Developing a strategy on apprenticeships Paul Marijetic Apprenticeship Lead

Apprenticeships There are two types of apprenticeships New staff Existing workers With either type people are employed it’s not just a training programme or course but there must be an apprenticeship available Under the current policy there are two types of apprentices. New Staff The first type is one that you would traditionally recognise as an apprenticeship. A new (usually, but not, exclusively young) member of staff would train on the job to learn that job and ultimately become qualified. It may or may not also include release to attend training externally (one day a week, once a month etc.). Existing workers The second type is aimed at existing workers who will be learning some new skills within their normal role; again it may or may not also include release to attend training externally. So whilst it might not seem like an apprentice in the traditional sense, you should think of this type of apprenticeship as a mechanism for receiving training and having your abilities and understanding recognised through qualifications for the job that you are doing. However it can only be an apprenticeship if there is an apprenticeship framework or standard available. e.g. even if you wanted to take on an apprentice you cannot do an apprenticeship in Physiotherapy as there is currently no apprenticeship available

Apprenticeships New staff The workforce planning and development have identified new roles within the trust and these roles are suitable for new apprentices to be employed Staff have left and new vacancies become available and these are identified for new apprentices

Apprenticeships Existing staff Existing staff are working in jobs that have never been accredited and now apprenticeships allow them to be so Existing staff where new apprenticeships are available and that apprenticeship might represent potential career progression Identification of existing training programmes that could be apprenticeships and converting them

Potential Apprenticeship Levy introduction Numbers New entrants Apprenticeship Levy targets Public sector targets Existing staff Sept 2016 Introduction of Public Sector targets 31st March 2016 End of year of public sector targets and start of Levy 18 months into Levy Sept 2021 Time

Numbers v Levy You know your approximate levy bill – set targets Variable costs of apprenticeships Predominantly level 2 and 3s Nursing associate (2018) nursing (2017) other degree apprenticeships not even in pipeline

Funding of Standards Number Band limit 1 £1,500 2 £2,000 3 £2,500 4 £3,000 5 £3,500 6 £4,000 7 £5,000 8 £6,000 9 £9,000 10 £12,000 11 £15,000 12 £18,000 13 £21,000 14 £24,000 15 £27,000

Numbers v Levy You know your approximate levy bill – set targets Variable costs of apprenticeships Predominantly level 2 and 3s Nursing associate (2018) nursing (2017) other degree not even in pipeline 2 asst. practitioner apprenticeships = 8 HCSWs Need thorough and detailed workforce development strategy based on roles and potential vacancies.

Numbers v Levy Funding for the levy is collected on a monthly basis Funding is calculated by dividing the agreed funding band by the number of months it will take It is paid to training providers on a monthly basis When you actually start an apprentice will have a great impact on the levy spend Need to fully plan in detail down to the apprenticeship subject area with its funding attached and profile starts.

Considerations for identifying new posts Identifying all Bands 1 – 3 or 4 as potential apprenticeship roles ‘Grow your own strategies’ Hard to recruit posts Gaps in service delivery Setting out the benefits and values of apprenticeships and asking managers to actively seek recruiting apprentices.

Pay structure (for new apprentices) No staff below band 3 – includes apprentices Whatever band that role is Annex U approach All apprentices on the old Band 1 level Band below the band for that role Using an ATA Apprenticeship minimum wage of £3.30 ph London Living Wage of £9.40ph

Using training providers Public sector procurement rules Quality approval systems in existence Determining good The timely and overall success rates Numbers of apprenticeships they have delivered in that area The vocational expertise of the trainers Their delivery model and training content Employer experience Additional offers/costs

Delivering apprenticeships yourselves Quality control Monetary Lack of existing providers

Governance In small groups discuss and identify the possible governance of apprenticeships within your organisations – what should it look like?

Key messages from the emerging themes needed in the strategies Parallel strategies are needed for the training of existing staff as apprentices and the recruitment of new staff as apprentices Workforce development strategies need to be worked out in detail to clearly identify roles and apprenticeships down to the point of profiling starts annually Clear salary policies need to be developed and agreed for apprentices Apprenticeship targets should be owned locally (by geographical site or occupational area) but co-ordinated centrally Quality controls need to be put into place in the commissioning of apprenticeship training providers All strategies should explore the potential of delivering some apprenticeships internally