How do I send an e-mail requesting an apprenticeship?

Before students can get an apprenticeship contract with a company, they must first send in an application. There are several ways of securing a work-linked apprenticeship contract, but the first step is often to write an e-mail asking for a job or applying for one that has been advertised. As a reminder, apprenticeships are one of the two types of work-linked training contract available, along with professionalisation contracts. Work-linked training means being able to follow a course at a school at the same time as working for a company.

Contents

Key points

Key points for obtaining an apprenticeship contract

First of all, the applicant must both be accepted into the school AND into a company. In order to perfect their application for apprentice status, applicants must first consider a few essential points.

Conditions required to apply

First of all, it is important to note that apprenticeship is one of the possible contracts for work-linked training. Alongside the apprenticeship contract, there is also the professionalisation contract. These two contracts have a number of differences. For apprenticeships, the student must be under 30 years of age.

The criteria for admission to an apprenticeship depend on each company and each school. This means that you need to find out all you can about them before applying. Of course, you must first choose the company that is going to offer the positions and allow you to take your first step into the professional world, as well as the school offering the training. At INSEEC, for example, the admission criteria for work-linked training are: the relevance and coherence of your career plan, the quality of your arguments, your motivation, your CV, your professional experience, your academic record and your oral skills.

Preparing for all questions

If you’re serious about taking the apprenticeship route, you need to be prepared for everything that’s involved, both professionally and personally. To do this, find out about the conditions laid down by the company and the school or programme you have chosen. Ask yourself about :

the type of contract: companies may prefer an apprenticeship contract to a professional training contract.
the minimum and maximum duration of the contract ;
the start and end dates of the contract ;
salary and cost to the company. Many work-study students send a schedule and estimate directly to the company with their application.
to find out about the possibility of recruitment, you need to find out in advance about professional networks to see which companies have major recruitment needs, which start-ups are coming to raise funds, and so on.
the pace of training: 3 weeks/1 week, 3 days/2 days, a timetable that follows the accounting calendar, with more in-company time when the accounts are closed. Companies often have very definite ideas about the type of sandwich course they are looking for.

An effective e-mail for an apprenticeship application

Once you have worked out all these details, you can now think about the content of the application email you need to send. It’s important to remember that this email will be your first contact with the manager. This means that it is already considered to be professional. It also shows your motivation and commitment. It is a vital element in your admission to apprentice status.

As far as the content of the email is concerned, there are a few essential points to bear in mind:

your contact details;
the name of your contact: a great sign of respect and involvement;
the date of the work-linked training period and the training schedule
the course you are already taking; the course you will be taking at the start of the new academic year.
your current plans and future prospects ;
your strengths as an apprentice and as a professional ;
the benefits that the employer receives by accepting your application(don’t forget to mention the state bonus in particular!).
With all this information, don’t forget to attach your CV and covering letter.

Coaching

Give priority to coaching provided during training

For students who are already enrolled at a school such as INSEEC, applying for an apprenticeship with a company is considerably easier. This is because they already receive full coaching on drawing up a CV, writing a covering letter and preparing for the interview.

Each student receives individual support as they begin the process of applying to a company. There is also group coaching provided by experts to give students confidence before they join a professional group. It is vital to take into account the existence or otherwise of a company relations department when choosing a school. This will help you to find the work-linked training offer best suited to your situation. Specialised schools such as INSEEC automatically circulate offers submitted by their partners. Meeting companies and students at professional events also makes it easier to get to know each other and take the necessary steps to apply for an apprenticeship.

The importance of coaching

The importance of work-linked coaching

Because apprenticeship is a form of sandwich course, students have to go through a number of stages before they can access training in the vocational field. Each school lays down strict rules for selecting the students eligible for each course. And the same applies to companies: before accepting a work-linked training contract, they have to screen all the applicants. It is the applicant who must take the first step by sending in a well-prepared application.

Apprenticeships give students access to practical experience while they work towards their degree. The biggest advantage is that students are coached so that they can prepare brilliantly for their professional future. So it’s up to the corporate relations department to support applicants in their search for an apprenticeship contract. It is also the responsibility of this department to put in place the right contract for each student, depending on their level of study.

If you’d like to find out more about preparing for a job interview, take a look at our dedicated article, and for any other questions you may have, you can read our Frequently Asked Questions, take part in an information meeting or be contacted by our teams.

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