A quick guide for employers

Apprenticeships

What is an Apprenticeship?An Apprenticeship is a work-based training programme for anyone age 16 or over who has left full time education.

Apprentices can be new or existing employees. They learn on the job and are paid a wage as they work towards nationally-recognised qualifications.

An Apprenticeship is not a qualification in itself but a set of qualifications – known as a framework - that contains separately certified units designed to meet employers’ needs.

Why hire an apprentice?Apprenticeships are an excellent way to grow your own talent and develop a skilled and motivated workforce.

Research by the National Apprenticeship Service shows the majority of employers who take on apprentices report increases in productivity, lower costs and higher profits.

Apprentices tend to earn less than other employees and there are grants available to help you meet the cost of the Apprenticeship.

Other benefits reported by the majority of employers include, improved products or services, new ideas being introduced to the organisation, better morale among staff and lower staff turnover.

How much are apprentices paid?Intermediate and Advanced Level apprentices who are under 19 or in the first year of their Apprenticeship are paid a minimum of £2.73 per hour - but you can elect to pay more to reflect the job role and experience of the candidate.

Apprentices not falling into these categories are entitled to the National Minimum Wage for their age band.

Those on Higher Apprenticeships are paid the National Minimum Wage for their aged band.

Employment must be for at least 30 hours a week, except in the minority of cases where the learner cannot complete the full 30 hours.

If you decide to train your current staff, you will continue to pay them their usual wage or salary.

Apprenticeships are an excellent way to grow your own talent.

If your business is thinking of taking on an apprentice, you will almost certainly have questions about what is involved.

To help employers, we have compiled this list of frequently asked questions. This new, updated guide includes recent changes to the grants and the minimum wage rates for apprentices. It also outlines the benefits of Apprenticeships and explains how they work.

www.tirtraining.co.uk

01482 213 113 tirinfo@tirtraining.co.uk

@TIRlogistics

TIR Training

Year 21 + 18 - 20 Under 18

Apprentice*

2014 £6.50 £5.13 £3.79 £2.73

2015* £6.70 £5.30 £3.87 £3.30

*Comes into force from Thursday, October 1, 2015

What is the National Minimum Wage?

How much support do they need?Apprentices should not be seen as cheap labour.

They need to be mentored and developed. The idea is to educate young people in a working environment and help them secure a permanent job.

You have to be committed to supporting the apprentice through their programme and be prepared to give them time to complete their training and related study.

Who pays for the training?The Government funds Apprenticeships in full for 16-18 year olds.

Training for Apprenticeships for those over 19 is part funded, with employers expected to make a contribution. The employer contribution can vary and it may be possible to make some or all of this ‘in kind’.

What is the AGE grant?The Apprenticeship Grant for Employers (AGE) aims to help businesses take on apprentices aged 16 to 24.

Eligible employers can claim £1,500 towards the cost of taking on an apprentice and can claim up to five grants in total.

The grant is for employers with less than 50 employees, who are new to apprenticeships or haven’t enrolled a new recruit or existing employee on to an Apprenticeship programme in the previous 12 months.

How much time do they spend away from work?We would expect apprentices to work full time and spend, on average, one day per month over the 12 month period with the training officer.

The training officer will assess the apprentice’s theory-based work, conduct vocational assessments and provide information advice and guidance. This can be done at the apprentice’s workplace or TIR’s learning centre in Beverley.

Who can apply for an Apprenticeship? Apprenticeships are an excellent way of bringing new talent into your business, with many young people now choosing this as their career path. They can also be used to develop the knowledge and skills of your existing workforce.

Apprenticeships are open to all ages, although Government funding is prioritised towards young people, especially the 16 to 18 age group.

How is the training delivered?Apprenticeships are a partnership between the employer, training provider and the apprentice.

The training provider supports the delivery of the training programme, carries out the assessments and delivers additional skills and knowledge training required to complete the framework.

Most of the training is on the job. This is complemented by guided study and some teaching away from their work station, either at the employer’s premises or with the training organisation.

Assessment methods include: Observations by skilled assessors who come into your workplace, underpinning knowledge questioning, witness testimony, self-reflective accounts, assignments, logbooks and tests.

The modular style of delivery enables the apprentice to achieve milestones throughout their Apprenticeship.

How long does it take?The length depends on the framework being followed.

As a guide, Intermediate Level Apprenticeships usually take around 12 months, whereas an Advanced Level Apprenticeship takes around 24 months.

All of our Level Two Apprenticeships are one year and one day, which is linked to the funding criteria.

A quick guide for employersApprenticeships

01482 213 113 tirinfo@tirtraining.co.uk

Waltham House, Riverview Road, Beverley, East Yorkshire, HU17 8DY

www.tirtraining.co.uk

@TIRlogistics

TIR Training

Contact:Intermediate Level Apprenticeships work towards a Level 2 qualification, broadly equivalent to five good A*–C, GCSE passes.

Advanced Level Apprenticeships work towards a Level 3 qualification – equivalent to two A Levels. 

Higher Apprenticeships work towards a Level 4 qualification, broadly equivalent to degree level.

How can TIR help?TIR offers Apprenticeship pathways in Business & Administration, Customer Service, Driving Goods Vehicles, Logistics Operations, Traffic Office, Transporting Freight by Road and Warehousing & Storage.

For a free consultation call: 01482 213 113 or email: tirinfo@tirtrainng.co.uk

How do I find the right person?In some cases, the right candidate for the role will already be working for you. You can also advertise your vacancy on the National Apprenticeship website, job search sites, social media and local job centres. TIR can help you find the right candidates, complete initial assessments in English and maths and develop Individual Learner Plans.

What is a framework?A framework would generally consist of the following elements:

• A work-related, competence qualification, assessed in the workplace by a training provider.

• A knowledge-based qualification such as a BTEC or City & Guilds relevant to the specific Apprenticeship.

• Functional Skills such as literacy and numeracy, which support the employee in their job.

• Employment Rights and Responsibilities to help develop knowledge and understanding about the world of employment.

• Personal Learning and Thinking Skills to develop skills such as creativity, reflection, teamwork and independence.

A quick guide for employersApprenticeships

Grow your own talent!