The 6 apprenticeships to apply for NOW that guarantee you’ll earn up to £35k – as experts warn of ‘postcode lottery’

YOU could apply for an apprenticeship now and earn up to £35k while you’re still learning. More school leavers are considering apprenticeships so they’re not lumped with tens of thousands of pounds of student loan debt. Apprenticeships mix on-the-job training with classroom learning, meaning you gain professional qualifications without building up any debt. You can do apprenticeships in everything from cyber security to finance, accounting and construction. Sign up for the Money newsletter Thank you! However, campaigners have warned students from poorer backgrounds are missing out on certain types of apprenticeships. A third of all degree apprenticeship positions are found in just 10 postcodes, according to the Social Mobility Foundation. Degree apprenticeships are paid jobs that let you gain a full degree while you work, with the tuition fees paid by Government funding or your employer. There are fewer than 0.4 opportunities per 1,000 young people in Blackpool compared with 104 opportunities per 1,000 young people in the City of London. Despite this, we’ve managed to find six apprenticeships you can apply for RIGHT NOW across the country – see if any might be good for you… Apprentice Dental Nurse – £25,000 Get qualified as a dental nurse and earn more than £25,000 a year while you learn Credit: Alamy Bupa Dental Care is looking for an Apprentice Dental Nurse to work at Chepstow Hospital in Monmouthshire, Wales. Most read in Money It gets you a Level 3 Extended Diploma as a dental nurse and is government-funded. The apprenticeship lasts 18 months and you’ll be working 38 hours a week. As well as learning, you’ll be assisting dentists, sterilising and preparing equipment, working on reception and supporting patients. You’ll earn a decent £25,115 a year while you learn. To apply for the role, it helps if you have GCSE Maths and English at Grade 4 level. You should also share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. Apply here. Deputy Nursery Manager – £35,000 Work your way up to become a deputy nursery manager with this two-year apprenticeship Credit: Getty You could also try this Deputy Nursery Manager apprenticeship with Omraj Childcare in Sutton, south London. You’ll earn an impressive £35,000 a year through the training course and earn a Level 5 qualification as an early years lead practitioner. The apprenticeship is 40 hours a week and lasts for two years. It helps you become a deputy manager in an early years setting, meaning you’ll be leading a team of nursery workers. You’ll be helping to manage staff, provide quality education for young children and keep up high standards of care and safeguarding. The apprenticeship gives you hands-on leadership experience and lets you support the day-to-day nursery operations. The start date is on September 30, 2026. Apply here. Apprentice IT Asset Manager – £32,000 Become an IT asset manager with this apprenticeship based in the north of England Credit: Alamy Recruiters are hiring for an apprentice IT Asset Manager based in either Manchester or Blackpool. It’s not clear what the company is, but it has been posted on the UCAS careers site. The apprenticeship will earn you a Level 3 qualification as a Digital Support Technician. Essentially, you’ll be keeping track of the company’s tech equipment, software licenses and subscription costs. It usually lasts for 15 months. You’ll earn a decent salary of £32,137 per year, with a start date on February 1, 2027. Apply here. Accounting Associate Apprentice – £27,500 Take an apprenticeship in accounting and you can get professionally qualified Credit: Alamy You can take your first step into accounting with this apprenticeship with London-based firm Buzzacott. You’ll get a Level 3 and Level 4 apprenticeship in Finance and Accounting and be paid £27,500 per year. The qualification is recognised by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT). The apprenticeship lasts 30 months, starting in January 2027. You’ll be part of the company’s Business Services team, which provides specialist accounting support for businesses and charities. Your training will involve tutoring, studying and regular exams, but you’ll also learn on the job. You’ll get paid study leave in the run-up to exams, and all course and exam fees are paid for. To apply, you need 3 A-levels or equivalent, and Level 7 in GCSE Maths and English. Apply here. AI & Marketing Apprentice – £22k You’ll help with brainstorming creative ideas for social media posts and blogs Credit: Alamy Production company Chatterbox is looking for an AI & Digital Marketing Apprentice. The apprenticeship lasts for a year and two months, and is 37.5 hours per week. The role is based in Brighton. You’ll be working towards a Level 3 qualification in multi-channel marketing while earning £22,000 a year. You’ll help to manage the company’s LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. This will involve creating social posts and blogs, designing graphics and using AI tools to generate ideas and create content. You’ll also learn how to film and edit video, as well as how to use analytics. The training involves one day per month of classroom teaching, plus one-to-one coaching, workplace projects and self-study. You’ll need GCSEs in Maths, English and Science, as well as at least one A-level. Apply here. AI & Business Operations Apprentice – £22k Server room worker applies deep learning node tree programming to review data sets for operational insights. Credit: Alamy Integrated Fire Safety Systems is looking for an AI & Business Operations apprentice. The role is based in London and lasts a year and four months. You’ll be working towards a Level 3 qualification as a data technician, while earning between £19,000 to £22,000 per year. The role is 40 hours a week and starts on September 25, 2026. Essentially, you’ll be doing an executive assistant and business operations role for a fire safety company. This means using AI tools to streamline the boss’s workload and bring in new business. You’ll be using technology like Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Copilot. You’ll need GCSE Maths and English at grade 3 or above, as well as three other GCSEs in any subject. Apply here. Finance Assistant Apprentice – £15k You could also get into accounting with this Liverpool-based role Credit: Alamy Northern Schools Trust is looking for a Finance Assistant apprentice based in Liverpool. The Level 2 apprenticeship is in partnership with education company Kaplan. It pays £15,392 a year and could be your first step into a career in accounting. You’ll work 37 hours a week, starting on September 28, 2026. The course lasts for one year and three months. You’ll be helping with basic day-to-day money management, record-keeping and transaction processing. The company says it’s perfect for someone without any accountancy or bookkeeping knowledge. There are no entry requirements but you need good maths, IT and English skills. Apply here. Comment now