Derby Apprenticeship Hub
Hiring an Apprentice Guide
At this stage, your business has decided to hire an apprentice but you don’t know where to start. This guide is designed to help you to hire an apprentice. It is advised to follow each step in order.
Step One
The first step is to do some research. You need to decide what framework or standard fits the role you want to fill. For example, if it is a Business Administrator, Data Analyst or an Aerospace Engineerrole. There are frameworks and standards for them and a wide variety of other roles. There are more standards being developed and awaiting approval.
At this stage, you may be asking yourself what a framework or standard is?
As part of the government's drive to ensure apprenticeships are high-quality and to deliver the skills our economy needs, apprenticeship frameworks are being replaced by employer designed standards. The government expects to move from apprenticeship frameworks to standards over the course of this parliament.
An Apprenticeship framework was a definition of requirements for an apprenticeship programme. It was used by training providers, colleges and employers to ensure that all apprenticeship programmers are delivered consistently and to the agreed level.
Apprenticeship standards show what an apprentice will be doing and the skills required of them, by job role. Standards are developed by employer groups known as 'trailblazers'. More standards will be published as they are developed and approved.
Using the following link, you can find information on the frameworks and standards available -
In this guide, we will use ‘Business Administration’ as an example.
First, go onto the link provide above and search for the framework or standard that best suits the role you’re offering. See Below.
As you can see above on the left side, you can filter your results to easily find the standard for your role.
You can see that I have filtered my results and have found what I’m looking for.
On each page you can find a variety of details such as; status, typical duration, maximum funding available, entry requirements, qualifications and what apprentices will learn.
Step Two
The next stage is to find local training providers who can deliver the standard.
You can do this by scrolling down on the same page and locating the link circled.
You can use this to search by filling in your own details.
Now, you have to decide which training provider suits you.
Step Three
At this stage, you need to do some more research. Your training provider can give you more details on funding, specific to your recruitment or you can use the following link for the D2N2 Growth Hub’s Apprenticeship Funding page.
However this next section will concern all employers as it is about the apprenticeship levy.
You can get help from the government to pay for apprenticeship training. The amount of you get depends on whether you pay the apprenticeship levy or not. You pay the levy if you’re an employer with a payroll of over £3 million a year.
If you don’t need to pay the levy, you pay 10% towards the cost of training and assessing your apprentice. You need to agree a payment schedule with the training provider and pay them directly for the training. The government will pay the rest (90%) up to the funding bad maximum. They’ll pay it directly to the training provider.
If you qualify to pay the levy, your business has to pay 0.5% of your payroll to the government every month. In addition, you’ll receive funds to spend on training and assessing your apprentices. The government will add up to 10% to the paying of training and assessing your apprentice.
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Step Four
The next step is to advertise the apprenticeship vacancy. Don’t stress. Your training provider can do this for you. You need to provide details of what your requirements are and they can help with the advertising, interviewing and shortlisting. After this you can select your apprentice/s.
Step Five
During the selection period and while you wait, you can draft up important documents that the employer and apprentice needs to sign.
An apprenticeship agreement gives details of what you agree to do for the apprentice, including;
- How long you’ll employ them
- The training you’ll deliver
- Their working conditions
- The qualifications they are working towards
The next document is a commitment statement which has to be signed by all three parties; the employer, the apprentice and the training provider.
This must include information such as;
- The planned content and schedule for training
- What is expected and offered by the employer, the training provider and the apprentice
- How to resolve queries or complaints.
You can write your own apprenticeship agreement or download an apprenticeship agreement template.
Step Six
Your training provider has provided a shortlist of candidates. You have selected your candidate. You now need to sign a contract of employment, apprenticeship agreement and the commitment statement.
Step Seven
Congratulations! You have hired an apprentice!