Employ An Apprentice

REAP THE BENEFITS OF HIRING AN APPRENTICE

An apprenticeship is a job with training. Apprentices gain recognised qualifications and essential skills whilst working and earning a wage. They are an excellent way for young people to gain practical experience, skills and knowledge which can be implemented straight into your workplace. As the employer, you are free to train your apprentices in the way that is suitable for you and your business needs.

Whilst apprenticeships are a great recruitment method, you can also convert existing staff into apprentices. This is a great way of up-skilling your current workforce without taking on additional employees.

Key Benefits to Employing Apprentices:

Fill your Skills Gap

Retain Staff

Boost Productivity

Gain a Fresh Perspective

Cost Effective Recruitment Method

Return on Investment

APPRENTICESHIP REFORMS

From May 2017, the way apprenticeships are delivered and funded in the UK changed. The apprenticeship reforms impact employers of all sizes – from sole traders up to organisations with a payroll of over £3m.

Please visit our apprenticeship reforms page for a full guide to these reforms.

EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITIES

Your responsibilities as an employer of an apprentice cover the following areas:

You must pay apprentices at least the national minimum wage.
Apprentices under 19, or who are over 19 years old and in the first year of their apprenticeship, must be paid at least the national minimum wage for apprentices (£3.50).
Apprentices should be employed for at least 30 hours per week. Where the individual’s circumstances or the particular nature of employment in a given sector makes this impossible, then an absolute minimum of 16 hours must be met.
An apprenticeship agreement must be signed by both the employer and the apprentice.