FAQs


Apprenticeship FAQS

What does JTL do?

JTL is an independent training provider. We deliver the training and coordinate all aspects of your apprenticeship. We are not your employer nor your college tutor (unless you attend a JTL Training Centre). Should you meet all of our entry requirements and begin the course, we will assess you on site and help you to collate your log book, portfolio and all site evidence. We will source and register you for your training centre placement. If you’re attending a JTL Training Centre our tutors will also assess you in that training centre environment. We can act as a confidant should you experience any concerns, worries or doubts with any aspect of your training… or indeed in life itself.  We will help you with portfolio building sessions, AM2 refreshers, exam re-sits, and so on. We will evidence your progress, support you with any issues, and congratulate you on your achievements. We won’t be holding your hand while you do this as it’s up to you to put in the hard work, but we will be there for you whenever you need support.

Use of digital photography

As part of the apprenticeship application process, you will be asked to provide a digital photograph of yourself. This is so that we can register you with the JIB and obtain your JIB ECS (Electrotechnical Certification Scheme) Card which you will need as proof of identity to access some work sites.

When undertaking your apprenticeship, you will also need to include photographs of yourself completing practical work for job reports, and to provide documentary evidence in your logbook for aspects of your work.

Registering you with the JIB

Please ensure the digital photo you send us for your JIB ECS card meets the following quality criteria:

Your photo must be:

  • clear and in focus
  • in colour
  • unaltered by computer software
  • at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall (portrait format)
  • at least 50KB and no more than 10MB

It must:

  • contain no other objects or people
  • be taken against a plain light-coloured background
  • be in clear contrast to the background
  • not have ‘red eye’
  • If you’re using a photo taken on your own device, include your head and shoulders.

In your photo you must:

  • be facing forwards and looking straight at the camera
  • have your eyes open and visible
  • not have a head covering (unless it’s for religious or medical reasons)
  • not have anything covering your face
  • However, unlike a passport photograph you can smile if you wish to!

Please note:  If your apprenticeship is funded by the Welsh Government, we need your consent to issue the Welsh version of your JIB card. We also need your consent to use and share with applicable parties any other images of you that are used to document evidence of your work during your apprenticeship.

What happens with my Colour Vision Certificate?

Yes, we know; you’ve already completed a screener online as part of your application.

JTL, as a training provider, adheres to certain industry standards, so to progress your application from this stage to becoming a live apprentice, we will need an optician to confirm your colour vision results. You can download a copy of our Colour Vision Certificate here” and switch the link to the CVE cert instead of login.

Where should I start looking for an employer?

We’d always say make the most of online resources. The internet is your oyster! Current JTL apprenticeship vacancies can be found on our website, and we actively work with www.apprenticeships.org.uk and with Find An Apprenticeship. It’s also worth checking out www.yell.com,  www.eca.co.uk, www.thebesa.comwww.jib.org.ukwww.aphc.co.uk and www.ucas.com/apprenticeships.

Think of it as if you were a potential customer looking for a tradesman/ specialist – and you may well be surprised how many are local to you (but don’t forget those that work nationally too). Don’t be afraid to make direct contact and show how enthusiastic you are – just remember that they are busy too, so don’t “pester” them either.

Don’t forget to pay a visit to your local job centre and having a look in the local paper. It’s a tough industry to find work in, so we’d recommend creating a good CV, and making sure you keep this up to date. If you want to send this out to employers (as well as upload to your JTL account), ensure you write a new cover letter with each application. Best of luck!

 

What happens when I apply to a vacancy advertised by JTL?

If you’ve applied to JTL for a specific vacancy advertised on the Government’s apprenticeship website, you’ll need to make sure all aspects of your JTL application are completed. Get in touch if you’re unsure. After that, it will be up to the employer, should they choose to get in touch with you.

Please don’t rely on one application for an employer or apprenticeship. Apply for the employers you can genuinely see yourself working for, and always make sure the pay, holidays, hours etc. are acceptable to you. JTL cannot comment on those, as we don’t get involved in the contract between employer (them) and employee (you), but you’re more than welcome to contact us if you wish. Think about what type of environment you’d like to work in. Do you want to stay fairly local, or does the idea of working on lots of jobs, travelling with your colleagues and visiting new towns and cities appeal to you?

I’ve already got an employer, and they’ve agreed to take me on. Why do I have to do the Entry Assessment or telephone discussion?

We’re just trying to cover all bases. Some employers will recruit on a temporary or trial basis, so we wouldn’t want to you hang your entire application on something that might not last. We’d prefer to have a backup. If you complete all of the Entry Assessment and the telephone discussion, should anything go wrong (fingers crossed it doesn’t) in your employment, all of the great stuff about you is there, ready & waiting to be passed out to another prospective employer.

I’ve done the profile questions in the Entry Assessment. Why do I need the telephone discussion?

Basically, we’d like to speak to you! The questions are different, and so we’d like to hear some different responses from you. We also want for you to know who’s actually at the end of the phone. Our JTL Customer Service representatives speak to thousands of candidates each year, so we’d like to call you, find out what’s special and unique about you, and record it, so we can let potential employers know too.

What if I have any Additional Learning Needs?

That’s fine with us, you can still make the application to JTL, and you can flourish on the apprenticeship of your choice. We have a dedicated team who offer additional learning support to apprentices who would benefit from extra help. Please let us know about your learning needs so that we can put support in place.  This can include things like reading and writing support, extra time in exams and help with study skills and exam preparation.

Declaring additional learning needs will not affect your apprenticeship application, it just helps us to help you.

When would I next hear from JTL?

We will keep in touch with you through some automated emails requesting you confirm your interest in the scheme, but in normal circumstances, our Customer Service Unit won’t be contacting you via the telephone again. However, we’re always happy for you to contact us should you have any questions or concerns.

Employers FAQS

Where and when will they train?

You can expect your apprentice to attend college either one day a week or on a block release which could be a 2-3 week block every few months. Working with a local JTL Training Officer you can find out what is offered in your area and what will work best for your business. We work with over 100 colleges throughout England and Wales as well as having 12 of our own dedicated JTL training centres, your dedicated training officer will place your apprentice in the most appropriate facility for their learning.

How long will my apprentice take to qualify?

A JTL apprenticeship can take from 18 months to 4 years depending upon the trade and level you are studying. For example, an electrical apprenticeship takes 4 years to complete however our property maintenance operative apprenticeship can take 18 months.