Employers’ guide to Apprenticeship
training organisations
Contents
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How is an Apprenticeship delivered?
Role of the employer
Role of the training organisation
Funding for Apprenticeships
Choosing an appropriate training organisation
Questions to ask a training organisation
Who to contact next?
How is an Apprenticeship delivered?
Apprenticeships are work-based training
programmes. The training can be provided by
a training organisation (a college or
independent training provider).
Apprenticeships can be delivered to both new
and existing employees. You may want to use
your existing recruitment methods to find an
apprentice, or use the support of your chosen
training organisation.
The National Apprenticeship Service, a
division of the Skills Funding Agency, offers a
free service which allows employers to
advertise their Apprenticeship vacancies. The
vacancy is advertised on the website at
https://apprenticeshipvacancymatchingservice.
lsc.gov.uk/navms/Forms/Candidate/Apprentice
ships.aspx, normally by your chosen training
organisation.
Your role as the employer
Apprentices are employed by you and have the
same rights as other employees, along with
paid time for study. As employees, apprentices
earn a wage and work alongside experienced
staff to gain on-the-job experience and skills.
For more information on employment rights, go
to the website at
www.gov.uk/browse/employing-people.
apprenticeships.org.uk
In general, apprentices work for at least 30
hours a week. However, the number of hours
an apprentice works each week can be reduced
if the length of the Apprenticeship programme is
extended accordingly. An apprentice must
receive the appropriate minimum wage. The
rate is £2.65 for those under 19 or in their first
year of an Apprenticeship. If an apprentice is 19
or over and past their first year they get the rate
that applies to their age. That is £4.98 for 18- to
20-year-olds and £6.19 for those aged 21 or
over. For more details on the national minimum
wage, visit the website at
www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates.
All Apprenticeships will take at least 12 months
to complete, and will lead to a national
qualification that is recognised by employers.
Role of the training organisation
Most employers use an external training
organisation to provide the Apprenticeship
training. There are two main types of training
organisations – colleges of further education
and independent training providers, which can
be in the private or voluntary sector.
Training organisations who deliver
Apprenticeships leading to nationally
recognised qualifications receive government
funding through a contract with us, the Skills
Funding Agency. Some training organisations
will subcontract with other organisations to
provide some (or all) of their training.
All training organisations receiving government
funding for Apprenticeships are inspected by
the Office for Standards in Education,
Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted). Ofsted
publish the results of the inspections on their
website at www.ofsted.gov.uk.
Training organisations are responsible for
providing a range of support to employers. Once
you have chosen a suitable training organisation
they should do the following:
 Develop a detailed Apprenticeship
programme that meets your needs
Call: 08000 150 600
 Tell you the level of government funding
available for the Apprenticeship programme
and whether you are entitled to any financial
support
 Discuss timescales for the training and
develop training plans to fit your and the
apprentice’s needs
 Help you prepare and advertise your vacancy
using the Apprenticeship vacancies system at
https://apprenticeshipvacancymatchingservice
.lsc.gov.uk/navms/Forms/Candidate/Apprentic
eships.aspx
 Manage the recruitment process and shortlist
suitable candidates to interview
 Manage the paperwork once a potential
apprentice has been found
 Provide training to the apprentice
 Provide ongoing assessment, support and
advice throughout the training period to you
and your apprentice
Businesses that employ up to 1,000 employees
may get a £1,500 grant to help cover the cost of
starting a new apprentice aged 16 to 24.
Eligible employers may be entitled to claim up
to 10 grants within a 12-month period. There
are limited funds available, and grants are given
on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information, see the AGE Employer
Fact Sheet website at
www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Home/Employers/
Steps-to-make-it-happen/Incentive.aspx.
Choosing an appropriate training
organisation
Funding for Apprenticeships
Most employers work with training
organisations to deliver their Apprenticeship
programme. To get the most benefit out of the
programme it is important to choose a training
organisation that will meet your business
needs.
Training organisations will claim Apprenticeship
funding, on your behalf, for the training they
provide to your apprentices. The amount of
funding for an Apprenticeship depends on the
job role and the age of the apprentice. The
following table summarises the amount of
funding available for different age groups.
