Apprenticeship Employer FAQs

Apprenticeships

What is an apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships refer to on-the-job training leading to nationally recognised qualifications, developed by industry. The National Apprenticeship Service supports, funds and co-ordinates the delivery of apprenticeships throughout England.

What does it involve?

Apprenticeship standards involve completing on and off the job training through support from both the employer and training provider. Candidates work towards evidencing that they have developed the relevant skills, knowledge and behaviours that are associated with the chosen qualification. Apprentices are required to complete and End Point Assessment at the end of the programme.

Is there an upper age limit for apprenticeships?

No. Apprenticeships can be completed by anyone aged 16+

My business is operating on a tight budget. How is taking on an apprentice going to benefit the business?

Even in difficult times like these, apprenticeships are a vital way of improving the skills of staff and generating a committed and valuable workforce. When times are tough, competition for contracts is even tougher. That’s when a well-trained, extra pair of hands could make a real difference to your chances of success.

Do I receive any monetary incentives to take on an apprentice?

A government incentive of £1000 is available for employers who set on apprentices who are aged 16-18.

Why would I want to take on an apprentice?

Because it is good business. Skills shortages are still one of the biggest threats to UK business. Apprenticeships can help businesses across all industries by offering a route to harness fresh talent. If you have trained staff with the right skills for the job they can do a wider range of tasks and take on new responsibilities - this can help to reduce skill shortages, minimise staff turnover and workplace accidents, and increase productivity.

Is there a cost for employers?

Like all employees, apprentices must still receive a wage. The current minimum wage for apprentices is £4.15 per hour. After 12 months apprentices must be paid minimum wage if they are ages 19 or above.

What hours can apprentices work?

Apprentices need to work at least a minimum of 30 hours per week. Maximum hours are determined by standard working time regulations.

I have an employee keen to do an apprenticeship. Can I still take them on as an apprentice?

Yes. Many employers offer apprenticeships as an opportunity for professional development for existing staff. This can be a cost effective way of ensuring your staff have the skills that they need, at the same time as offering career development opportunities.

What are my responsibilities as the employer?

You must give your apprentice an induction into their role and provide on-the-job training. Apprentices must also be given the support and opportunity to achieve the required 20% off the job training.

What is off the job training?

Off-the-job training is defined as learning which is undertaken outside of the normal day-to-day working environment and leads towards the achievement of an apprenticeship. This can include training that is delivered at the apprentice’s normal place of work but must not be delivered as part of their normal working duties.

Do apprentices take exams?

All apprentices must take an end point assessment (EPA) so that the employer and tutors can ensure the learner has achieved the occupational competencies they need to work in their allotted industry. An independent organisation who has not been involved in the training or employment of the apprentice will deliver the EPA. This would normally consist of an online test and a professional discussion/interview with a representative from the EPA organisation.

Do apprentices attend college or training sessions?

The Source Academy delivers the majority of its apprenticeship entirely on the employer’s site. This is done through a combination of tutor site visits, remote communication, and use of our One File electronic portfolio.

Commercial Training

In addition to apprenticeships, we offer a range of opportunities to upskill your workforce through our commercial training offer.

From our bite-sized Boosts courses - to our intensive accredited courses - to our self-paced, interactive online training, we have the services available to advance the skillset of your workforce and take your business to the next level.

Find the answers to our most frequently asked questions below:

What commercial training programmes are available at the source?

We offer a range of commercial training to develop your workforce. These include: Customer Service, Education and training, First Aid, Health and Safety, Security and Online training. Here at The Source, we pride ourselves in being able to create bespoke training programmes to meet the individual needs of your business. We can work with you to develop any existing training programmes you have in place to develop them further or create an employee training programme tailored specifically to your business needs.

What type of businesses need to take these courses?

All businesses, whether large or small can benefit from developing their staff with commercial training. Keeping your staff up to date with their personal development will not only benefit your workplace with a wider range of skills, but you’ll also be supporting the regions skills agenda and supporting your local economy.

Depending on the size of your business, you may need one or more members of staff that have been through First Aid training. This is a legal requirement, but it is also important for the safety and wellbeing of your employees.

What funding support is available?

Funding can be available for training; however, these funding opportunities may be valid for specific times or industries.

A range of training programmes can be funded through Skills Bank, a business led programme developed by the Local Enterprise Partnership. Businesses who show a strong case for how the investment will deliver growth within their company can claim funding for 30-70% of the cost for training.

To find out more about funding support, contact The Source on 0114 263 5600

Do you offer any online training?

We do! With our online training, you can undertake approved short courses from as little as £15! There is a whole range of different short courses to gain knowledge quick and easily, without even needing to leave the office!

Each course is approved by at least one of the following organisations: RoSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents), IATP (The Independent Asbestos Training Providers), IFE (Institution of Fire Extinguishers), IIRSM (International Institute of Risk and Safety Management).

Do you offer discounts?

We offer a 20% discount to Primary Schools and charities who are booking onto first aid training. Contact our Commercial training team to find out more about discounts and packages, on 0114 263 5600.

What is SSW?

SSW stands for Skills Support for the Workforce, a project that is fully funded by the Government. It’s not always easy to know whether your staff have the skills and knowledge needed to fulfil their role, In 2019 the Government released the ‘Adult Skills Gap’, where they found that low paid adults with the lowest qualifications were the least likely to access training. We work with businesses across the region to help identify key areas of development and where training is required to help develop your staff and encourage employees to reach their potential.

Here at The Source, we specialise in helping employers to support their staff in key skills such as English, Maths and basic computer skills, as well as more specific areas of skill development such as health and safety training.

This project run by The Source aims to work with businesses to help support workers who may not have undertaken training over the last three years or more.

Businesses will get funded training support for workers who: work in operational roles, have qualifications at Level 3 or lower or needs support in English or ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages).

Do you deliver courses on site or off site?

Many of our courses can be delivered either on site or off site, depending on the course and the needs of your business. Contact our commercial training team to discuss the options for your requirements.

I want to learn more about how to develop my business, do you offer any short workshops?

If you’re a business wanting to learn more about marketing your business or more about sales approaches, the BoostS workshops are an amazing way to learn more about specific sales and marketing approaches. BoostS workshops last between 90-120 minutes.

How do I make a booking?

First Aid and Health & Safety training can be booked directly online from the booking tab on the selected page.

Online Training bookings can be made using this form.

You can also make bookings by calling our Commercial Training team on 0114 263 5653 or via email to training@thesourceacademy.co.uk

Apprenticeship Employer FAQs

Apprenticeships

Commercial Training

Apprenticeships

Commercial Training

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