Hiring an Apprentice

Any organisation can offer or take part in an apprenticeship and they are a great way to facilitate growth and development within your current workforce.

Eligibility criteria

The apprentice must:

• be 16 or over (there is no upper age limit)
• not already be in full-time education
• live in England

Identifying an apprenticeship candidate  

If you're considering offering an apprenticeship, you might want to consider whether you have any suitable internal candidates or whether you might need to hire a new member of staff:

• Start an existing member of staff on an apprenticeship. Recommended if an employee moves into a job role where they need significant new knowledge, skills and behaviours to be occupationally competent, if existing staff are looking to grow and develop their careers or you are looking to diversify your business.
• Recruit a new member of staff as an apprentice. Recommended if you have an apprenticeship vacancy identified but no current staff members the position would be suitable for.

Duration

An apprenticeship must last a minimum of 12 months, but will usually last between one to five years (unless prior learning or attainment has been recorded) depending on the level of the apprenticeship, the industry and the abilities of the apprentice. If an apprentice works fewer than 30 hours a week, the duration of the apprenticeship must be extended to take account of this.

Apprenticeship levels

Apprenticeships are offered at one of 6 levels which broadly translate to the following academic levels. Just as you would with general vacancy, employers can decide if prior qualifications are needed to apply for their apprenticeship based on the level of the apprenticeship and complexity of the job.

Apprenticeship Training

During the Apprenticeship, your apprentice will require different learning opportunities:

On-the-job

Learning will be delivered by you, as the employer. You'll need to give your apprentice training, supervision and mentorship to help them perform the job you've hired them for.

Off-the-job

The training is delivered by you, the employer and/or by a training provider, during your apprentice's normal working hours. 

This training will teach your apprentice the required knowledge, skills and behaviours in the apprenticeship standard and will work out as 6 hours of their regular weekly working hours. As an apprenticeship is work-based learning, the off-the-job training must take place within the apprentice’s normal working hours. 

Your apprentice may be required to attend a college or training centre, on a day release or block release. Alternatively, your training provider may deliver this training in your workplace. Some elements of training may be able to be completed online. You can speak to your training provider about their training delivery plan. 

Apprentices may choose to spend additional time training outside paid hours, but this must not be required to complete the apprenticeship.

Functional Skills

If an apprentice has not achieved at least a grade 4 (or C) in both GCSE Maths and English before starting an apprenticeship, they will be required to study towards and pass Functional Skills Maths and English in addition their training in order to pass the apprenticeship. If this is required, the training provider will include functional skills support at no additional cost and support the apprentice towards achieving the required level depending on the apprenticeship level.

End Point Assessment (EPA)

Once your apprentice has completed their training programme, they will take an end point assessment (EPA) to demonstrate their skills, knowledge and behaviours - to show that they can perform all aspects of their occupation.

 The end-point assessment organisation must be independent from the training provider.

Employer Responsibilities

• Ensure the apprentice has a genuine job; this means the apprentice has a contract of employment which is long enough for them to complete the apprenticeship successfully (including their end point assessment)
• Ensure breadth of job role to be able to gain the relevant knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the apprenticeship standard
• Meet the cost of the wages for the apprentice; this includes the time they are in work and in off the job training
• Provide appropriate support and supervision to carry out their job role

You must agree and sign an ‘Apprenticeship Agreement’ with your apprentice. 

This will set out the details of the apprenticeship including:

• The training provided within the apprenticeship, including any qualifications they will achieve
• Length of apprenticeship
• The total number of ‘off the job’ training (hours) required
• The place of work

You must agree and sign a ‘Training Plan’ with your apprentice and the training provider. 

This will set out the details of apprenticeship including:

• The dates the apprenticeship is due to start and planned to end
• The normal working hours and a calculation to show the required off the job training hours
• A description of any prior learning the apprentice has undertaken which is relevant to the apprenticeship standard
• An individual learning plan for the delivery of the off the job training – including content and schedule
• What the apprentice, employer and training provider will offer & what they can expect from each other
• Confirmation the apprentices will be supported by the employer to undertake off the job training within normal working hours, in addition to Maths & English training (if required)