An employer s guide. to Apprenticeships

Transcription

1 An employer s guide to Apprenticeships

2 Why choose Apprenticeships? Benefits for employers The top benefit listed by employers is that apprentices develop skills relevant to their organisation (86% felt this was true) Other benefits cited by employers include improved staff morale, better product/service quality and increased productivity 84% of employers are satisfied with their apprenticeships and 83% would recommend apprenticeships to others businesses Over 1300 employers have been involved in designing the new apprenticeship standards, ensuring they meet business needs Benefits for apprentices Receiving relevant training and learning job specific skills Hands on learning in a real workplace Opportunities to progress to a higher level Apprenticeship, up the career ladder or to higher education Earn a wage and no tuition fees to pay Over 90% of Apprentices stay in employment after they complete their apprenticeship One third of Apprentices are promoted following completion of their apprenticeship and half receive a pay rise Figures taken from the Apprenticeship Evaluation Employer and Learner Surveys 2017 I wanted to take the opportunity to acknowledge and thank you for delivering our Skills for Success programme. The contribution of your team and trainers in helping to deliver training under this programme has had immense benefits for our organisation. I have noticed the improvement in both the motivation and capability of individuals who have gone through this programme. This has not only improved business skills but provided externally accredited qualification of employees. I have been impressed by the way in which you and your colleagues in Performance Through People have worked in partnership with our Learning and Development team.

3 What are Apprenticeships? Designed by employers for employers, an apprenticeship is a work-based learning programme which ensures your employees have the skills they need to carry out their job role. As well as providing an opportunity to develop existing staff members, apprenticeships are a great way to grow new talent. Our search and select team are ready to help you recruit the right apprentice for your business. Our apprenticeship programmes are available to more people than you might think - from senior managers to support staff. There is no upper age limit and applicants do not have to have left education recently. Following recent changes to funding rules, even graduates could be eligible to complete an apprenticeship. We offer apprenticeships in a range of sectors: Accounting Business Administration Customer Service Dental Nursing Early Years Care Engineering Health and Social Care Hospitality and Catering IT Management and Team Leading Manufacturing Retail Sales Travel Services Warehouse and Logistics An apprenticeship will include a combination of on the job and off the job training. Apprenticeships must last at least 12 months and 20% of the apprentice s time at work must be spent on off the job training, which can be in the workplace but must be away from their usual duties. Apprentices should work at least 30 hours a week, although in certain circumstances it is possible to have a shorter working week as long as the length of the apprenticeship is extended appropriately.

4 Apprenticeship Frameworks and Standards In recent times apprenticeships have been delivered as frameworks, which included a range of qualifications and functional skills in English, maths and possibly ICT. The vocational qualifications included are matched to the apprentice s job role. Frameworks are gradually being replaced by new apprenticeship standards. These standards have been designed by employers and will ensure that apprentices who successfully complete the programme have the skills, knowledge and behaviours that businesses want in their employees. This has the double benefit of helping employers to fill skills gaps at the same time as giving employees the skills they need to be competitive in the job market. Apprenticeship standards are available from level 2 (equivalent to GCSE A-C) up to levels 6 and 7 (degree equivalent). Apprentices can start at any level that is appropriate for their job role and prior knowledge and skills and can progress to higher level apprenticeships. It is very common for people who complete a level 2 apprenticeship to then progress to level 3 as they take on more responsibility. Some of the new apprenticeship standards include a qualification, such as an NVQ. All standards include an end point assessment which is carried out by an independent End Point Assessment Organisation. This can include a test, a practical observation, a professional discussion or other methods depending on the standard. As part of the standard apprentices will complete maths and English functional skills if necessary. Level 2 apprenticeships usually last around 12 months and level 3 around 18 months with the length increasing for higher level apprenticeships and for certain occupational areas, such as engineering, which tends to have longer durations. The length of the apprenticeship is flexible (as long as the duration is at least 12 months) and will be decided by the employer and training provider taking in to account the needs of the learner and the business. What do the levels mean? Level 2 - equivalent to 5 GCSEs A*-C Level 3 - equivalent to 2 A-levels Level 4 - equivalent to HNC Level 5 - equivalent to HND, Foundation degree Level 6 - equivalent to a degree Level 7 - equivalent to a Masters

