Common apprenticeship interview questions
For intermediate, advanced, higher and degree apprenticeships. What employers usually ask, what they are looking for, and how to answer when you don’t have much work experience yet.
- 12 common questions
- What they want to hear
- What to avoid
What an apprenticeship interview is like
Apprenticeship employers know you are starting out, so they don’t expect years of experience. They want to see that you are genuinely interested in the job, reliable, keen to learn and able to manage work and study together. Larger employers often start with an online test or a recorded video interview, then invite you to an assessment day with a group task, a short presentation or an interview. Smaller employers may simply invite you in for a chat and a look around.
Prepare by reading about the employer and the apprenticeship: the qualification, the college or training provider, and what you would do day to day. Then think of examples from school, college, part-time work, volunteering, sport and hobbies. They all count, and interviewers expect them.
The answers below are structures with made-up detail, to show the shape of a good answer. Use your own real examples and your own words.
Apprenticeship interview questions and answers
Questions marked STAR want a real example: the situation, your task, the action you took and the result. For the others, follow the steps. Keep each answer to about two minutes.
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Opening
Tell us a bit about yourself.
What they want to hear
A short, positive introduction that links you to the apprenticeship: what you are studying or doing now, what you enjoy and why this path appeals.
Avoid
Reading out your CV, or answering in one sentence. Aim for about a minute.
How to answer
- Start with
- Where you are now: "I’m finishing my A levels in maths, physics and product design."
- Then
- Something that shows your interest, such as a project, a hobby or a part-time job.
- Finish with
- Why this apprenticeship is the right next step for you.
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Motivation
Why do you want to do an apprenticeship rather than full-time study?
What they want to hear
A positive reason for choosing an apprenticeship: learning by doing, earning while you train and starting your career sooner, rather than just avoiding university or college.
Avoid
Saying it is mainly about the money, or only that you didn’t want to go to university.
How to answer
- Start with
- What appeals to you about learning on the job.
- Then
- Why it suits the career you want, with an example of how you learn best.
- Finish with
- That you are committed to the study side too.
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Research
Why do you want this apprenticeship with us?
What they want to hear
That you have researched the employer and the role: what they do, what apprentices do there and what you would learn.
Avoid
A general answer you could give to any employer.
How to answer
- Start with
- Something specific about the employer: their work, their customers or how they train apprentices.
- Then
- What draws you to this field, with a real example of your interest.
- Finish with
- What you hope to achieve by the end of the apprenticeship.
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Organisation
How will you balance work and study?
What they want to hear
That you understand an apprenticeship includes off-the-job training and coursework alongside the job, and that you can organise your time.
Avoid
Underestimating the study side, or saying you will "just fit it in".
How to answer
- Start with
- What you know about how the training works for this apprenticeship, such as college days, a training centre or online learning.
- Then
- How you already manage your time, for example school alongside a part-time job, sport or caring at home.
- Finish with
- A habit you will use, such as planning your week or setting a regular time for coursework.
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TeamworkSTAR
Tell us about a time you worked in a team.
What they want to hear
That you cooperate, communicate and do your share. School, college, sport and part-time jobs all give good examples.
Avoid
Taking all the credit, or criticising the rest of the team.
An example answer, with STAR
- Situation
- A group project at college where one member stopped coming to meetings.
- Task
- Your group still had to present on the agreed date.
- Action
- You suggested sharing out the missing part, set up a group chat to track progress and messaged the missing member to check they were OK.
- Result
- You presented on time, and the missing member joined in for the final practice.
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StrengthsSTAR
Tell us about something you have achieved that you are proud of.
What they want to hear
Commitment and effort over time. It doesn’t have to be about work: sport, music, a qualification, volunteering or looking after someone all count.
Avoid
Choosing something you can’t say much about, or playing it down. It is fine to be proud.
An example answer, with STAR
- Situation
- You wanted to run a 10k for a local charity but had never run more than a few kilometres.
- Task
- You had three months to get ready.
- Action
- You followed a beginner’s plan, ran three times a week before school and asked family and friends to sponsor you.
- Result
- You finished the race, raised money for the charity and still run every week.
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LearningSTAR
Tell us about a time you had to learn something new.
What they want to hear
That you are willing to learn, ask questions and practise. It is one of the most important things employers look for in an apprentice.
Avoid
Saying you learn everything quickly, with no example.
An example answer, with STAR
- Situation
- You started a Saturday job at a café with no experience of making coffee.
