Skills Programmes Page

Skills Programmes for Apprentices

AoA Career Ready Programme

Empowering apprentices to succeed from day one

Member Access

Day one support

The AoA Career Ready Programme is designed specifically for apprentices who are new to work and joining organisations in entry-level roles. Whether learners are starting their first apprenticeship or taking their first steps into the world of work, the Career Ready Programme supports their transition from education into employment through structured, practical development.

Easy to Access

Delivered through AoA Learn, the programme helps apprentices develop the workplace behaviours, confidence and professional skills needed to thrive in the modern workplace from day one. This is easily accessed through the members' area on AoA's website or our dedicated learning resources app available on both IOS and AppStore.

Why career readiness matters

Employers consistently tell us that communication, professionalism, resilience, teamwork and personal responsibility are essential for long-term success. The programme helps develop these critical workplace behaviours enabling earlier meaningful contributions. This course is certificated and counts towards OTJ Hours.

Circular infographic showing the AoA Career-Ready Programme. The programme consists of eight modules: Communication, Professionalism, Feedback & Growth, Teamwork, Wellbeing, Challenges & Change, Health and Safety, and Proactivity & Responsibility.What’s included?
8 interactive learning modules

The programme consists of self-paced online learning and can be completed flexibly around work and study commitments.
Learners receive access to:
✅ Communication
✅ Professionalism
✅ Feedback & Growth
✅ Teamwork
✅ Wellbeing
✅ Challenges & Change
✅ Health & Safety
✅ Proactivity & Responsibility
 
12-15 hours of online learning with a certificate of completion.

For Partners

The Career Ready Programme is available through AoA Learn as part of Association of Apprentices partnership packages. Organisations looking to strengthen onboarding, employability skills and apprentice development can explore partnership options to provide access to the programme.

Interested in bringing the Career Ready Programme to your organisation?

Explore our partnership options with a member of our team.

Contact: sarah@associationofapprentices.org.uk

Jan Richardson-Wilde

CEO, Occupational Awards Limited

Jan is the CEO of Occupational Awards Limited, a Director of the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink and an FE College Governor. She has over 35 years’ experience in the education sector in strategic and operational management of training programmes with colleges, private training providers, local authorities the voluntary sector and not for profit organisations. Jan has previously been a board member of the Learning and Skills Council, chair of the North Yorkshire Training Provider network and Vice-Chair of Yorkshire Coast College and a Governor of the Grimsby Institute for Further and Higher Education. She has extensive experience of education policy, apprenticeships, qualification, and curriculum development as well as business improvement.

Jan joined OAL in 2019, a leading non-profit industry-focused Awarding and End-Point Assessment Organisation, supporting a wide range of employers and of key stakeholders to succeed and surpass expectations. Jan is committed to continuous improvement and enthusiastic about improving the effectiveness, impact and quality of apprenticeships, education, and training in the UK and internationally. She has a wide range of experience of working in a collaborative context with employers and training providers to develop End Point Assessment, apprenticeships, and a wide range of vocational programmes.