Apprenticeships

An Apprenticeship is a job with training that enables individuals to gain qualifications and essential skills whilst working. It is a fantastic option for those seeking to bridge the gap between full time education and the world of employment.

It is essentially a ‘real job’ with training and will see an apprentice work alongside experienced staff in the workplace to gain hands-on experience and the skills needed for their chosen career.

Although the minimum duration of any Apprenticeship is 30 hours per week, a certain amount of this must include ‘off the job training’ (OTJT) which can be defined as learning undertaken outside of the normal day to day working environment but within working hours. This is designed to give apprentices the relevant Skills, Knowledge and Behaviours to complement their practical experience and help them work towards their Apprenticeship standard requirements, fully preparing them for End Point Assessment (EPA) alongside any nationally recognised qualifications such as NVQ Certificates or Diplomas embedded within the offer.

Apprenticeships will normally last anywhere between 12-36 months but higher level or technical Apprenticeships could take longer.

Apprenticeships are currently available at three levels with many offering the opportunity for progression at HoW College:

Level 2 – Intermediate Level Apprenticeships

Level 3 – Advanced Level Apprenticeships

Level 4 – Higher Apprenticeships (equivalent to a Foundation Degree)

Level 5 - Higher Apprenticeships

An apprentice may also be given the opportunity to study Functional Skills in English, Maths and ICT alongside their Apprenticeship

Apprenticeships are an excellent addition to any business and are becoming increasingly popular with employers nationwide.

They are an excellent long-term investment for any business and a cost effective way to recruit, re-train or up-skill your existing workforce. It has also been proven that Apprenticeships can actively reduce staff turnover and boost productivity considerably due to apprentices being ‘employer-ready’, ambitious, motivated and dedicated to supporting the company that chose to invest in them. Additionally, the training for any apprentice recruited by your company may be eligible for 100% funding.*

The below data, used and compiled by the National Apprenticeship Service, should help demonstrate the many benefits of employing an apprentice.

Hiring an apprentice is a productive and effective way to grow talent and develop a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce.

86% of employers said apprenticeships helped them develop skills relevant to their organisation.

78% of employers said apprenticeships helped them improve productivity.

74% of employers said apprenticeships helped them improve the quality of their product or service.

Other benefits of working with apprentices include:

• You can adapt their training according to the needs of your business.
• They’re motivated to learn new skills.
• You can expand and upskill your workforce.

1. Initial contact with one of our Training Consultants who will continue to look after you and your needs. They be contacted on 01905 743435 or by emailing solutions@howcollege.ac.uk

2. Completion of a Range of Work Sheet to ensure your Apprentice will be exposed to all the competencies required to achieve the qualification

3. Register on the Digital Apprenticeship Service

4. Ensure you give HoW College permissions to access your account

5. Completion and return of the ‘Vacancy Pro-forma’ – Recruit an Apprentice. This will enable us to learn exactly what you’re looking for and ensure we match the right candidates to the right Apprenticeship.

6. We will offer you potential apprentices, screened and selected, for your vacancy and consideration (at this stage, you may wish to begin interviewing candidates with a view to making a job offer). If you have found your own Apprentice, we will need their details so we can undertake the necessary assessments with them.

7. Signing of The Service Level Agreement and completion of the a Health & Safety form (issued by HoW College) must be completed by the employer before any apprentice starts.

8. Once you have interviewed and selected a suitable candidate and your offer is accepted, we will arrange a sign-up meeting to complete additional documents and enrol the learner onto the Apprenticeship programme.

9. Apprentice enrolled and on their exciting Apprenticeship journey with you!

The college proportions the funding - and any additional income from employer contributions - across the following areas of costs when delivering an apprenticeship. These
are called eligible costs.
There may be small variations between different apprenticeship Standards, but these will be negligible. If you have specific queries, or require further information, please do contact us.