Apprenticeship Interview Questions and Answers

An apprenticeship is a real job with training built in. GOV.UK describes it as combining practical training in a job with study, and GOV.UK says at least 20% of your normal working hours go on training. For apprenticeships starting from 1 August 2025, the funding rules instead set a minimum number of off-the-job training hours for each apprenticeship, so check your training plan. You are an employee, so you earn a wage, get holiday pay and work alongside experienced staff.

Because the employer is hiring someone to do a job and learn at the same time, apprenticeship interviews look for two things: are you genuinely interested in this line of work, and will you turn up, learn and stick at it? This page explains how employers in England usually select apprentices, which tests are common, practice questions with explanations, and the interview questions you are most likely to face.

Apprenticeship levels in brief

GOV.UK lists these levels:

  • Foundation and Intermediate (Level 2), equivalent to GCSEs
  • Advanced (Level 3), equivalent to A levels
  • Higher (Levels 4 to 7), equivalent to a foundation degree and above
  • Degree (Levels 6 and 7), equivalent to a bachelor's or master's degree

GOV.UK says apprenticeships take at least 8 months and up to 6 years, depending on type and level. The interview gets more demanding as the level rises. A Level 2 interview focuses on motivation and reliability; a degree apprenticeship with a large employer can look very much like a graduate scheme, with online tests and an assessment centre.

The apprenticeship selection process, step by step

Step 1: Find and apply

In England, vacancies are listed on the government's Find an apprenticeship service, and you need a GOV.UK One Login to create an account. Many large employers also recruit through their own careers sites. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have separate services.

The official apprenticeships site says employers normally ask for a CV and cover letter, and recommends having your experience, qualifications, ID and references ready before you start. It also notes that applying to more than one employer increases your chance of securing an apprenticeship. Write a fresh cover letter or personal statement for each role.

Step 2: Online tests (some employers)

The official guidance notes that some employers use psychometric tests. In practice, larger employers in engineering, finance, IT and the public sector commonly use one or more of:

  • Numerical reasoning: percentages, ratios, reading tables and charts.
  • Verbal reasoning: reading a passage and judging whether statements follow from it.
  • Mechanical or spatial reasoning: gears, levers, pulleys, rotating shapes, mainly for engineering and trades.
  • Situational judgement tests: workplace scenarios where you pick the best response.

Smaller employers often skip tests altogether, or use a short maths and English check through the training provider.

Step 3: Telephone or video screen

A short call or recorded video interview to check your motivation, availability and right to work. Our video interview tips cover recorded formats.

Step 4: Interview or assessment centre

The official site says a small employer may hold one interview and a larger employer up to three, in person, by phone or online, and sometimes as a group. Large employers may run an assessment day with a group task, a short presentation, a practical exercise and an interview. Our assessment centre guide explains each exercise.

Step 5: Offer and apprenticeship agreement

If you are successful, you sign an employment contract and an apprenticeship agreement, and the training provider enrols you. If you are not selected, ask the employer for feedback; many will give at least a short reason.

How interviewers judge apprentice candidates

Few applicants have relevant work experience, and interviewers know it. They score you on evidence you can give from school, college, part-time work, sport, volunteering and hobbies. Typical criteria are:

  • Motivation for the field: have you done anything that shows interest, such as a project, a club or reading about the company?
  • Willingness to learn: can you take feedback and stick with something difficult?
  • Reliability: attendance, punctuality, part-time jobs held down alongside school.
  • Teamwork and communication: how you work with people older than you.
  • Balancing work and study: how you will cope with assignments on top of a full working week.

Practice questions in the style of apprenticeship tests

These are our own practice items, not real employer test questions.

Practice question 1

A bike shop sells a helmet for £48. In a sale it is reduced by 25%. What is the sale price?

A. £12 B. £23 C. £36 D. £40

Answer: C. 25% of £48 is £12, and £48 minus £12 is £36. A is the discount, not the price.

Practice question 2

An apprentice works 37.5 hours a week. If the employer allocates 20% of that time to off-the-job training, how many training hours is that per week?

A. 5 hours B. 7 hours C. 7.5 hours D. 8 hours

Answer: C. 20% of 37.5 = 0.2 × 37.5 = 7.5 hours.

Practice question 3

A recipe needs flour and sugar in the ratio 5:2. If you use 750 g of flour, how much sugar do you need?

A. 150 g B. 250 g C. 300 g D. 375 g

Answer: C. 750 ÷ 5 = 150 g per part, and sugar is 2 parts: 300 g.

Practice question 4

Read the passage and decide whether the statement is True, False or Cannot say.

"All new starters complete a health and safety induction in their first week. Workshop access is granted only after the induction is signed off by a supervisor."

Statement: Some new starters can use the workshop on their first day.

A. True B. False C. Cannot say

Answer: C. The induction must be signed off first, but it happens during the first week and could be completed on day one. The passage does not tell us, so the answer is Cannot say.

Practice question 5

A lever has the pivot in the middle. A 20 kg load sits 1 m to the left of the pivot. How far to the right of the pivot must a 10 kg weight be placed to balance it?

A. 0.5 m B. 1 m C. 1.5 m D. 2 m

Answer: D. Moments must balance: 20 × 1 = 10 × distance, so the distance is 2 m.

Practice question 6

In your second week, a supervisor asks you to use a machine you have not been trained on, because the team is behind schedule. What is the best response?

A. Use it carefully and hope for the best B. Refuse and go back to your own task without explanation C. Explain politely that you have not been trained on it yet, and ask whether someone can show you or whether there is another task you can do to help D. Ask another apprentice to do it instead

Answer: C. It is honest, safety-conscious and still helpful. A risks injury, B is unhelpful and D passes the risk to someone else.

