Employer apprenticeship FAQs

Employing a degree apprentice can bring numerous benefits to your business, including access to fresh talent with a combination of academic knowledge and practical skills, the opportunity to develop a skilled workforce tailored to your specific needs, and the chance to demonstrate your commitment to investing in the future of your industry.

You can choose to develop existing staff using apprenticeship funding or recruit new members of staff to a dedicated apprenticeship role.

Apprentices must receive at least the Apprentice National Minimum Wage, but most employers opt to pay apprentices in line with their non-apprentice staff undertaking similar roles.

All employers with a wage bill of over £3 million pay into the government’s apprenticeship levy scheme. Your levy pot is used to fund the training of any apprentices you employ or take on. If you do not choose to train apprentices, the money in your levy pot is returned to the government so it is better to use it if you can.

You can read more about the Government Levy Scheme.

Yes, small businesses can access the apprenticeship levy scheme indirectly, even if they themselves are not required to pay the apprenticeship levy.

Here's how:

• Government Co-Investment: If your business has an annual wage bill of less than £3 million and therefore does not pay the apprenticeship levy, you can still access government funding to support the cost of apprenticeship training. Under this scheme, the government covers 95% of the cost of apprenticeship training, while your business contributes the remaining 5%. The government will cover 100% of the training costs for non-levy employers with apprentices aged 16 to 21.
• You may be able to benefit from a levy transfer from a larger employer who are not able to use all the money in their levy pot. The government host a matching service where smaller employers can find levy donors to work with.
• From time to time, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) may also be eligible for extra financial support when hiring apprentices. The government often launches initiatives such as providing an incentive bonus to employers who take on a new apprentice aged 16 to 18, or aged under 25 with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

You can email [email protected] and a member of our team will contact you back.

Degree apprenticeships can support your company's growth by providing a cost-effective way to fill skilled positions, reducing recruitment and training costs, and improving employee retention rates.

Additionally, apprentices bring new perspectives and innovative ideas to your organization, driving positive change and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

While the level of involvement can vary depending on the specific apprenticeship program, businesses typically play an active role in supporting degree apprentices. This may involve providing on-the-job training, mentorship, and supervision, and facilitating access to relevant resources and opportunities for learning and development.

All apprentices working 30 hours or more a week must be given a minimum of 6 paid hours a week on average to complete their apprenticeship. They may need more time given if to complete maths and English qualifications if they do not already hold evidence of completing these.

The apprentice’s line manager or supervisor will be expected to support the apprentice throughout the programme ensuring that they are given suitable opportunities to practice the knowledge and skills learned at university. They must also attend quarterly progress review meetings with the apprentice and BU staff to monitor progress and set targets for the coming months.

The process of hiring a degree apprentice typically involves several steps, including identifying your business's training needs, selecting an appropriate apprenticeship program, advertising the apprenticeship vacancy, conducting interviews and assessments, and finalizing the apprenticeship agreement with the chosen candidate.

To ensure a successful outcome, it's essential to provide appropriate support and guidance to your degree apprentice throughout their apprenticeship. This may involve setting clear goals and expectations, providing regular feedback and coaching, and creating opportunities for the apprentice to develop their skills and progress within your company.

After completing their degree apprenticeship, most apprentices remain with their employer utilising the knowledge, skills and behaviours learned throughout their programme. In many cases, the apprenticeship allows them to gain promotion within the organisation. If suitable promotion opportunities do not exist, they may choose to pursue further education or training, seek new job opportunities, or start their own business.