Apprenticeships in Newcastle

Known for its industrial heritage, lively nightlife, and the distinct “Geordie” accent of its natives, Newcastle Upon Tyne is also a centre of education and business.

Prominent companies in the city include Greggs, Sage, Unilever, Home Bargains, and Procter & Gamble. 

Careers in Newcastle

Once a hub of coal mining, shipbuilding, and manufacturing, Newcastle now also offers careers in education, healthcare, professional and business services, real estate, and more. 

Educational services make up 13.5+% of the city’s jobs, with a further 9% in professional, scientific and technical services. 

The many nightclubs, bars, and eateries offer positions in hospitality and catering and there are several opportunities in real estate too. 

Other significant sectors include financial services, creative industries, and a growing tech scene. 

The National Innovation Centre for Data (NICD) has helped world-leading thinkers collaborate, while the Urban Observatory, hosts the largest set of open source urban environmental monitoring data.

An apprenticeship in Newcastle can be the start of an exciting adventure and a rewarding career. Let’s see what else this vibrant city has to offer.

Top employers in Newcastle

BBC Careers
Software Engineering Apprenticeships

Living and working in Newcastle

Newcastle is the most populous city in North East England, with an estimated 834,242 people. 

It is a cathedral city, with a rich history. A stone’s throw from Hadrian’s Wall, the area also offers Tynemouth Priory and Castle, Newcastle Castle, Grey’s Monument and Beamish Museum. 

Newcastle also boasts several contemporary attractions, including the vibrant waterfront Quayside, housing the BALTIC Art Museum and the Sage music centre, the iconic Tyne Bridge, Gateshead Millennium Bridge and The Angel of the North.

You can catch a Premier League football match at St James’ Park, or go shopping in Eldon Square, Northumberland Street and the Biscuit Factory.

There are many excellent eateries, bars and clubs, including Newcastle’s longest-running nightclub, Powerhouse, in the famed Pink Triangle. And, of course, you can grab a pasty or sausage from one of the several Greggs in the city.   

There are plenty of green spaces, too, with Jesmond Dene park, Northumberland National Park, and hiking and cycling in the abundant Northumberland countryside.

You’ll find plenty of public transport in Newcastle, with Arriva, Go North East and Stagecoach all operating in the area. 

Newcastle is around a three-and-a-half-hour train ride from London, and you can get to Edinburgh in a little over an hour and a half.

Newcastle International Airport (NCL) is approximately six miles northwest of the city centre. It facilitates easy overseas travel for business or leisure. The International Ferry Terminal at North Shields is also within easy reach.

Degree apprenticeships in Newcastle

Degree apprentices combine studying for a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree at university with a full-time practical job in their chosen field. 

The two main universities are Newcastle University and Northumbria University. You will also find Newcastle College, a respected institute in its own right.

Newcastle and Northumbria Universities both offer higher and degree apprenticeships in a wide range of subjects, from Medical Law, Advanced Carbon Footprinting and Chartered Surveying, to MSc Digital and Technology Solutions, Operations Management, and BEng Product Design and Development Engineering.

Industry spotlight

Not only does Newcastle boast three excellent universities, but it also has a superb schooling system, with around 20 primary, secondary and academy schools rated as Outstanding. There are over one hundred schools in the area, providing lots of employment opportunities. 

In addition to the educational institutions themselves, you can find Early Years Education apprenticeships, Levels 2 and 3, Teaching Assistant Level 3 and Learning and Skills Teacher Level 5 at Newcastle City Council.

Real estate is an umbrella term for a diverse industry that encompasses property management, sales and marketing, brokerage, mortgages, appraisal and legal

With such a high population, there is always demand for housing and work for those in the real estate sector. 

Just a few of the potential roles include:

  • Real estate agent
  • Real estate broker
  • Real estate developer
  • Property manager
  • Property surveyor
  • Home inspector

A Housing and Property Management Level 3 apprenticeship is available with several providers in the Tyne and Wear area.
Nearby Gateshead Council offers a Real Estate Surveyor Apprenticeship with training provided virtually by the University College of Estate Management.

Newcastle has an emerging tech scene, with startups and established IT companies such as Ubisoft and True Potential choosing the city as their base of operations. It’s no wonder, with the high-capacity fibre network connecting Newcastle to New York City in 66 milliseconds via the North Atlantic Loop.

From video game design to digital wealth management, there are numerous opportunities for making your mark in digital technology.

Sage is a global software company with a large base in Newcastle. They offer apprenticeships in subjects such as security, technical support, X3 development, cloud engineering and many more.

What is an Apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships are partly Government-funded initiatives designed to get more people into work, improve the UK workforce by diversification, and upskill existing workers.

They are run in conjunction with UK business and education providers such as colleges and universities. Those businesses receive financial incentives for employing an apprentice and the apprentice gets to earn while they learn.

They follow a ratio of 80% hands-on paid work and 20% studying.

Apprentices get their tuition paid for and also earn at least the minimum wage for their age group.

They provide an alternative route into certain professions that used to be off-limits for many people due to the time and costs required for training.

Generally apprenticeships are thought to be for young people, but adult apprenticeships can also help older candidates to progress or careers. 

Reach Your Highest Potential

Why choose an apprenticeship?

Learn On The Job  

Being an apprentice means working full-time, completing day-to-day tasks and taking on responsibilities. It is an excellent way to learn more about your chosen industry and the role you could play within it.

A Living Wage

Some people cannot go to university because they need to earn money quickly. With an apprenticeship, you are guaranteed to be the minimum wage for your age group, at the very least. Depending on your employer, position in the company and the industry you’re in, you may find you earn significantly more. 

More Opportunities

Unsurprisingly, the Covid-19 pandemic hit apprenticeships pretty hard. However, after a decrease, companies are once again ramping up their apprenticeship programmes (up 1.3% for 2024/2025 from the previous year).

This means not only are you likely to find a relevant apprenticeship close by, but you have more chance of your application being successful. 

Qualify Quicker

Most UK apprenticeships last between 12 months and 3 years, typically much shorter than the equivalent university course. 

With each apprenticeship granting you a corresponding qualification, you could gain the grades you need to upskill and progress in your career.

Level 2 (Intermediate) – equivalent to 5 GCSE passes

Level 3 (Advanced) – equivalent to 2 A Level passes

Levels 4- 5 (Higher) – equivalent to a foundation degree 

Levels 6-7 (Degree) – equivalent to a bachelor’s or master’s degree

Some apprenticeships enable you to earn industry-specific licences and charters. 

Stand Out

Companies value their apprentices as a source of fresh thinking and a new perspective. These programmes can help you to stand out among your peers and colleagues, simply by being yourself.

More Choices

Apprenticeships were largely limited to the trades when they began way back in 1563! Even modern apprenticeships as recognised by UK Training Boards in 1964 were typically centered on practical skills.

Today, you can find apprenticeships in every industry, with more being announced regularly.

Newcastle upon Tyne offers a plethora of apprenticeship programmes across the majority of industries. 

Find out if Newcastle is the place for you, apply for an apprenticeship today!

Search the latest apprenticeships in Newcastle or check out our industry and school leaver pages for more inspiration.

If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.