A Guide to Apprenticeships

What is an apprenticeship?

Apprentices learn on the job, building up knowledge and skills and gaining qualifications at the same time.

There are two levels of apprenticeship available:

Level 2 apprenticeship usually last for about a year.

• Apprentices may have a full-time job and be paid a wage.
• Alternatively, apprentices may be based with a training provider, but undertake work experience placements. Apprenticeships on work experience placement are paid a weekly training allowance.
• Apprentices will work towards a level 2 NVQ, Key Skills qualifications and, in most cases, a technical certificate such as a BTEC or City & Guilds.

A level 3 advanced apprenticeship last for at least two years.

• Advanced apprentices are in full-time employment and are paid an appropriate wage.
• They are assessed in the same way as level 2 apprentices, including time spent with a training provider.
• Advanced apprentices and their employers should be aiming for a technical, supervisory or junior management role on completion.

Apprenticeships are an opportunity for an employer to attract young people to their business and have them trained to fill skills gaps. Training provision for apprenticeship is free to businesses.

What are the costs involved for an employer taking on an apprentice?

If you use an approved training provider there will be no, or limited cost involved towards the training of a young person. This is government funded.

• A level 2 apprentice would either be paid a training allowance as well as any travel costs associated with getting from home to their training provider, or a full time salary if employed. A level 2 apprentice will have rights to time off to study, please ask the Connexions Employer Services Team for more information about this. They will also have rights to at least 20 days holiday per year including bank holidays.

• A level 3 advanced apprentice will be fully employed and so should be paid a full time salary.  This will be at least the national minimum wage, but will vary across sectors as set out by the trade bodies. They will also be paid for time spent with a training provider. They also have rights to at least 20 days holiday per year including bank holidays.

When you consider the level of training and experience that your employee will finish up with, taking on an apprentice is often a much more cost and time effective way of creating or expanding a skilled work force than training someone on your own.

How can I find out more about apprenticeships?

With one call, or visit Connexions will be able to assist you with all of your needs. We can:

• Help you find a training provider that supports your type of business.
• We can give you more information about apprenticeships in general.
• We can help you find a suitable young person to undertake an apprenticeship or work placement.
• We can also point you in the direction of government funding that could be available to train existing members of staff.

For more information about what Connexions can do for your business or to arrange a meeting with an Employer Liaison Officer:

Telephone: 0800 083 3788 or fill in the form on our Contact Us page