Apprenticeships are a powerful and flexible tool for workforce development, offering significant benefits for businesses looking to enhance skills, boost performance, and secure long-term growth. They are not just for new recruits; apprenticeships can be strategically leveraged to upskill and reskill your existing team and address critical skills gaps.

 

WHY CHOOSE APPRENTICESHIPS FOR YOUR EXISTING STAFF?

Investing in apprenticeships for your current employees offers a multitude of advantages, fostering a more skilled, motivated, and engaged workforce:

• Upskilling and Reskilling: Equip your employees with new competencies or refine existing ones, enabling them to adapt to evolving job roles, embrace new technologies, and meet changing industry demands.
• Cost-Effectiveness: For businesses that pay the Apprenticeship Levy, the training costs can be fully covered by your levy funds, preventing them from expiring. For non-levy payers, the government provides substantial funding contributions, typically covering 95% of course costs, significantly reducing your financial outlay.
• Improved Motivation and Retention: By providing clear pathways for professional development and career progression, you demonstrate a strong commitment to your employees. This investment boosts morale, makes staff feel valued, increases loyalty, and ultimately reduces costly staff turnover.
• Addressing Specific Skills Gaps: Apprenticeship standards are designed by employers to reflect real-world industry needs. This ensures that the training directly targets specific skill shortages within your organisation, equipping your workforce with precise, necessary expertise.
• Career Advancement: Apprenticeships offer a structured and formal pathway for employees to advance within your company, taking on new responsibilities and higher-level roles, from junior positions up to senior management and even company directors.

APPRENTICESHIPS FOR EVERY LEVEL AND ROLE

Apprenticeships are incredibly versatile, with no upper age limit, making them an affordable and effective training option for businesses of all sizes.

• Broad Scope: Apprenticeships span from Level 2 (equivalent to GCSE) all the way up to Level 7 (equivalent to a Master’s degree), ensuring you can find programmes that align with diverse learning and development needs across your organisation.
• Inclusive Training: Anyone can become an apprentice, from entry-level staff to experienced managers. An experienced employee, with relevant prior learning, may even be able to accelerate their apprenticeship completion.
• Employer-Led Design: The content of apprenticeship standards is directly influenced by employers, guaranteeing that the knowledge, skills, and behaviours taught are relevant and directly applicable to your business requirements.

UNDERSTANDING THE FUNDING: LEVY VS. NON-LEVY PAYERS

For Levy Payers: If your business has an annual wage bill exceeding £3 million, you contribute 0.5% of your wage bill into the Apprenticeship Levy. This fund is specifically designed to cover the training costs of new and existing staff undertaking apprenticeships. Remember, your levy funds reset at the end of the financial year – it’s a “use it or lose it” system. Utilising it for upskilling your current workforce is a smart investment.

For Non-Levy Payers: Businesses that do not pay the Apprenticeship Levy can still take advantage of significant government support. The government typically funds 95% of the apprenticeship training costs, meaning your business only needs to contribute a modest 5%.

Additional Support for Young Apprentices: For all employers, regardless of Levy status, if you take on an apprentice aged 16-18, their training is fully funded by the government, and you will also receive an additional £1,000 grant.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR APPRENTICES AND THE TRAINING PROCESS

Apprenticeship training is designed to be practical and integrated into the workplace, minimising disruption while maximising real-world application.

• Workplace-based Learning: Most of the professional service training and assessment is carried out “on-the-job” within your workplace.
• Dedicated Learning Time: Your apprentice will typically dedicate one day a week towards their off-the-job training, which can include online learning, projects, or attending optional masterclasses delivered at a local college for specific industries.
• Assessor Trainer Support: Your employee will have regular catch-ups with a dedicated Assessor Trainer. This individual will provide ongoing support, monitor progress, ensure they are developing the necessary skills, and prepare them for their final assessment.
• End-Point Assessment (EPA): The apprenticeship culminates in an End-Point Assessment (EPA). This is the final stage, typically conducted by an independent End-Point Assessor over a few weeks, often in your workplace. The EPA evaluates whether your apprentice has developed the knowledge, skills, and behaviours outlined in their Apprenticeship Standard.

NEW STAFF: HOW CAN I RECRUIT AN APPRENTICE?

Most training providers offer a recruitment service that is free of charge to you. They can help you develop the most appropriate job description and provide guidance on the best place to advertise as well as often providing services such as short-listing applicants or assisting with assessment activities

In essence, apprenticeships for existing staff create a win-win scenario: your employees gain valuable new skills and clear career pathways, while your business benefits from a more skilled, motivated, and highly engaged workforce.