- Task
- You needed to run the coffee machine on your own within a few weeks.
- Action
- You watched experienced staff, asked questions when it was quiet and practised by making the team’s drinks.
- Result
- You were making drinks on your own by your third week, and now you help train new starters.
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HonestySTAR
Tell us about a mistake you made and what you learned from it.
What they want to hear
Honesty, ownership and what you changed afterwards. Employers know new starters make mistakes.
Avoid
Saying you never make mistakes, or choosing one where someone else was to blame.
An example answer, with STAR
- Situation
- You missed a coursework deadline because you left it until the last weekend.
- Task
- You had to catch up and make sure it didn’t happen again.
- Action
- You told your teacher, agreed a new date and started planning each week’s work on a calendar.
- Result
- You handed it in by the new date and haven’t missed a deadline since.
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Scenario
What would you do if you didn’t understand an instruction at work?
What they want to hear
That you would ask rather than guess, especially where safety or quality is involved.
Avoid
Saying you would work it out yourself so you don’t look silly.
How to answer
- First
- Ask the person to explain again, or to show you, at a sensible moment.
- Then
- Repeat it back or write it down to check you have understood.
- Finish with
- Why it matters: guessing could waste time, cause mistakes or be unsafe.
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Workplace
How would you feel about being the youngest or newest person in the team?
What they want to hear
That you are comfortable learning from experienced colleagues, can take feedback and will speak up when you need to.
Avoid
Saying you would keep your head down and not ask questions.
How to answer
- Start with
- That you see it as a chance to learn from people who know the job well.
- Then
- An example of getting on with adults outside school, such as at a part-time job, a club or volunteering.
- Finish with
- How you take feedback: listen, ask questions and act on it.
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Reliability
How do you make sure you are on time and reliable?
What they want to hear
Reliability is one of the main things apprenticeship employers look for. They want proof, not just a promise.
Avoid
A promise with no proof, or not having checked the journey.
How to answer
- Give evidence
- Your attendance at school or college, or a part-time job where you have never been late.
- Then
- How you will get to work and to college or training, and a backup plan.
- Finish with
- What you do if something goes wrong: tell your manager as early as you can.
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Ambition
Where do you see yourself when you finish the apprenticeship?
What they want to hear
That you want to stay and grow in this field, ideally with this employer, and have thought about what comes next.
Avoid
Saying you plan to leave for something unrelated once you qualify.
How to answer
- Start with
- Finishing the apprenticeship and the qualification well.
- Then
- The role you would like next, such as moving up a level or specialising.
- Finish with
- That you would like to build your career with them.
Questions to ask them
At the end you will usually be asked if you have any questions. Two or three thoughtful ones show you are serious about the job. Write them down and take them with you.
- What does a typical week look like for an apprentice here?
- Who would support me day to day, and how often would I meet my training provider?
- What have past apprentices gone on to do here?
- What would you like to see from me in the first few months?
Practise out loud with mock interview questions
Answers sound different said out loud. With a free account, our interview prep tool gives you practice questions for an apprenticeship job, from your CV or the job title alone, with a tip for each one. Each practice set uses one free use.
Apprenticeship interviews: your questions
What happens at an apprenticeship assessment day?
Larger employers sometimes invite applicants to an assessment day, in person or online. It might include a group task, a short presentation, a test and an interview. In the group task they watch how you listen, share ideas and help the group finish, not who talks the most.
What should I wear to an apprenticeship interview?
Smart, tidy clothes, a step smarter than what people wear for the job day to day. If you are not sure, it is fine to ask. If there is a workshop tour or practical task, wear sensible shoes.
What should I take to an apprenticeship interview?
A copy of your CV, anything the invitation asks for (such as ID or proof of your grades), a pen and a few notes with your questions. Plan your journey and aim to arrive a little early.
What if I don’t have any work experience?
That is normal for apprentices. Use examples from school or college, sport, clubs, volunteering, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and helping at home. Our guide to an apprenticeship CV shows how to present them.
Get the application ready
- Apprenticeship CV templateThe best designs for an apprenticeship CV, and what to put on it.
- Apprenticeship cover letter exampleA full example letter for this job, with what to mention in yours.
- School Leaver CV exampleA filled-in example CV to borrow structure and wording from.
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Ready for the interview?
Pick three or four of these questions, write a few notes for each, and say your answers out loud before the day.