Apprenticeship FAQs

An apprenticeship is a work-based training programme for people aged 16 or over who want to develop their skills and get experience in a particular sector. Apprentices spend most of their time in work and training on the job and a small amount of time studying. Apprentices can be new or current employees. They must be paid at least the minimum wage and they must not be enrolled in full-time education. Apprenticeships are available in many industries, and they often lead to a recognised qualification. The length of service and the certifications earned depends on the area of service. In the end, successful apprentices receive a certification of completion. These certifications may include:

• GCSE-Level qualifications in English, maths and IT, usually awarded for functional qualifications.
• Level 2 to Level 5 national vocational qualifications, equivalent to five GCSEs and a post-graduate degree.
• Higher National Diploma (HND), Higher National Certificate (HNC) and foundation degrees, which are academic degrees.

Apprentices are paid by their employer for the work they do, as well as for time spent on training. Employers must pay apprentices at least the National Minimum Wage.There’s different rates of pay for apprentices depending on their age and what year of their apprenticeship they’ve completed. Employers also can get help from the government to pay for apprenticeship training and assessment. The amount the employer can get from the government depends on whether the employer pay apprenticeship levy tax or not. Levy tax is payed usually by employers whose annual pay bill is more than £3 million. Employers with a pay-bill of under £3 million are called non-levy payers and will be required to co invest. Non-Levy paying employers will share the cost of training and assessing their Apprentices with government. They will pay 5% towards to the cost of Apprenticeship training, and the government will pay the rest 95%.

Levy contributions appear in a digital account which can be used by the employer to arrange and pay for apprenticeship training.

To become an apprentice, you must:

• Be 16 years old or over.
•  Not already be in full-time education.
• Be a UK or European Economic Area (EEA) or have lived in the UK or EEA for the past three consecutive years.
• You can start an apprenticeship whether you’re starting your career, want a change or you’re upskilling in your current job. You can have a previous qualification like a degree and still start an apprenticeship.

The minimum age limit for an apprentice is 16. There is no upper age limit. Apprenticeships can be undertaken by anyone, whether they already have qualifications. Must not be enrolled on another apprenticeship, or another DfE funded FE/HE programme, at the same time. Must have the right to work in England and spend at least 50% of their working hours in England over the duration of the apprenticeship. Must be one of the following:

• A citizen of a country within the European Economic Area (EEA) (including other countries determined within the EEA or those with bilateral agreements), or have the right of abode in the UK, and have been ordinarily resident in the EEA (including other countries determined within the EEA or those with bilateral agreements), for at least the previous three years on the first day of learning.
• A non-EEA citizen with permission from the UK government to live in the UK, (not for educational purposes) and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least the previous three years before the start of learning.

20% – doesn’t mean one day per week. Many employers assume that 20% means one day per week needs to be spent training. However, as long as in its entirety 20% of the programme has been spent in training and development then the training could take place whenever and wherever the employer decides.

Apprentices must spend at least 20% of their working hours completing off-the-job training. It can be flexible and doesn’t have to mean 1 day out of the workplace every week. Or it could be a combination of these options. For example, some apprenticeships begin with a block of training to get the apprentice work ready.

As all apprenticeships are different, the length of them varies. Most often, an apprenticeship will take anywhere between one and five years to complete.

Types of support can include:

• A comprehensive induction.
• Mentoring or regular one-to-one guidance.
• Social enrichment and networking opportunities.
• Performance reviews.
• Mental health and wellbeing support.

Most employers will offer an induction programme for new employees but as career starters or career changers, apprentices may need additional support to understand their role and responsibilities. Assigning a workplace mentor/coach is a powerful tool which can ensure the apprentice to settle quicker. A mentor/coach is separate to a line manager and is someone who provides a support system for the apprentice. They can help the apprentice resolve issues quickly when they don’t feel comfortable talking to their line manager. Regular performance reviews are a great way to improve performance, engagement, communication and retention. There are typically three elements to a performance review:

• One-to-one regular informal meetings where line managers discuss current work and development.
• Formal interim reviews where the line manager discusses the apprentice’s progress against their objectives.
• An annual appraisal review where their work is discussed and formally recorded.

All apprentices in England are assessed at the end of their training to ensure they are competent in their occupation and can perform all the aspects of their role. They are assessed to check the knowledge, skills and behaviours they have learned throughout their apprenticeship. This is called an end-point assessment. End-point assessment is different for each apprenticeship. The end-point assessment plan will outline the end-point assessment for each apprenticeship.

An end-point assessment usually includes:

• A practical assessment.
• A project.
• An interview and presentation.
• Written or multiple-choice tests.

There may be many reasons why apprentices decide to terminate their apprenticeship before completion. Sometimes, things in life may not turn out to be what is expected. This goes for apprenticeships too. Apprentices are free to leave an apprenticeship at whatever stage if they feel the need to do so. However, it is important to acknowledge that the apprenticeship before completion, will not lead to an qualification stage despite possibly completing a substantial amount of work.

The learner’s progress is constantly assessed to ensure apprentices are on-track and hitting the required milestones. To meet the minimum requirements set out in the apprenticeship standard an apprentice needs to:

• Display occupational competency.
• Have evidence of or pass functional skill levels in English and maths.
• Complete mandatory training.
• Take any qualifications set out in the standard.
• Meet the minimum duration for their apprenticeship training.

Only apprentices who complete gateway successfully can start the EPA.

Apprentices who fail one or more assessment method will be offered the opportunity to take a resit or a retake.

When the result notification recommends a re-take, the employer and training provider should consider a supportive action plan that responds to the weaknesses identified from the original EPA result notification.

The action plan should clearly state the nature and extent of the re-training and include the estimated time to prepare the apprentice for the retake. The timescales and fee for a retake must be agreed between the employer and EPAO.

A resit involves the apprentice sitting one or more failed assessment components again, without the need to undertake further training.

Following failure of EPA, the EPAO will provide a result statement showing the assessment components the apprentice has failed and that no further training is needed. Some EPA plans set out specific criteria for resits which need to be followed.

A resit cannot be taken with the intention of increasing the original grade if an apprentice has passed their EPA. Resits are only to be taken in the event of a failure.

Apprentices are paid a regular wage weekly or monthly and pay tax and national insurance as normal. There are quite strict guidelines around the minimum employers should pay their apprentices. The minimum that apprentices are entitled to depends on their age and length of time on a programme.

Apprenticeships are real jobs that allow learners to earn a wage while they learn. There are over 600 different apprenticeships. No matter what career you’re interested in, there’s likely to be an apprenticeship for you. You’ll earn a qualification from your apprenticeship.

The 4 different apprenticeship levels are:

• Intermediate: Level 2
• Advanced: Level 3
• Higher: Level 4 or 5
• Degree: Level 6 or 7

Apprenticeships are developed by employers, employees and other stakeholders with expert knowledge. They engage in a process to create an apprenticeship based upon the reality of the workplace. The economic importance and demand for the apprenticeship are also taken into consideration before starting the process.