What is an entry supported job?

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Entry supported jobs are a form of employment that combines an entry level role, on the job training and a supportive environment. They are great opportunities for developing workers. Further, they are very helpful in industries and careers, such a healthcare, technology or cyber security, which require a large degree of skill development to be successful.

Some examples of entry supported jobs include internships, apprenticeships, residency tech work centers or even some entry level jobs.

Why are entry supported jobs important?

Entry supported jobs are super important in careers that are skill intensive and as a result take longer for workers to become proficient. Examples would be ones in disciplines such as health care, technology, cyber security or in trades such as an electrician, plumbing or construction.

In these sectors, it takes can take many years for a professional to develop the necessary skills to become proficient. As a result, these types of jobs have some of the necessary characteristics that help to best develop talent.

Details of entry supported jobs

Entry supported jobs will have three primary components that define them.

1. They are entry level jobs

These positions are always entry level jobs. As a result, they are workers should still require additional training. Further, they also often have limited skills and experience before taking the position.

2. They provide on the job training

Employees receive extra training for entry supported jobs as they work. This enables them to gain more experience and effectively transition from a beginner skill level to someone that is more proficient on the job.

To do this, the most effective types of these jobs have two primary elements. This includes experts, coaches or supervisors who can teach workers defined competencies.

3. They are supportive environments

Working in an entry level position can be difficult. Further, so can trying to learn a bunch of new skills while you work. So the final component of an entry supported job is that they provide emotional and environmental support while a person develops. This may be items such as encouragement, coaching or a team based approach. This encouragement keeps workers positive and helps them to build confidence.

Who can get entry supported jobs?

These positions are available for both youth and adults. In addition, they are a great way for developing workers to further develop while they learn. However, the downside to these positions are that they can be hard to find and are highly competitive to get. This is because they can be expensive for employers to offer as they must ensure that they both provide additional training and support for workers.

Types of entry supported jobs

Below are some common types of entry supported jobs.

Internships

Internships are short term work experiences that may or may not qualify as entry supported opportunities. This is because they while they are almost always entry level positions, they may have varying levels of further training or support.

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are the most common and popular form of entry supported jobs. This is because the Department of Labor highly monitors them and keeps them structured. This structure ensures that employers have all of the defined entry supported components. These requirements include offering them to entry level workers, defining training, and providing highly supported environments.

Residency work centers

Residency work programs have been around a long time in disciplines such as healthcare. For examples, joining a residency program when becoming a doctor is a normal part of the development process. However, other disciplines, such as in technology or cyber security are now also beginning to follow these development models.

Entry level jobs

Entry level jobs are not always entry supported positions. This is because while they always will have the entry level component, they may not provide additional training or have necessary support for workers. With that said, these opportunities are still great for developing talent if you can find or get one. However, with that said they are difficult to find and highly competitive in today’s landscape.

Additional details for these work experiences

Since there are many different types of internships, here are some common considerations that can help you choose the right one for you.

How long are they?

Entry supported jobs are generally for at least a year in duration. Further, in the example of apprenticeships they might be up to 6 years. They need to be longer duration in order to qualify as a position you can have long enough to receive extra training.

Are they always paid?

Jobs that are entry supported will always be paid positions. This is especially the case if they are an apprenticeship or entry level jobs. Internships are the only type of entry supported positions that might not be paid. However, these are almost always short term opportunities that don’t qualify anyway.

How to get an entry supported job?

Below are some simple steps to get an entry supported job. Further, these opportunities while very valuable can be difficult to get because of their availability. Be patient and organized and things will work out for you.

1. Understand the different types

As we mentioned there are different types of entry supported positions. Hopefully this article has helped, but feel free to read more on each type to ensure that you understand them.

2. Determine your need and sector

The first step is to determine the industry and sector you are interested in getting an entry supported position. This is important because some industries are more familiar then others with this type of job. Once you determine this, you should then evaluate the type of job you would like, how much time you can work, and how much additional training you can take on.

3. Prepare for the entry supported jobs

You will want to prepare in a couple of ways. First, ensure that you are prepared to apply for a job. This includes building a resume, cover letter and establishing your professional presence.

Next, you should ensure that you do any pre-requisite training for the position. For an apprenticeship program, this may include doing a pre-apprenticeship. Further, this could also mean certain types of foundation training to get you ready.

Finally, this may also include building a development plan to do all of the items above. There are many aspects to talent development and the more you can plan and organize your approach the better.

4. Find available entry supported jobs

For some of the more popular opportunities, such as apprenticeships, you should search available opportunities. Further, if you are still in school, talk to your career counselors for available opportunities. Finally, if you are in another type of career training program you should ask the provider about what types of entry supported jobs graduates will have access to. This is especially important to do before you take on the opportunity.

Next Steps

Interested in learning more about entry supported positions. This is an important area at CyberForward Academy as we offer all types of these opportunity including cyber security internships, apprenticeships and work in our cyber security residency work center .