Adding new talent to your business via apprenticeships is a smart move. But it’s a little different to recruiting other employees and the process can seem overwhelming. Here we break down the process of getting an apprentice.
1. Begin with the role
First, identify the job an apprentice would fill in your business. Remember, apprenticeships aren’t just for people in the early stages of their career – they can also provide opportunities for employees looking to grow within your business. All can be delivered through an apprenticeship with seamless progression from one level to another.
2. Create an apprenticeship service account
All apprenticeships in England must be managed through the government’s apprenticeship service – an online portal through which you can manage your apprenticeships.
To create an account you will need an email address, permission to add your PAYE schemes to the account, and permission to accept the employer agreement on behalf of your organisation. You’ll also need either the Government Gateway login for your organisation, or your accounts office reference number (AORN) and employer PAYE scheme reference number.
3. Know your funding
While you’re at this early stage, you’ll need to get to grips with funding. For employers in England, this varies depending on the size of your company.
If you have an annual payroll of more than £3m, you’re already investing in the apprenticeship levy. Your contributions will appear in your online apprenticeship service account, as detailed above. You can use these funds to cover the cost of apprenticeship training and End Point Assessment with an approved training provider.
Levy funds can’t be used towards an apprentice’s wages or wider training programme – and after 24 months, any unused funds will expire and return to the government.
If you don’t pay the apprenticeship levy, or if you use all your levy funds and want to engage in more apprenticeship training, you will pay 5% of the apprenticeship course cost, and the government will cover the remaining 95%.
Organisations with fewer than 50 employees can get full training costs funded for young apprentices.
There are also incentive payments for hiring a new apprentice and if your a CITB registered company there will be grants available to you. You can also get employers’ National Insurance relief for any apprentice under 25.
4. Find a training provider
Once you’ve chosen your apprenticeship standard, your next step is to pick a training provider to deliver it. Finding a training provider that’s right for your business is really important. Consider how well they communicate with you about the training, what other employers say about them, and how apprentices rate them. At Train4All, we will work together to source the best candidate for your role and are committed to supporting and guiding candidates through the whole recruitment process and apprenticeship journey, making sure both the apprentice and employer are the perfect fit. A 8-14 week Traineeship programme is a great opportunity to try out a young person in the work setting before committing to a full apprenticeship programme.
5. Set the salary
The government has set a minimum apprenticeship wage, many employers decide to pay more to attract the best candidates, and some will provide incremental increases as they progress through their qualification.
6. Advertise your apprenticeship
Now’s the time to attract some talent! You can work with your training provider to advertise your vacancy. We will promote your vacancy across our social media platforms and website, but you should also advertise your vacancy across your platforms and with the Skills Funding Agency.
Your advert should cover all the basics such as the apprenticeship qualifications offered, the job location, starting salary, any benefits, a description of the role and typical duties. It’s also useful to include any skills or interests that are desirable.
7. Shortlist applicants and conduct the interviews
This is the time-consuming part, but your training provider can help. We will screen candidates via a face-to-face or telephone interview to establish their drive and motivation for the role. We aim to understand their personalities, strengths and weaknesses, and what they’re looking for in their careers.
We’ll assess whether an apprenticeship is the right route for the applicants, and go through any candidate-specific circumstances to ensure they are successful during their apprenticeship. We’ll then send you the screened shortlist for your review and arrange traineeship work experience for you to trial candidates. The decision is ultimately yours on who to recruit.
8. Sign an apprenticeship agreement
Once you’ve chosen your apprentice, you’ll need to sign an apprenticeship agreement with them. This gives details of the skill, trade or occupation the apprentice is being trained for; the name of the apprenticeship they’re working towards; the start and end dates for the apprenticeship; and the amount of training you’ll give them. We will also visit your premises to carry out Health & Safety checks and discuss the programme and assessment process.
9. Confirm your commitment statement
You must sign a commitment statement with your apprentice and the training provider. It must include the planned content and schedule for training; what is expected and offered by the employer, the training provider and the apprentice; and how to resolve queries or complaints. Your commitment statement will also set out how you intend to meet the requirement for your apprentice to spend a required period of time of their paid working hours doing off-the-job training, this will depend on the apprenticeship they are following.
10. Support your apprentice
To give your apprentice the greatest chance of success, you’ll want to offer encouragement and support, along with the practical training. Help them find their feet by providing a thorough induction. Include them in social enrichment and networking opportunities, and keep an eye on their mental health and wellbeing.
Supported to achieve their full potential, at the end of their programme your apprentices will pull together all their technical knowledge, skills and behaviour training to demonstrate competence across the whole apprenticeship standard. An externally invigilated End Point Assessment will confirm your apprentices skills and knowledge so you can be sure they have reached the required standard that will assist your business for years to come.