See the Apprenticeship page of the website for more information
Q: What are apprenticeships?
A: They are training programmes designed by employers to give eager applicants the skills and qualifications needed by businesses. They are a combination of on-the-job and off-the-job learning. You can learn and earn so you gain new skills whilst getting paid.
Q: Does an apprenticeship allow me to progress within my career?
A: According to the City and Guilds, 33% of employers have seen apprentices reach management positions within their company. Over 50% said it took five years or less for an apprentice to reach positions of management. Government research also shows 83% of apprentices say Apprenticeships boosted their career prospects.
Q: How long does an apprenticeship take to complete?
A: Apprenticeships take a minimum of twelve months to complete.
Q: How old do I have to be to enrol onto an apprenticeship?
A: Learners must be aged 16 to 64 years and have left full time education.
Q: What are the Entry Requirements?
A: The requirements will be different for each apprenticeship, but below are some examples.
- Nursing Associate Apprenticeship: To begin your training as a nursing associate, you’ll need GCSEs grade 9 to 4 (A to C) in maths and English, or Functional Skills Level 2 in maths and English. You will also need to demonstrate your ability to study to level 5 foundation degree level and commit to completing the Nursing Associate Apprenticeship programme.
- Customer Service Practitioner: Apprentices will be required to have or achieve level 1 English and Maths and to have taken level 2 English and Maths tests prior to completion of their Apprenticeship.
Q: What does an Apprentice get paid?
A: Apprentices who are under 19, or who are 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship, will be paid a minimum of £3.90 per hour (from 1st April 2019), however many businesses pay more. Individuals not falling into these categories should be paid the minimum wage rate for their age band. Guidance about the appropriate hourly rates is available on this Gov.uk link.
Please note that the government amends the minimum wage rates on 1 April each year.
Please see the Health Careers website for information on salaries under the Agenda for Change, and their different payscales.
Q: What is Levy?
A: The apprenticeship levy is a government organised plan that was introduced to increase the number of apprenticeships on offer in the UK – served in the form of a tax. With this new tax, businesses will be able to better fund the recruitment, training, and development of apprentices. The levy aims to fund three million new apprenticeships in England by 2020.
If you’re an employer with a pay bill of over £3 million yearly, you’ll pay the apprenticeship levy, however if you’re a non-levy paying employer, you’ll still receive support from the government when it comes to hiring and training apprentices.
All you have to do is agree a payment plan with a training provider, pay 5% of the costs, and ensure your chosen provider can provide proof of payment – and the government will pay the remaining 95%. We can also arrange for this cost to be funded by transferred levy so there will be no cost to you.
And, if you’re a business with less than 50 employees – you’ll also receive a £1000 incentive towards apprenticeships for 16-18 year olds, or a 19-24 year old with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. This will be paid to employers in 2 instalments by their training provider – £500 after 3 months and £500 after 12 months.
Please get in touch with us if you have any more questions regarding funding
Q: I’m interested in employing an apprentice- how can WYHEC help?
A: As a team we can provide advice and support around employing apprentices, support conversations with both training providers, and facilitate the transfer of the levy money between the levy paying organisation and the non-levy paying organisation. If you are an employer within health and social care and you are considering employing an apprentice, or want to find out more then please do not hesitate to contact either Callum or Heather, who would welcome the chance to talk to you.
Q: Which organisations will WYHEC try to help?
A: The WYHEC Apprenticeship team are trying to concentrate on helping Health and Social Care organisations to set them up on the online DAS system and transfer funding for their apprentices. If you are unsure of if you fit into this category or would like some more information, please contact us.
Q: How can I find out if it is right for my organisation to employ an apprentice?
A: To employ an apprentice, you need to check and meet the following terms and conditions.
Your apprentice should:
- Be 16 years old or older; they can be a new or current employee
- Work enough paid hours each week to undertake sufficient training to achieve their apprenticeship. We base the standards of working a minimum duration of each apprenticeship on an apprentice working 30 paid hours a week or more. This includes any off-the-job training they do.
When employing an apprentice you should:
- Give your apprentice a contract of employment which is at least long enough to allow them to complete their apprenticeship successfully
- Pay the cost of your apprentice’s wages; you should pay them at least the national minimum wage consistent with the law for the time they are in work and in off-the-job training
- Give your apprentice a job role (or roles) that enables them to gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to achieve their apprenticeship
- Allow your apprentice to combine learning in the workplace with formal off-the-job training which usually takes place outside the normal working environment
Employing an apprentice is a highly cost effective way to increase your workforce. Studies have shown that over 80% of businesses that employed apprentices found their productivity had increased as a result.
Q: How do I get in touch with WYHEC regarding Apprenticeships?
Please contact the Appreticeships team on the below details for any more information
Callum Bennett, Project Manager for Apprenticeships
Tel: 07824526234 Email: callum.bennett@nhs.net
Heather Nicholson, Project Support Officer for Apprenticeships
Tel: 07880157213 Email: heather.nicholson1@nhs.net
Please see the Recources section for links and more information