Practice question 7

What is the next number in the sequence 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ...?

A. 38 B. 40 C. 42 D. 44

Answer: C. The gaps go up by 2 each time: +4, +6, +8, +10, so the next gap is +12, giving 42.

For more practice, see our numerical reasoning practice questions.

The apprenticeship interview: 12 questions with example answers

Use the STAR method for "tell me about a time" questions. Keep each answer to a minute or two.

1. Tell me about yourself.

Example answer: "I'm finishing my A levels in maths, physics and product design. Outside school I work Saturdays at a garden centre and I've rebuilt two old mountain bikes, which is where I got interested in how things are made. I'd like to start earning and learning in engineering rather than go to university full time."

2. Why do you want an apprenticeship rather than university?

Example answer: "I learn best by doing. In product design I understood tolerances properly only when my first prototype didn't fit. An apprenticeship lets me get qualified while working on real jobs, and I like that I'd be contributing from the start."

3. Why this company?

Example answer: "You build equipment I have actually used, and your apprentices rotate through several departments, so I'd see the whole process. I also spoke to one of your second-year apprentices at a careers fair, and she said apprentices get real responsibility in year two."

4. What do you know about the role?

Example answer: "It is a Level 3 maintenance apprenticeship: four days on site and one at college, working towards the standard qualification. In the first year it is mostly supervised work and learning the safety systems, then more independent jobs as I'm signed off."

5. Tell me about a time you worked in a team.

Example answer: "For our Young Enterprise company, five of us made and sold phone stands. I took on production. When we got a large order from the school shop, I set up a simple production line so we could make thirty in an afternoon. We filled the order on time and I learned that a bit of planning saves a lot of panic."

6. Tell me about a time you overcame a difficulty.

Example answer: "I failed my first maths mock badly. I asked my teacher which topics cost the most marks, did past paper questions on those twice a week and went to the lunchtime club. I went from a 4 to a 7 in the real exam."

7. How do you handle feedback or criticism?

Example answer: "I try not to take it personally and ask for one specific thing to change. At the garden centre my manager said I was too quiet with customers. I started offering help to anyone who looked lost, and now I'm one of the people she puts on the tills on busy days."

8. How will you balance work with college study?

Example answer: "I already juggle A levels and a weekend job. I plan the week on Sunday, put assignment deadlines in my phone calendar and do a little each evening. If something clashes, I'd tell my mentor early rather than at the last minute."

9. What would you do if you made a mistake at work?

Example answer: "Tell my supervisor straight away, especially if it affects safety or a customer. Then help put it right and ask how to avoid it next time."

10. What are your strengths?

Example answer: "I'm practical and patient. When I rebuilt my bike I spent a whole weekend chasing a gear problem, but I worked through it methodically until it was sorted. I also stick with things: I've held my Saturday job for two years."

11. Where do you see yourself in five years?

Example answer: "Fully qualified, working independently on maintenance jobs, and possibly starting a higher apprenticeship or HNC if the company supports it. Eventually I'd like to help train new apprentices."

12. Do you have any questions for us?

Example answer: "What does a typical week look like for a first-year apprentice? And what have your best apprentices done that made them stand out?"

Practical tips for apprenticeship interviews

  • Research the employer and the standard. Know which apprenticeship standard and level the role is, and what the training provider is.
  • Have three stories ready. Teamwork, overcoming a difficulty and learning something new cover most questions.
  • Prepare for tests. If the advert mentions online tests, practise timed numerical and verbal items in the week before. Our aptitude test practice pages are a good starting point.
  • Plan the logistics. Check where and when the interview is, plan your journey and aim to arrive ten minutes early.
  • Ask for adjustments if you need them. The official site says you can ask for reasonable adjustments when you are invited to interview.
  • Dress smartly and sensibly. Tidy clothes and closed shoes, particularly if there is a site or workshop tour.

Common mistakes include saying you want an apprenticeship "because I don't want to go to university" without a positive reason, not knowing what the company makes or does, and giving one-word answers out of nerves. For engineering employers, our guide to Rolls-Royce interview questions shows what a large employer's process looks like.

Pay

GOV.UK says apprentices are entitled to the apprentice rate of the National Minimum Wage if they are under 19, or 19 or over and in the first year, and then the rate for their age. Many employers pay more, so check the wage in the advert and the current rate on GOV.UK.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many interviews are there for an apprenticeship?

It depends on the employer. The official apprenticeships service says a small employer may hold one interview and a larger employer up to three, in person, by phone or online, and sometimes as a group.

Do apprenticeships have aptitude tests?

Some do. The official apprenticeships guidance notes that some employers use psychometric tests as part of the process. Large employers often use numerical, verbal or mechanical reasoning tests, or a situational judgement test, before the interview.

What should I say when asked why I want an apprenticeship?

Give two specific reasons: why you want to learn on the job rather than full time in education, and why this trade or profession. Back each up with something you have done, such as a project, part-time job or hobby.

What should I wear to an apprenticeship interview?

Smart and tidy unless told otherwise, for example trousers or a skirt with a shirt or plain top. For workshop or site visits wear sensible closed shoes. If in doubt, ask the employer or training provider.

Can I ask for feedback if I am not selected?

Yes, and you should. Many employers will give at least a short reason. Use it to improve your next application, because the official apprenticeships service notes that applying to more than one employer increases your chances.

About the author

Ingmar van Maurik is a specialist in test and interview preparation who helps candidates perform better in recruitment processes.

References