already used so many of the methods I have learnt even though I have only been doing the apprenticeship for less than 6 months.
"The knowledge, skills, and behaviours I am learning are so relevant to my role and I hope these are shaping me to be an effective leader at the day centre. I am also learning about myself during this journey and what personal skills I already have and what I can improve on. My goal is to progress to a unit manager one day, when I have completed this apprenticeship, I am hoping to move onto level 5.
“My tutor really makes the course fun and informative, we have such a great team where everyone shares their ideas and experiences together. I would recommend the apprenticeship to anyone wanting to develop their leadership skills.”
Angela Burns - employability practitioner said:
"I have been completing my level 4 employability practitioner apprenticeship. During this time I have had 3 months off work due to ill mental health, and also 4 weeks off for emergency surgery. My tutor has been the most supportive tutor I have ever met, she arranged for a study break and has always given support and advice when needed.
“I have studied maths level 2 as part of my apprenticeship. This has been difficult, because maths does not come easy to me. It took me 2 attempts online and 1 paper copy before I passed. Jayne Riley my tutor was very patient and inventive when teaching, she would always ensure she came up with methods that helped me learn a particular area if I was struggling with it.”
Ben Scogings - adult care worker apprentice said:
"I found learning about dementia to be very helpful and I think my training in Pro-SICP to be useful skill in any job role I will apply for.
"I think that my future employability will be much improved by the skills I learned in this role. My training in first aid is a useful skill for any employer and my experience with different communication needs will help me in a public facing role.
"I am considering roles in care such as a home care assistant and community care assistant, but I am also considering roles in entertainment in public facing roles, in particular roles in event reviews like escape rooms or function hires where people with care needs often come in groups with their carers or other care recipients.
“I have had a good experience as an apprentice overall, I have enjoyed my training and found the knowledge it has given me helpful in my current role and future jobs I am considering applying for.”
Nicola Bacon - business administrator said:
"As a 34-year-old woman, I wasn’t sure applying for an apprenticeship was the right direction with the stereotypical stigmas around apprenticeships being directed for young people aged 18 to 21. However, I took the chance/ faith, applied, interviewed, and successfully got accepted. I started the business administrator apprenticeship with DACES in September 2023, with a huge amount of anxiety, but excitement. I wanted to fulfil a career now my children were a little older but knowing it would benefit us as a family in the longer term. I started employment in the local primary school, with day courses, meeting new colleagues and also meeting with my DACES tutor, Lynn, for the first time.
"Lynn made me feel at ease, knowing I could email or ring if I needed too. With this course and context of course being somewhat new to myself, at first it was quite overwhelming. I had a lot of information to retain the first few weeks in the school, understanding my role, the school structure and the course, but I soon picked it up and found my footing. I soon got into the flow of new pieces of work being set by Lynn and I can actually say I have thoroughly enjoyed researching and learning the new information, and the context of business administration. It may sound sad, but I find it fascinating. Lynn is a great tutor and on my monthly reviews, I feel she cares about me and not just the work I carry out or produce.
"I am 5 months into the apprenticeship, and from the bottom of my heart, this has been the most rewarding career path I could have chosen. I get fulfilment from the course and enjoy the work I carry out daily, I enjoy working in the school. I feel I have sense of purpose assisting, fulfilling and leading certain areas in the office. I have built relationships with many in this school, and I feel I have worked there for longer than the short time I have up to yet. JB (my line manager) has also helped greatly. She has given me roles to fulfil daily as well as giving me tasks to carry out by myself. With some of these tasks being quite large however, I feel if she didn't trust me to do these events / tasks then she wouldn't ask. I have also attended many training courses since September 2023, which have been hosted by the council or external companies via the council / DACES, which again has helped me progress with my future career and knowledge. I'm proud to work in school, and I'm grateful for the council for giving me the chance of this apprenticeship.
"It has also given me a greater home life; I have much better-quality time with my children now and am able to be home at a similar time to them. I hope to succeed to the best standard I can on the apprenticeship, not only to do myself proud but for my children and the staff at the school. It has given me such great clarity on the career path I would like to carry on and succeed with."
Beccy Ibbotson - school business professional said:
"The school business professional apprenticeship has solidified my learning and I have realised how much I do know. I have been able to take a step back and recognise how much my role involves. I feel fully supported by my tutor who is always there, at the end of the phone or email for my questions."
Laura Walker - school business professional said:
"Doing the Apprenticeship has helped me in my role. I learn a lot off the other students on the course as we bounce ideas off each other in our weekly sessions."
Laura Burgin - school business professional said:
"The hybrid delivery of the course is really useful and has made it very accessible to me. The face to face workshops are invaluable as I get a lot of work done but the weekly contact in seminars I can access from home or work."
Charlotte Turner (new learner) said:
"I decided to do the SBP apprenticeship to make progress in my role and to help my school move forward. The explanations I received from my tutor at the beginning made the course very clear and I know what to expect moving forward."