A Complete Guide to Nailing Your Apprenticeship Cover Letter (Samples and Tips)

It may be challenging to learn the necessary skills for jobs not traditionally taught in standardized education. Luckily, an apprenticeship solves this by providing a hands-on experience for professionals to train an apprentice in a trade or craft-based field of work.

If you are looking to start a career in engineering, plumbing, carpentry, construction, or any other trade-based work then a strong apprenticeship cover letter will be a great addition to your application and will propel you towards landing your first job! A well-written and sincere apprenticeship cover letter can boost your chances of landing the apprenticeship.

Use these tips and tricks to nail your apprenticeship cover letter!

A cover letter is a short letter (typically within one page) that is submitted alongside a resume or CV. A cover letter serves to set you apart from other applicants by providing a more personal introduction of yourself and your work experience that a resume is unable to. In addition, a good cover letter will not only show your relevant experience but your knowledge of the company you are applying to and the passion you have for pursuing the line of work you are choosing. 

An apprenticeship cover letter serves the same purpose as its traditional counterpart. By allowing for a good first impression and introducing yourself and your experiences/qualifications, a powerful apprenticeship cover letter aims to persuade a hiring manager to process your application further and read your resume.

As is the case with any job, a good apprenticeship cover letter can drastically increase the odds you secure your apprenticeship. A strong apprenticeship cover letter will set you apart from other applicants who may have the same (if not more) experience than you. 

Writing your first apprenticeship cover letter can prove to be a real challenge. However, take it as an opportunity to reflect on your skills and how they can be applied to your future career! This step-by-step guide to each apprenticeship cover letter section will help make this process much easier!

1. Research about the role, company, and industry.

The first step in writing the cover letter for your apprenticeship is understanding what you are getting yourself into. 

Your apprenticeship cover letter should revolve around how you and your employer can mutually benefit from each other, so understanding your employer’s objectives is a necessary step. Conduct some research into the requirements of the position you want, the company you are applying to, and the overall demands of the industry. 

For example, if you are writing a cover letter for an electrician’s apprentice you would first consider the skills and prior knowledge that is necessary to effectively learn from the apprenticeship opportunity. Then, after researching more about the company you wish to apply to as well as the overall industry demand for electricians, you can write your apprenticeship cover letter based on these findings. 

2. Tailor the apprenticeship cover letter to a specific receiver/company.

Now that you have ascertained the goals of the company and how you can fit into the workspace, construct your apprenticeship cover letter in a way that shows your employer that you are both knowledgeable of the company itself as well as the demands of the job. When reading your apprenticeship cover letter, your employer will be more inclined to form a good impression of you if they can see that you already understand exactly how you can contribute to their company or business.  

For instance, say you are preparing to write a cover letter for an electrical engineering apprenticeship at Company ABC. You should research the company and the requirements that they are looking for. Employers tend to place desired qualities, qualifications, and other useful information on their job listings to attract more competitive applicants. Take what you learn from this to draft your apprenticeship cover letter. 

3. Start with a self-introduction and brief explanation about your passion.

In the first paragraph of an apprenticeship cover letter, introduce yourself and outline your motivation for applying. Also, ensure you mention how the apprenticeship will benefit you as well as your employer. 

Consider this excerpt from a cover letter for a plumbing apprenticeship:

4. Explain your skills & experiences in detail.

The second section of your apprenticeship cover letter is where you sell your skill set and prove your value to the company you are applying to. Illustrate yourself through detailing:

• Work experience: Highlight your relevant work experience to validate your professional knowledge. Apprenticeship cover letters with no experience are not a problem, too. Remember, an apprenticeship is where you gain work experience. 
• Education and training: Describe in detail any relevant training or other forms of educational experience that can prove assets to your apprenticeship. Employers look for potential in apprenticeship cover letters and having a relevant knowledge base is a great indicator to them that you are worth investing in. 
• Hard and soft skills: Embellish your apprenticeship cover letter with a relevant skill set. Include skills that are directly related to the apprenticeship itself (hard skills), as well as skills that make you a great team player (soft skills).

Here is an example paragraph from a cover letter for an electrician’s apprenticeship: 

5. Close by showing appreciation and a strong call to action (CTA).

This is the last paragraph in your apprenticeship cover letter. Close by thanking the employer/hiring manager for reading your letter and including a call to action (CTA). A CTA assures the employer that they can contact you if further clarification or supplemental information is required.

Here is an excerpt from a cover letter for a hairdressing apprenticeship to show a strong call to action in your closing paragraph:

6. Sign off professionally.

End your apprenticeship cover letter formally with an appropriate sign-off. Opt for more formal closings such as “Yours Sincerely”, “Respectfully”, or “Sincerely”, and follow with your signature and full name underneath. 

For a more visual representation of an apprenticeship cover letter, here are some apprenticeship cover letter examples: 

Apprenticeship cover letter sample 

Apprenticeship cover letter no experience

Now that you have seen a few apprenticeship cover letter examples, use this template as a guideline for constructing your own apprenticeship cover letter!

Take your apprenticeship cover letter to the next level with these killer tips!

💡 Keep the letter formatting simple & professional.

Cover letters for apprenticeships should follow the standard cover letter format. Keep your word count within one page, your font size professional (Times New Roman is best), and one-inch margins around the page. 

💡 Avoid spelling & grammatical errors.

Take the time to ensure that your cover letter for your apprenticeship checks out on grammar and punctuation. Employers will pick up on small mistakes as a reflection of your work ethic, so pay extra attention! 

💡 Do not include irrelevant experience/information.

While adding experience to your apprenticeship cover letter is great, irrelevant experience can distract the employer from seeing your true potential. It may also make your cover letter come across as over-embellished. Examples of irrelevant information that are unsuitable to be included in an apprenticeship cover letter can include:

• ❌ Work experience not related to the type of apprenticeship
• ❌ Irrelevant hobbies/interests
• ❌ Personal information (other than that which is necessary for the application)

💡 Show an eager willingness to learn. 

The most important aspect of your apprenticeship cover letter should be displaying a strong willingness to learn from the experience. In your letter, be genuine and clearly explain how the apprenticeship will benefit you. If you are writing a cover letter for an apprenticeship with no experience, you should pay extra attention to this tip!

💡 Lean on soft and hard skills.

A fundamental aspect of your future career is a deep level of teamwork and partnership. The nature of trade work is that you will oftentimes be working with other people on the same project. If you are writing a cover letter for an apprenticeship with no experience then focusing on your technical knowledge and how you can integrate into a team will show employers that you will make a great fit for their business!

--- Originally written by Alexander Coye ---