When choosing a college or training provider, a
good starting point is to review the report of
their most recent Ofsted inspection. When
reading the report it is important to focus on the
grade for the actual Apprenticeship you want
(for example, ICT, engineering, retail and so
on).
Age of
apprentice
Proportion of funding
available for training
16 to 18
100% of course fees
19 to 24
Up to 50% of course fees
Some training organisations deliver training under
sub-contracts with larger organisations. If you
cannot find the Ofsted report under the name of
your training organisation, ask who they have a
sub-contract with for delivering training.
25 or over
Up to 40% of course fees
depending on the sector
From August 2013, apprentices aged 24 or over
on an Advanced or Higher Apprenticeship will
be offered an Advanced Learning Loan.
Employers will continue to make a contribution
towards the costs of the Apprenticeship, with
the remaining costs being paid by the
apprentice. For more information, go to the
website at www.gov.uk/advanced-learningloans/overview.
apprenticeships.org.uk
When considering training organisations in your
area you may also want to get feedback from local
employers or a trade association. For more help
you can also phone the National Apprenticeship
Service on 08000 150 600.
Before you approach a training organisation it is
also helpful to consider your needs, particularly
in terms of business area, job roles, level of
Apprenticeship framework and the number of
apprentices you need.
Call: 08000 150 600
The ‘Find an Apprenticeship training
organisation’ search tool on the website at
www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Employers/Findan-Apprenticeship-Training-Organisation.aspx
has lots of information about training
organisations. The tool allows you to search for
suitable organisations that offer Apprenticeship
training within a specified job role, and
geographical area. Once you have identified a
potential training organisation you can contact
them direct. You can review their previous
success rates in Apprenticeship delivery,
assess information on their performance and
compare them against other training
organisations that receive government funding.
Questions to ask a training organisation
You may want to ask the training organisation
some or all of the questions below to help you
decide if they are suitable for your business.
Background and performance history
 What experience do you have in providing
training for my business sector?
 How long have you been providing
Apprenticeship training, and what
experience do your trainers and assessors
have?
 Do you currently work with any similar
businesses to mine, and can you put me in
touch with satisfied clients or offer
testimonials?
 Can you give me a copy of your last Ofsted
inspection report and your most recent fullyear success rates?
 What other quality marks, if any, do you
currently hold?
 Do you offer recruitment support such as
writing job descriptions, screening
applicants and so on?
 Do you have any students ready to take
Apprenticeship training?
apprenticeships.org.uk
Costs and facilities
 What funding do you receive from the
Government to support the costs of
training?
 What contribution, if any, will I be expected
to make towards the cost of training?
 Are there any other costs involved, such as
registration fees, travel costs and so on?
 What facilities and equipment do you have
to support the training, and will I be
expected to provide or pay for any?
 How is the Apprenticeship training delivered
(for example, will the apprentice be on day
release, on site, how often, where at)?
Delivery of training
 Which Apprenticeship qualifications are you
accredited to deliver?
 Can the Apprenticeship be tailored to meet the
needs of my business and this particular job
role?
 Can you deliver training out of hours (for
example, to keep to any shift work
requirements)?
 How can you help me to recruit
apprentices?
 How are individual training needs assessed
to make sure my apprentice is on the right
qualification at the right level?
 How often will you visit the workplace to
carry out assessments and review the
apprentice’s progress?
 How do other employers in my sector
normally structure their Apprenticeships?
 Can an apprentice start the Apprenticeship
at any time of year or are there restrictions
on entry points?
 How much extra work will the apprentice
need to do each week on top of their main
job and the off-the-job training?
 How will you keep me informed about the
progress of candidates?
Call: 08000 150 600
Who to contact next?
The National Apprenticeship Service is there to
support employers and has made it easier than
ever to employ an apprentice.
Their employer teams are on hand to guide you
through the simple process of hiring an apprentice.
There has never been a better time to employ
an apprentice.
For more information, visit the website at
www.apprenticeships.org.uk or phone 08000 150
600.
If you are ready to take on an apprentice and would
like to contact a suitable training organisation, use
the ’Find an Apprenticeship Training Organisation’
search tool on the website at
www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Employers/Find-anApprenticeship-Training-Organisation.aspx.
apprenticeships.org.uk
Call: 08000 150 600