Week Apprenticeships Rachel Dawson and Aimee Rodgers Skills Funding Agency / National Apprenticeship Service

Did you know… There have been 2 million apprenticeship starts since 2010? or that the government invested £1.5bn in apprenticeships in 2013 to 2014 or that there are 1,500 different apprenticeships on offer in more than 170 industries? or that Apprenticeships cover all key sectors of the economy or that businesses report an average increase in productivity by £214 a week when they hire apprentices?

Did you know… You can gain a degree through an apprenticeship Apprenticeships can be just as much of a route to a successful career as university Businesses can also access mentoring and support from other businesses through the Apprenticeship Ambassador network and the ApprenticeMakers community 1,000 businesses are now involved in designing the new apprenticeship standards? SMES are central to apprenticeship reforms such as their involvement in setting new apprenticeship standards known as ‘Trailblazers’

National Apprenticeship Service – What we do Responsible for Apprenticeships in England Provides a dedicated service to employers offering free, impartial advice and support Customer focussed web and telephone service for small and medium sized employers (under 250 employees) For larger employers (250+ employees), Apprenticeship advisers offer a dedicated, personalised support responding to meet employer’s needs

What is an Apprenticeship? Apprenticeships are work-based training programmes designed around the needs of employers, which lead to nationally recognised qualifications. An Apprenticeship is a way for young people and adult learners to earn while they learn in a real job, gaining a real qualification and a real future.

What is an Apprenticeship?

Types and levels of Apprenticeships Advanced Apprenticeship Higher Apprenticeship Intermediate Apprenticeship A level or IB BTEC National BTEC First GCSE grades A*-C First year of degree course, HND, Degree, Masters Level 4,5,6,7 Level 3 Level 2

What are Higher Apprenticeships? Higher Apprenticeships cover 4 levels: L4 – Certificate of Higher Education, L5 – Foundation Degree, HND L6 – Degree, L7 – Masters Degree (no Higher Apprenticeships currently but are under development via Trailblazers). There are 49 Frameworks with over 80 different pathways, with more to follow as the Trailblazer Apprenticeships standards are finalised Can be FE, HE or combine both FE and HE qualifications Successful completion offers routes into jobs & professions which have been the preserve of graduates. Delivering the higher level skills employers want and the UK economy needs.

The Ambition Programme ambition for Higher Apprenticeships is: to offer higher level vocational routes as a choice on equal parity with an academic only option to provide a simple to access route for employers and their employees to gain the skills they need to position Apprenticeships as a positive choice for young people and adults, and their employers and parents

There are different entry requirements for Apprenticeships depending on the occupational sector, level and employer requirements An apprentice must be living in England and not in full-time education An apprentice must be 16 years and above and be at the statutory school leaving age

How are Apprenticeships delivered? Most employers choose to deliver their Apprenticeships with the support of a training organisation which could be a college or training provider. Apprenticeship qualifications are flexible and can be shaped to reflect the skills and knowledge the business requires. Training organisations will access any Apprenticeship funding on behalf of the employer to deliver the learning and support your apprentice’s need. Some very large employers choose to hold their own Apprenticeship delivery contract and are able to access Government Funding directly.

Strong returns for all Economy: National Audit Office Report estimates that adult Apprenticeships deliver £18 of economic benefits for each £1 of Government investment. Learners: Advanced Level apprentices earn between £77,000 and £117,000 more over their lifetime than those with lower level qualifications; this rises to £150,000 for those doing Higher Apprenticeships. Employers: 70% report higher productivity and improved quality of product/service.

The Benefits Hiring apprentices helps businesses to grow their own talent by developing a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce. 88% - Increased employee satisfaction 82% - Building skills capacity 81% - Greater productivity 81% - Attractive to customers 80% - Reduced staff turnover 75% - Lower recruitment costs

What funding is available towards training costs? The size of the contribution depends on the sector and the age of the apprentice at the start of the training: 16 – 18 – 100% funded* 19 – 23 – up to 50% funded up to 50% funded

What are the employers’ responsibilities? An employer must: Give the apprentice an induction into their role Provide the on-the-job training Pay the apprentice(s) wages which should be at least the Apprenticeship National Minimum Wage Ensure their apprentice is employed for at least 30 hours per week Issue a Contract of Employment (an apprentice must receive the same rights as other employees) Apprenticeship Agreement – all apprentices starting their Apprenticeship from 6 April 2012 must have an Apprenticeship Agreement

How do I recruit an apprentice? Find an Apprenticeship is the official job site for Apprenticeships, managed by the National Apprenticeship Service Manages the recruitment process end to end through to successful appointment of your apprentice Enables you to advertise your Apprenticeship vacancies for FREE Vacancies can be viewed and applied for nationally making it easy for you to attract and recruit apprentices Process can be managed by yourself or by training organisations on your behalf

Apprenticeship Reforms - Standards Designed by employers for one occupation Replace existing frameworks (cut off date TBC) Clear and concise, written by employers on 2 pages Minimum duration 12 months May include qualifications – not prescriptive on content Synoptic end-point assessment mandatory Graded for the first time Employers/providers will decide on the content of provision delivered to meet the end-point assessment unless any mandatory elements are specified.

Traineeships With Traineeships, businesses can develop the next generation of employees, ensuring a pipeline of talented young people with the personal and practical skills and required in the labour market.

What is a Traineeship? Perfect preparation for an Apprenticeship Can be as short as 6 weeks There are 3 core elements 1.A high quality work placement to give the young person meaningful work experience. 2. A focused period of work preparation training 3.English and maths for those who require it.

What are the business benefits? It works both ways Developed with employers, a flexible approach means Traineeships are tailored to the needs of the business and the individual. New Breed Nurture the next generation from your local community, ensuring a loyal, talented workforce. Advantage you Get access to enthusiastic young people with fresh ideas to give you an edge on the competition. Help is at hand Your training provider will help recruit your trainee using Find a Traineeship Just the job Your current employees will have the opportunity to build their mentoring and coaching skills. Work Smart All training costs are met by government funding.

What is my involvement as an employer? You will need to commit to a high quality work placement, lasting anything from six weeks to a maximum of five months. Work experience placements should be: –Substantial and meaningful, providing a real workplace experience. –A structured opportunity for the young person, matched to their areas of interest and aspiration, where they engage in purposeful work related learning activities rather than observation. –Long enough to allow for the development and thorough embedding of new skills and behaviours. Once the young person has finished their Traineeship with your company, you will be required to give them: –Ideally, an interview for a position within your business if one is available. –If no Apprenticeship or job opportunity exists within your business at the end of the Traineeship, provide a meaningful exit interview

More information Information is available at Follow us on Facebook ( and Twitter View the library of Apprenticeship videos on YouTube (ApprenticeshipsNAS) Contact: Rachel Dawson