Apprenticeships

As an employer, do you have a vacancy for an employee with the skills and knowledge embedded in these qualifications?

Apprenticeships refer to on-the-job training leading to nationally recognized qualifications, developed by industry. The National Apprenticeship Service supports, funds and co-ordinates the delivery of Apprenticeships throughout England.

An Apprenticeship includes the following components:

A minimum of 16 hours per week paid employment
A knowledge based element
A competency based element
Transferable or “key skills/functional skills”
A module on employment rights and responsibilities

How long do they take?

The length of an Apprenticeship varies depending on prior skills levels of the apprentice, the qualification being obtained and industry sector. Generally, Apprenticeships take between one and three years to complete.

All employed apprentices must receive a wage of £95 per week.

What are the Advantages for Employers?

There are many advantages to your business in employing an Apprentice. Here are a few:

An Apprenticeship is an effective way of tackling skill shortages.
Apprentices will be trained to do a job to agreed standards, which have been set by your representative trade body - the Sector Skills Council. So they will gain a qualification that shows that they have the skills necessary to do the job, unlike those who follow a formal academic route.
The training that they receive away from work is state-of-the-art so, as technology moves on, you can be assured that new developments will be incorporated within the programme of study.
Because they will learn by a combination of attending college and learning on the job, many apprentices find that it is a much better way of learning, by doing things rather than having to remember facts.
They gain recognised qualifications - NVQs, Key Skills and a Technical Certificate.
Apprentices are usually more motivated, because they can see that you are investing in their training and because you take an active part in their development.
They can go on to gain a higher qualification, such as HNC, HND, Foundation Degree or full Degree, by studying on a part-time basis while continuing to work for you. In this way they will be gaining higher-level skills to improve the productivity of your business, but without making too much of an impact in terms of lost time. The increased investment in them will benefit, not just your business, but will also help to cement the relationship that you have with them, leading to greater motivation and company loyalty.