Apprenticeship information for employers

Find out how an apprenticeship can help you grow your business. Choose from employing new staff or upskilling your existing staff.

Overview

An apprenticeship is a job that combines work with training. The benefits of employing apprentices include:

• freeing up existing staff to develop other activities
• preparing to replace an ageing workforce
• planning ahead for an increase in business or activities
• upskilling existing staff

Your apprentice must:

• have a genuine job and a contract of employment.
• receive training delivered by a registered training provider within a recognised standard.
• complete the required length of time depending on the level and standard.
• have 20% off the job training. This can be achieved in different ways, such as shadowing or attending conferences. The off the job training must take place during paid time, but can be accumulated up front such as an induction period.
• complete an end-point assessment. This could be an interview, presentation or multiple-choice quiz.
• be paid by the employer and are entitled to paid holiday and sickness benefit. Employers are not required to pay NIC for apprentices under the age of 25.
• receive mentoring and support during the term of the agreed apprenticeship.

What type of work?

Apprentices can be:

• new staff members. This would involve identifying the job role most useful to your organisation.
• existing staff members. This includes upskilling and giving a current employee the opportunity to develop new skills and a qualification.

Get support and advice before starting the process from the Apprenticeships Norfolk Network team based at Norfolk County Council. Contact them at apprenticeships@norfolk.gov.uk or 0344 800 8024.

What type of qualification or training?

Identify the most appropriate standard to meet the needs of the job role. Search the Apprenticeship Standards on the Institute for Apprenticeships website and decide what level of qualification is most appropriate. Level 2 is equivalent to GCSE, and Level 3 is equivalent to A-level.

Name	Level	Educational level
Intermediate	2	5 GCSE passes
Advanced	3	2 A level passes
Higher	4, 5, 6 and 7	Foundation degree and above
Degree	6 and 7	Bachelor's or master's degree

Second step: Finding a provider

Who will provide the training?

There are local training providers such as:

• Norwich City College (incorporating Easton and Otley College since December 2019)
• East Coast College
• College of West Anglia
• Nova Training 
• Poultec
• Skills Edge
• Norfolk Community Learning Services
  

There are standards that are not delivered by local providers. If that's the case, move to the next step to find a provider elsewhere in the country. It may be possible for training to be carried out in-house. Find the nearest providers who can deliver the training you need.

Training delivery may be day release, block release or in-house. There are national training providers who can provide the necessary training in-house, depending on the type of work. All training providers delivering apprenticeships must be registered. 

Training providers will:

• prepare a written agreement
• advise on how to get the funding available
• assist with recruitment

 Organisations may negotiate the cost of training with the provider.

Proceeding to employ an apprentice

From January 2020, all employers must register to access funds to pay for apprenticeship training. There is guidance on how to register and use the apprenticeship service. Apprenticeships Norfolk and the training provider you have chosen can help you with the registration process.

Apprenticeships Norfolk is funded through Norfolk County Council to provide independent support and guidance to employers considering employing an apprentice. Contact the team through their website to have a chat about how to set up an apprenticeship.

Funding apprenticeship training

Funding depends on the number of employees and annual payroll costs.

Employ fewer than 50 employees and your annual payroll is below £3 million

The government will pay 95% of the cost of training. If the apprentice is aged 16 to 18, or 19 to 24 and is a care leaver or has a care plan, the training will be free to the employer. The government will also pay £1,000 to the employer and to the training provider. In all other cases, the cost of training depends on level and type of training. You can request unspent levy to fund training.

Employ more than 50 employees and your annual payroll is below £3 million 

The government will pay 95% of the training costs. You can request unspent levy to fund training.

Employers with an annual payroll cost of £3 million or more

They will pay an apprenticeship levy. 0.5% of the monthly payroll cost will be deducted towards a digital account. Organisations can use the funds to pay for apprenticeship training and transfer funds to suppliers. From April 2019, levy payers can transfer 25% of their unspent levy to non-levy paying organisations. The New Anglia LEP have employed an Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Co-ordinator to support the transfer of levy to smaller organisations. Alison Ward can be contacted by email at alison.ward@newanglia.co.uk or call 07901 207114.

All employers must register for an account to get funding.

Apprenticeship minimum pay rates

The national minimum wage rates for apprentices change in April every year. The latest information can be found on National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates.

The above are minimum pay rates. Employers are able to pay more.

All employers will receive £1,000 if, at the start of the apprenticeship, the apprentice is aged between:

• 16 to 18 years old
• 19 to 24 years old and who has previously been in care or who has an Education, Health and Care plan provided by their local authority

How do I recruit an apprenticeship?

People aged 16 and upwards can be employed. The training provider should help with recruitment. Some providers, such as colleges, will have their own website and may have a pool of students who have applied for a qualification. 

Training providers may use online recruitment agencies such as indeed.com and social media. You can organise your own recruitment by:

• advertising through the government’s Recruit an Apprentice (the training provider will need to do this).
• advertising through Jobs24, your website and social media accounts.
• considering a school leaver and contact your local school or college. The best time to recruit school leavers is May and June.
• asking your staff to ask family and friends.

For more information and guidance about apprenticeships, please contact economic.growth@north-norfolk.gov.uk.