TAKE ON AN APPRENTICE

An apprenticeship is a paid job with a training programme including hands on work experience wrapped around it.

• The apprenticeship will include an individual tailored training plan designed and agreed between the college, employer and apprentice to showcase how we will all work together so the apprentice can attain the knowledge skills and behaviours in order to be successful in the apprenticeship.
• You will employ your apprentice for at least 30 hours a week and pay an appropriate wage which must be at least the minimum apprenticeship wage for the age of your apprentice and provide a minimum of 28 days holiday a year (including bank holidays).
• You must commit to giving the apprentice a minimum of 6 hours a week which they can dedicate to off the job training, which will be detailed in the tailored individual training plan.

• Apprenticeships are available in levels 2 through to 7 but will depend on the job role.
• You will employ the apprentice with a contract of employment on a PAYE basis and you will pay the apprentice for their full contract hours including the Off the Job training hours. Apprenticeships are typically 4 days at work and one day at college, however some apprenticeships are workshop based on a monthly basis, remote delivered or block release.
• The apprenticeship will be consolidated at the end of the programme by an End Point Assessment.
• Apprentices are fully funded if they are between the age of 16 and 21, which means there is no cost to you to take on an apprentice. If the apprentice is aged 22 or over the costs to you will be 5% of the total funding claimed for the cost of the training. If you are a Levy employer (wage cost over £3 million) then the cost will come from your Levy Account which allows you to pay for your apprenticeship training.  Funding an apprenticeship for levy payers.

Employing an apprentice has many benefits which we have already outlined.  You have the potential to mould and shape your future workforce to work in exactly the way you need them to, to support your business. You will be there to support and guide your apprentice throughout the duration of the apprenticeship programme to a successful completion.

There are some practical steps you will need to take as well but we are here to support and guide you every step of the way.

You will need to:

• Set up an Apprenticeship Service account with the government to be able to fund the apprenticeship.
• Allow our Health and Safety advisors to do a Health and Safety Assessment of your practices.
• Have Employer Liability Insurance to cover any claims.
• Ensure you are paying your apprentice through PAYE (Pay as you Earn).

Useful links:

• Setting up your apprenticeship service account: How to register and use the apprenticeship service as an employer – GOV.UK
• Videos with step by step instructions on the Apprenticeship Service Using the Apprenticeship Service – YouTube
• Work flow for employer
• Apprenticeship Service Account workflow