How to take on an apprentice
Are you an employer looking to take on an apprentice or start an apprenticeship programme? This guides takes you through all you need to know about how to hire an apprentice, what funding is available and how we can support your every step of the way.
What is an apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is a structured training programme that combines on-the-job experience with formal learning. Apprentices are employees who earn a wage while developing skills and working towards a nationally recognised qualification.
They can be used to:
- Bring in new talent
- Upskill existing employees
- Build future-ready capabilities in key areas like AI, data, cloud and cyber security
Why hire an apprentice
Apprenticeships are one of the most cost-effective ways to build skills within your organisation.
Key benefits include:
- Close critical skills gaps (e.g. tech, engineering, digital roles)
- Reduce recruitment costs
- Build a pipeline of loyal, trained employees
- Boost productivity with hands-on learning
- Access government funding through the Growth and Skills Levy
How to start an apprenticeship programme
Here's our step by step guide to starting an apprenticeship programme in your business:
1. Identify your skills gaps
Apprenticeships are on the best ways to build new capabilities within your business. Many organisations face an intense shortage of talent in emerging key roles, such as IT and cloud infrastructure, AI fundamentals and engineering, and cyber security.
With funding from the Growth and Skills Levy available, apprenticeships are a cost-effective way to close these skills gaps.
You can then begin to look at which apprenticeship standards meet your needs. The best way to do this is by working with an approved apprenticeship training partner.
2. Connect with an approved apprenticeship training provider
Your next step is to partner with an approved provider that best matches the needs of your business.
There are hundreds of apprenticeship standards available in the UK, across a number of different fields, including care, engineering, construction and technology.
An approved apprenticeship provider - like QA, can support you with choosing the best programmes, the best practices for hiring an apprentice and your funding options.
3. Understand your funding options
Most apprenticeships are funded through the UK government's Growth and Skills Levy.
The amount of funding you are entitled to depends on the size of your business. It can also depend on the age of the apprentice being enrolled, and the level of course they are interested in.
This is where your chosen apprenticeship provider comes in. They can help you to better understand what is covered by the levy funding, and what isn't.
They can also help to answer any questions you might have around apprenticeships pay, national insurance, holidays and sick pay.
4. Create your apprenticeship account
Next, you'll need to access the government's apprenticeship hub.
This is where you can advertise apprenticeship vacancies, accept necessary employer agreements, set up accounts within your organisation and add details about your company and your apprenticeship programme.
It also allows your chosen apprenticeship provider to handle certain tasks, like advertising vacancies and reserving levy funding.
5. Advertise your apprenticeship vacancy
If you're looking to hire an apprentice, rather than upskill an existing team member, it's now time to advertise your vacancy.
This works in a similar way to recruiting for any other role, but your chosen training provider will likely have tried and test methods of attracting top talent.
For example, QA have strategic partnerships with National Careers, Local Government Authorities and Jobcentre Plus to build interest in your role and create a diverse talent pool.
6. Prepare for your new hire
It's time to welcome your new apprentice.
While your chosen apprenticeship training provider will handle their instructor-led and online learning, you'll need to get them immersed in your business and hit the ground running.
Apprentices are essentially like any other employee, and it's up to businesses to help them get acclimatised. A training partner like QA can support you with the best practices for getting your apprenticeship programme off of the ground.
Employer responsibilities and legal requirements
As an employer, you must:
- Employ the apprentice as staff: apprentices have employee status and they are entitled to employment rights
- Provide off-the-job training: minimum 20% of working hours must be dedicated to training
- Work with an approved provider: training must be delivered by a government-approved organisation
- Ensure a genuine role: the apprenticeship must provide real skills and experience
- Meet health and safety standards: provide a safe working environment
You must provide:
- A contract of employment
- An apprenticeship agreement outlining training type, duration & role and responsibilities
- You’ll also typically have a commitment statement agreed between employer, apprentice and the training provider.
Apprentice pay:
- You must pay at least the National Minimum Wage for apprentices (however, many employers tend to pay more to remain competitive).
Working hours:
Apprentices are entitled to standard working hours (aligned with employment law), rest breaks, paid holidays, sick pay.
They must also have the time for off-the-job training, study and assessments.
Start your apprenticeship journey with QA
QA have kickstarted the career of over 60,000 apprentices and supported businesses with over £500m of levy funding investment.
Our expert team can support your every step of the way in building and implementing an apprenticeship programme that delivers tangible results.
If you're looking to start an apprenticeship programme, book a free consultation with our team to find out more.
How apprenticeships work
One of our specialist Digital Learning Consultants, Thomas Eaves (TJ), shares what apprentices can expect from their training journey.
In this video, TJ breaks down how apprenticeships work, including the training and support apprentices receive along the way.
Hear from apprenticeship employers
“Our Data Academy apprenticeships have launched and I couldn't be prouder of the offering we have built for our colleagues. Data is not just for analysts and scientists; data is part of our everyday for everyone and we are excited to be utilising our levy pot to develop skills in this area.”
“We’ve been blown away with the quality of the candidates that have been put in front of us. If these candidates are representative of the level of the capabilities that are coming out of the schools in Scotland I think we are in an extremely good place as a nation and a tech nation for the future.”
“The ROI on the programme has been huge – delivering £12 million of tangible business benefits and savings from staff retention, project efficiencies and training value through integrated commercial training.”
“We’re creating a level playing field with QA. We can bring employees in from stores and build up their foundations in data. We have amazing opportunities in our technology team, like consumer analytics.”
"Apprentices are bold, resilient people who get stuck in, learn on the job and aren’t afraid to take on new challenges. What we do is give them the tools to make an impact, and I believe that’s why taking on apprentices is not a risk in troubled times. It’s a solution."
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