Apprenticeships are among the most exciting and practical ways to gain experience and develop on-the-job skills for a successful career. 

Whether you’re hiring, looking for an entry-level opportunity, or already working in the services industry, ServiceIQ makes it simple to start, support, and complete an apprenticeship that benefits both the business and its employees. 

However, there are plenty of misconceptions around apprenticeships and we’re challenging that view. Apprenticeships are not purely for manual workers. Furthermore, the idea that apprenticeships are too specialised or narrow, highly pressurised, and offer little career advancement, are things of the past.

We provide apprenticeship programmes that span the services industries (from hospitality to retail and distribution and aviation engineering). Apprentices earn as they learn, gain recognised qualifications on-the-job and build practical, job-specific skills to help develop clear and defined long-term career progression.

Many organisations shy away from embracing apprenticeship programmes. It’s too hard and time consuming to hire the right person, build an assessment framework, and cover the financial outlay. We make it easy by doing the heavy lifting.

Employers get a guided partner who helps select the right programme, designs a training plan, mentors progress, and keeps them updated. Apprentices earn a wage, building skills toward a nationally recognised Level 4 qualification, typically over two to three years, mainly in the workplace, and at a pace that fits real operations. 

Funding options are available through Apprenticeship Boost, which enables employers in ServiceIQ-managed industries of aviation and hospitality to receive payments for up to 12 months for each apprentice enrolled in an eligible Level 4 programme in their first year of training.

Another important misconception is that apprenticeships are just for school leavers and young people. According to research by The New Zealand Initiative, the average age of New Zealand apprentices is 28. 

Our apprenticeship-related qualifications are for the ambitious leaders of tomorrow, for people perhaps in their first or second job, looking to upskill in their current job or ready to change careers – people in work who are looking forward and keen to progress by getting qualified so they can take on more responsibility in their current and future career pathways. 

Apprenticeships also offer the flexibility for younger people to be sure that this is the job or the sector for them. 

Apprentices share the same workplace desires and ambitions as their colleagues who may be further along in their careers. They want flexible learning opportunities from firms that invest in their teams and provide on-the-job training, joining the 68% of employees who prefer to learn at work and the 58% of employees who prefer to learn at their own pace.

So, what’s on offer for ambitious and talented apprentices? Just some of the opportunities in the areas of retail, hospitality and aviation include:

• The New Zealand Apprenticeship in Retail – Levels 3 and 4 and ideal for growing a serious career in retail or management. It enables retail stars to develop the skills and knowledge to deliver everything an employer needs to run a successful and smooth-running retail operation.
• The New Zealand Cookery Apprenticeship. This is a top-level, on-the-job training programme that turns aspiring chefs into qualified professionals through a combination of practical kitchen experience and structured learning. 
• The NZ Apprenticeship in Aviation Aeronautical Engineering with strands – a Level 4 qualification that combines on-the-job training with block courses to develop the skills needed to maintain, overhaul, and repair aircraft in a specialised strand. 

Beginning your job search in the service industry, about to start a new role, or already an employee? With so many routes to explore, apprenticeships provide a structured career path based on layered and continuous learning, to help move from entry-level, for example, to management over time. 

Find out whether you qualify for our Apprenticeship Programmes. 

Explore our range of apprenticeship programmes. Grow your career and your workplace with affordable on-the-job apprenticeship training. ServiceIQ, the workplace training specialist for the hospitality, retail, tourism, aviation, travel, and museums sectors, New Zealand wide.