National Society of Apprentices (NSoA)

Our 200,000 members are doing apprenticeships at over 1000 different training providers. We represent apprentices across the UK regardless of who they work for, where they train or what subject their apprenticeship is in. The NSoA is led by our leadership team of 30 apprentices elected at our regional membership events.

As the national voice of apprentices it is beholden on the society to work and speak in a way that embodies the values of:

• Equality
• Collectivism
• Democracy
• Inclusivity

and support its members to do so.

NSoA has worked on the experience of apprentices both whilst at work and in training. We are working to make sure that when decisions are made about apprenticeships that apprentices are part of that discussion. Sometimes that has to do with the quality of education apprentice receive, sometimes that has to do with apprentices being treated well at work and sometimes that campaigning takes us to speak to decision makers within government

Our main activities are to:

• Help apprentices get together and make apprenticeships better where they live and around the UK.
• Carry out research to make sure we know the facts.
• Help apprentices get involved in their communities.
• Make sure all apprenticeships are good quality

We hold regional membership events around the UK. Each event gives apprentices a space to think about what they think about their apprenticeships. We also talk about what we mean by apprentice voice and leadership. We are fed up with decision makers not looking like us, talking like us or thinking about us.

The leadership team meets three times a year to direct the work of NSoA, develop policy and do training. The NSoA leadership team (board) meets with decision makers in government, business, the education sector as well as the trade unions and wider student movement.