Your guide to apprenticeships in Kent in 2024

Ah Kent, the garden of England. Also home to the major population centres of Ashford, Canterbury, Dartford, Maidstone and of course Dover. As a gateway for trade with Europe and a popular tourist destination, the county of Kent offers many jobs in wholesale and retail.

At the time of writing, we discovered nearly 200 apprenticeships within a 30 mile radius of Canterbury, Kent’s historic county town.

In this post, we share an overview of apprenticeships in Kent – from the county’s major industries to key apprenticeship providers.

What are Kent’s main industries?

Kent’s three biggest industries are:

Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles – This includes customer-facing and behind-the-scenes roles in shops and warehouses. It also covers car and motorcycle mechanics. In Kent, about 16% of people work in these professions.

Career Zone links: Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Retail & Merchandising, Transport & Logistics

Healthcare and social work – This is a major industry across the UK, with most jobs in public sector organisations such as the NHS and local authorities, as well as private care agencies, pharmacies and dental practices. 13% of the Kent workforce have jobs in this sector.

Career Zone links: Medicine & Healthcare, Social Care

Education – This industry includes nurseries and primary, secondary and special schools, as well as the county’s higher education sector. The county is home to its very own University of Kent, based in Canterbury and Medway, and Canterbury Christ Church University, which has a focus on graduates in employment. One in 10 workers in the county work in education.

Career Zone links: Education & Teaching, Science & Research

Kent has seen its biggest percentage increase in jobs in the arts entertainment and recreation sector – although this still represents a relatively small portion of the job market, it’s an industry to watch in the future.

Employers who offer apprenticeships in Kent

There were almost 200 apprenticeships in Kent when we searched Find An Apprenticeship, and we’ve grouped them by the three dominant industries which we looked at above.

Please note, we have picked employers advertising apprenticeships at the time of writing, to give you an idea of what’s out there. Have a look on the Government’s Find An Apprenticeship website yourself as there are plenty of opportunities, including in other sectors too.

You can also check out our apprenticeship page and filter by location: South East for the opportunities we think are the best for you. Sign up for email alerts to get the most relevant opportunities straight to your inbox.

Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles

Employers offering apprenticeship in this industry were mainly local automotive repair companies, including:

• Haynes Bros Ltd
• Laguna Motorcycles Ltd
• Malcolm Waite Ltd
• Markerstudy Ltd
• Mercedes-Benz Of Ashford
• Perrys Group Limited

Example roles: Auto-electrician, mechanic, motorcycle technician, 

Healthcare and social work

Apprenticeships in this area were mainly based in pharmacies, dental practices and social care providers, including:

• Jacash (pharmacy)
• Link Pharmacy
• Mr P K Chopra (dental practice)
• Oasis Young People’s Care Services
• The Post Office Dental

Example roles: Dental nurse, dispensing optician, pharmacy assistant

Education 

Apprenticeships in the education sector are currently in nurseries, primary and secondary schools, and higher education institutions, including administrative and support roles. Examples include:

• Ashford School
• Busy Bees Day Nursery
• Canterbury Christ Church University
• City View Nursery
• Swale Academies Trust
• The Howards Academy Trust

Example roles: Early years assistant, nursery assistant, teaching assistant

Kent County Council

As in many areas, the local authority provides apprenticeships in Kent. The County Council is based at County Hall in Maidstone. The Council is responsible for public services such as leisure services, roads, social care and schools. It is a major employer, employing 8,000 people in the local area.

Have a look at their apprenticeships pages, which includes information about the Council’s degree apprenticeship programme.

Apprenticeships at the University of Kent

The county's major university partners with employers to offer higher and degree apprenticeships in Kent.

Higher apprenticeship programmes include:

• Policy officer
• Technician scientist

Degree apprenticeships include:

• Architect
• Clinical trials specialist
• Professional economist
• Research scientist
• Social worker

The University of Kent provides the taught element of the programme, while you will work with an employer who will provide on-the-job training. Your employer may be inside or outside of Kent.

The overall jobs picture in Kent

As of March 2024, there are 774,200 people working in Kent. 77% of working-age residents are in employment, slightly higher than the national average of 76% – although less than the regional average for the South East, which is 80%. The unemployment rate among 18-24 year olds in Kent stands at 5.1%. Although this is higher than the unemployment rate for the county’s population as a whole, at 3.4%, it is the same as the national rate.

Median weekly earnings for full-time workers are £696 – more than the UK average but less than the regional average.

Living in Kent

The average cost of renting in Kent is £1,035 per month. However if you’re house sharing, your housing costs are likely to be significantly lower, with rent on a room averaging £493. Average rent on a studio costs £645, while for a one-bed apartment, you can expect to pay an average of £759. The average flat in Kent costs £228,000 to buy, and the average house price is £420,521.

Buses are run by a range of companies, including Farleigh Coaches, Go Coach, Stagecoach and 1st Bus Stop. Kent County Council offers a discount pass called a KCC 16+ Travel Saver which offers up to 50% off for those aged 16 to 19 in education or training, including apprentices. Bus fares vary depending on the provider.

We haven’t been able to find cost-of-living data for the county as a whole. According to WhatUni, you can expect to pay £15 to eat out at a cheapish restaurant in Canterbury, while a pint of beer typically costs £5. A pint of milk costs £1.53 on average and a loaf of bread £1.47.

If you carry out an apprenticeship at the University of Kent, you’ll have access to all the student clubs and societies which university students can join. The University has an A-Z of clubs and societies on its website.

Ready to start your apprenticeship journey in Kent? Register to our network to receive relevant opportunities directly to your inbox.

Related posts

Your guide to apprenticeships in Bristol

Your guide to apprenticeships in London

Image credits

Canterbury by Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Kent County Council by Mike Quinn, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Dartford Crossing by Simon Leatherdale, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons