The apprenticeship programme is tailored to the employer – you are in the driving seat. Therefore, you decide which standard and which individual will meet your business needs and we will support you through the process.

The apprenticeship provides a framework for systematically building the skills level within an organisation, therefore giving you the skills you need for future growth. As well as bringing fresh ideas and an abundance of enthusiasm, it is estimated that for every £1 spent on an apprentice, they contribute £28 to the employer, an excellent return on investment.

Levy Employers
If you have a wage bill of more than £3m, then the cost of training will be funded through your Levy pot, this can be accessed through your Digital Apprenticeship Account, which our advisers can assist you with. We can also provide guidance on how employers can maximise their levy pot and meet corporate and social responsibility objectives through targeted levy spend.

Non-Levy Employers
If you do not have a wage bill of more than £3m or over, you will only have to pay 5% of the training costs and the Government will pay the remaining 95%. As an example, if you were looking at having a Business Administration Level 3 apprentice the training would cost only £250, if you were looking at a Masters in Leadership Level 7 the training cost would only amount to £1350.

Additional Support
Employers may also be entitled to additional benefits including:

• £1000 for each apprentice recruited that is 16-18 years old
• £1000 for each apprentice recruited that is 19-24 and has an Education, Health and care plan
• Employers with fewer than 50 employees that recruit a 16-18 year old will not only receive the £1000 incentive, but their 5% training costs are waived
• Employers are exempt from paying NI contributions for all apprentices under the age of 25 as long as their earnings are below the higher tax rate

Nothing! However, employers must have the following in place before starting the apprenticeship programme:

1. You must be able to provide a genuine job role with a contract of employment for the period of the apprenticeship.
2. The apprentice must be paid, the current minimum wage for the first year of an apprenticeship is £4.81 per hour (full wage details can be found on the gov.uk website or by speaking to an adviser)
3. The role must be fulfilling, providing benefit to the business and the apprentice, as well as fulfilling the requirement of the standard.

As well as the funding support detailed above, the Apprenticeship & Skills Partnership can help with the following:

• A detailed Organisational Needs Analysis to see if apprenticeships would fit within your business.
• Support and guidance sourcing the right standard and the right provider to deliver this standard.
• If you’re a Levy payer we can help with setting up your Levy Account and also advise around Levy Transfer through the Transfer to Transform scheme and the benefits this can bring to your organisation.
•  T-Levels, Traineeships any other accredited skills training.

All of this and more is a free and impartial service to employers, use the contact us form or live chat to arrange a visit today.

The Solent Growth Hub offers free advice and guidance to businesses in the Solent area and acts as your first point of contact for any business support related queries. Contact them or visit their website – The Solent LEP Growth Hub

An apprenticeship may be an excellent way to update and retrain the skills of existing employees. 

During their apprenticeship, employees will be working towards employer set standards, ultimately resulting in an independent End Point Assessment (EPA) which will be ensuring their occupational competence. Regarding the training responsibility, it is at the employer’s discretion as to whether they want to work along side training providers to create a program that works for both the business and the employee. 

The large amount of work that goes into the training and supporting an apprenticeship means that most employers will offer their apprentices permanent positions at the end of their apprenticeships to retain them within the business. The time and effort that both the employer and apprentice have gone through to make them successful within the business means it is beneficial for both parties to have the employee continue working for the business in a permanent role.