All About Apprenticeships!

Apprenticeships can be a really positive way to grow your team, investing in the future and getting talent that’s right for you.

And, it’s actually a lot easier than you think: if you are a small employer, you are eligible for government funding which will pay between 95% and 100% of the apprentice training costs.

What is an apprenticeship programme?

An apprenticeship is a structured training programme that combines on-the-job experience with classroom instruction. Basically it is paid work which also provides a formal qualification – ‘earn while you learn’.

How do apprenticeships work in the UK?

Apprenticeships are employees taken on to carry out work-based training that combines on-the-job experience with their formal education. They normally last between one and five years and are help individuals gain the skills and knowledge required for a specific trade or profession.

Typically, the employer and the apprentice both agree to a training plan that outlines the skills and knowledge the apprentice will acquire during its duration. The apprentice will attend regular off-the-job training sessions to ensure they are making progress in their apprenticeship course. Upon completion, the apprentice may receive a formal qualification and become a fully-qualified professional in their chosen field.

Who pays for apprenticeship training costs?

Apprentices are employed by the company and receive a wage while they learn and work. This needs to be at least the minimum wage or the National Living Wage. The training costs are funded by a combination of government and employer contributions, ensuring the cost of training is largely covered.

Businesses can get help from the government to pay for apprenticeship training.

The apprenticeship levy is payable if you’re an employer with a bill over £3 million each year. If you’re a smaller company, the employer pays 5% towards the cost of training and assessing an apprentice and the government will pay the rest (up to the funding band maximum.)

The employer pays the training provider directly.

If you employ fewer than 50 employees, the government will pay 100% of the apprenticeship training costs (with limits of the maximum funding based on age).

Nb: If you exceed the funding band maximum, you’ll need to pay all the additional costs and some apprentices may be required to pay for additional training courses if needed.

Could an apprentice be right for you?

Did you know on average in the UK, the estimated yearly gain for employers is between £2,500 and £18,000 per apprentice during their training period.

Apprentice outputs usually excel their associated costs, delivering an overall net benefit to employers during their training.

And! Most apprentices, after completing their qualifications, go on to become extremely loyal and committed employees who have helped shape the growth and future of their company.

Here’s my top 20 things you should bear in mind if you are looking at hiring an apprentice:

1. Who can you assign as their buddy, not a line manager but someone who will show them the ‘right ropes’?

2. The apprentice needs to have 20% of the time for off the job training. Make sure you create a timetable so this can be achieved.

3. Don’t forget they can’t be on apprentice rate of National Minimum Wage unless they have started the NVQ.

4. Make sure they work no more than 40 hours, 8 hours a day, and have a break after 4.5 hours if they are under 18 years of age.

5. Remember they can’t be on the apprentice National Minimum Wage rate for more than the first year once they are over 19 years of age.

6. Create a training plan so they have time during their apprenticeship across all age groups.

7. Build in time for them to shadow other roles (if possible) such as H&S, SENCO, Deputy Manager etc so they can understand how these roles all work together to make the setting as effective as possible.

8. Keep in touch with the assessor (if applicable) so you are all on the ‘same page’.

9. Make sure they know what they should do if they are unable to attend college due to sickness absence.

10. Find out who within the training provider is responsible for safeguarding.

11. Make sure you follow safer recruitment and don’t let someone’s age encourage you to cut corners.

12. Make sure that you have a multi stage recruitment process. One interview to build rapport, set them at ease and find out about them as a person, and another to see what they will bring to the role, what their attitude is like and what they want from a career in childcare. Perhaps a practical assessment.

13. Make sure your employment documentation is easy to understand by someone who may not have worked before. Be on hand to answer any questions.

14. At induction be prepared to explain how to read a payslip and explain about notice periods and how to book leave. Apprentices may not appreciate that their leave has to be authorised in advance in the same way as everyone else.

15. When it comes to policies and procedures don’t just leave them to read them alone. Think of how you can turn this into a learning opportunity. Get them to summarise the policy in a graphic, checklist or an image. Great for their NVQ and a great way for the knowledge to be cemented.

16. Think about how you can teach them to be professional at work. Your apprentice may not have been taught how to role model behaviour with the children, help them to understand how to do it and do it well.

17. Be careful about nights out and social events that are aimed for those 18 years plus and where the younger apprentice can’t take part. Be mindful about staff gifts that include alcohol as well.

18. When it come to COVID-19 remember that they weren’t here when you reboarded the staff last June, spend time explaining which protocols in place may be temporary and which may be permanent (i.e. infection control).

19. Never assume they understand what you think is common sense. Experience can lead us to assume that ‘everyone knows that!’ the completely opposite may be true of your apprentice. Always take your time to explain something and explain WHY you do it.

20. Encourage them to ask questions and to be curious.

If you are interested in recruiting an apprentice, please do get in touch with Bee Connected HR to find out more.