What is a construction traineeship?

A traineeship is all about preparation for the world of work. They are short courses that offer a chance to demonstrate someone’s capabilities and enable them to build the skills they need for an apprenticeship or job. 

A traineeship can last anywhere between six weeks and a year (although they usually take less than six months). Traineeships are only available in England and Wales. Read more about the difference between traineeships and apprenticeships.

Who are traineeships designed for?

Traineeships are a great way of getting your career in construction off the ground. To do a government traineeship in England or Wales you must:

  • Be eligible to work in the UK
  • Be aged 16 - 24 (or 16 - 18 in Wales) or over 25 with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan
  • Be unemployed and have little or no work experience
  • Have no qualifications above GCSEs (or equivalent)
  • Be motivated to work

If you’ve never had a weekend or holiday job, and you are struggling to secure an interview or paid position, traineeships can improve your CV with relevant work experience to boost your employability. Traineeships can also be useful if you want to try out a job before committing to it, perhaps whilst you’re studying for industry qualifications elsewhere.

Key features of traineeships

The hours you work can be arranged with your employer to suit both of your needs. Whilst you will be required to complete a certain number of hours' meaningful work as part of your traineeship (a minimum of 70, but usually 100 hours for six-month placements) you could complete the training element of the traineeship part-time or full-time, depending on individual circumstances.

Construction traineeships may take place indoors or outdoors, depending on the type of work experience. You could spend time on-site, in a workshop, at a client’s premises, in an office environment or in a mix of all of these.

If you don’t hold at least a GCSE grade 4 (or equivalent) in English and Maths, you’ll spend some of your traineeship in the classroom, to help you raise your game and improve your employability.

Your traineeship will be structured to suit your needs as well as the needs of your work experience provider. You’ll be assigned a mentor who will check in regularly with you to ensure you’re getting the experience you need for the future. 

What’s included in a traineeship?

Traineeships build experience and improve employability. Here is what you will get out of a traineeship:

Essential skills

The skills you develop as part of your traineeship will help you to not only have a better chance of landing your dream job in construction, but also improve on essential skills for that role. You will learn techniques and processes first-hand, which could set you apart from other candidates for jobs.  

Employability support

A traineeship will be tailored to your specific needs and help you improve your chances of getting work after it is complete. This includes help with writing a CV and cover letters, plus preparing for interviews.  

At the end of your traineeship, you may be offered an interview for an apprenticeship or full-time job. If this isn’t an option, you will still be given an exit interview and written feedback that you can use to secure work or further training elsewhere. 

Hands-on work experience

A traineeship provides you with hands-on experience of a job role, without the full commitment of a job or an apprenticeship. You can gain experience and see if a job is suited to you, or build up skills that you can take with you to your next role or use to make yourself a more desirable candidate further down your career path.  

Help with English and Maths

A traineeship is also a great option if you have limited qualifications. If you don’t hold at least a GCSE grade 4 (or the equivalent) in English and Maths, some of your traineeship will take place in a classroom. This will help you work towards those qualifications and improve your skills in these particular areas. 

Coaching and mentoring

Part of a traineeship is coaching and mentoring, which will be tailored to each individual trainee. You can ask for help in certain areas of work, or to improve skills that you feel less sure of. It also helps you, if you have little to no experience of being in a work environment, to feel more comfortable and understand what might be expected of you.  

What happens after my placement?

If the company you’re training with takes on apprentices, they may interview you for a role following your placement. If they don’t have vacancies, they may provide you with a professional reference to help you apply for other apprenticeships or jobs.

Either way, you’ll be able to add your traineeship to your CV, to improve your chances of success when applying for work and impress employers with your transferable skills.

How much do trainees get paid?

In England, you won’t earn a wage as a trainee but you’ll gain valuable skills and benefit from free career support. Your employer may offer to cover your expenses for travel and meals.

In Wales, there is a financial allowance of up to £50 per week, plus £5 travel expenses, depending on the level of traineeship you are taking.

Once you’ve completed your traineeship, it’s much more likely that you’ll be able to find work and start to earn a salary. As an apprentice, you’d continue learning how to do a specific job, but you’d be paid a wage at the same time.

All traineeship costs are covered by the Government under the 16-19 study programme. Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to claim additional financial support through your training provider. 

What benefits are there for employers?

Traineeships benefit employers by helping them build relationships in the community. By training young workers in specific skills, they are also able to shape and make the most of talent at an early stage. 

These courses are designed to meet employers’ needs as much as those of the trainees, and offer a chance for existing employees to improve on leadership and skill sharing.

How do I apply for a traineeship?

Construction traineeships are offered by employers in England and Wales. When searching for opportunities, you can look at what’s available in your area or in locations further from home.

Construction companies may list available traineeships on their websites. You can search for traineeships in England on  Not Going to Uni or findcourses.

Careers Wales has information about traineeships in Wales.

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