5 What are Functional Skills? Functional Skills cover maths, English and ICT. If learners already have a level 2 qualification in maths and English (equivalent to a C or 4 grade or above at GCSE) then they may be exempt from some or all of the Functional Skills. Functional Skills can be delivered online, in group classes or one to one and are assessed with an online test. This is an essential part of the Apprenticeship and it is important for employers to understand that they will need to allow the apprentice time away from the workplace to prepare for and complete the tests. The level of Functional Skills undertaken is dependent upon the requirements of each Apprenticeship and this varies occupation to occupation. Supporting apprentices to achieve their Functional Skills qualifications can also have benefits for your business, such as better communication skills, ability to carry out calculations and improved computer skills. What is off the job training? All apprenticeships must include 20% of the apprentice s time being spent on off the job training. For some apprenticeships this will include classroom sessions at one of our training centres, for others it will consist of one to one training by colleagues or our training advisers which is delivered in the workplace, but must take place away from the apprentice s usual duties. The format and content of the training programme will be discussed and agreed with you before the apprenticeship begins. Where an employer takes on a larger group of apprentices we may be able to arrange for group off the job sessions to take place at the workplace. How can we help you? Performance Through People s role is to: Help you to select the most appropriate framework or standard, whether for an existing employer or a new recruit Support with recruiting apprentices through our search and select service, which includes advertising the vacancy, shortlisting and carrying out maths and English assessments where needed Suggest which of your current employees may benefit from an apprenticeship programme and checking their eligibility Design a training programme for each apprentice that will ensure they meet the required standard, taking in to account any additional needs they may have Visit the apprentice in the workplace as well as providing appropriate off the job training and continuing support by phone or Monitor progress and meet regularly with the employer and apprentice to ensure they are on track to complete the apprenticeship Complete a health and safety assessment to ensure the workplace is suitable for an apprentice Suggest other training courses such as health and safety and business skills which may benefit your apprentices and other staff Support with arranging the End Point Assessment (standards only) and work with you to determine when the apprentice is ready for assessment

6 Do I have to pay for the apprenticeship training? The amount you will pay for apprenticeship training depends on whether you are a levy paying employer (businesses with payroll of over 3 million a year) or a non-levy paying company (payroll under 3 million a year). Levy paying employers Any employer in any sector with a pay bill of more than 3 million a year will have to pay a levy contribution to HMRC through the PAYE process. The levy will be 0.5% of their annual pay bill with an allowance of 15,000 for each employer for each tax year. The money can only be used for training and end point assessment for apprentices. It cannot be used for wages or other costs associated with employing an apprentice. The apprenticeship must last at least 12 months. When the levy was introduced, employers could only use the funds to pay for training for their own employees. From April 2018 employers can transfer 10% of their levy pot to other companies. The money can only be spent with an approved training provider. Employers can register an account with the Apprenticeship Service to search for an appropriate provider, see what their levy pot could pay for and manage their funds. Employers will be able to see funds appearing in their digital account monthly, using the Apprenticeship Service. The government will apply a 10% top up to the funds each employer has to spend. This means for every 1 of contribution the employer makes they will have 1.10 to spend. Funds in the digital account will expire 24 months after they enter the account if they are not spent. Levy paying employers will agree a price with a training provider to cover the training and assessment. The employer can then use the funds in their digital account to pay the provider, up to the maximum funding allowed for that particular apprenticeship. Payments will be spread over the lifetime of the apprenticeship. 20% of the price is held back and taken from the digital account at the end of the apprenticeship, to reflect the end point assessment costs. If the total price agreed between the employer and training provider is higher than the maximum funding the employer must pay the difference themselves and cannot use funds from the digital account for this. Employers do not need to have enough in their account to cover the full cost of the apprenticeship when it starts, so long as they have enough to cover the monthly payments. If an employer does not have enough in their account to cover payments then these will be made by co-investment instead (see non-levy information for more details on co-investment).

7 Non levy paying employers Businesses with a payroll of less than 3 million will not need to pay the levy. Instead, from 1st May 2017, their apprenticeships will be paid for by co-investment with the government. Employers will agree a price with a training provider for the training and assessment of their apprentices. The government has put a maximum funding cap on each type of apprenticeship - if the price the employer agrees is higher than the maximum funding they will have to pay the difference. Employers will pay a 10% contribution directly to the provider and the government will pay the rest. This is called co-investment. Employers who take on an apprentice aged between 16 and 18 or an apprentice between 19 and 24 who has an Education, Health and Care plan or has been in the care of the local authority will receive an extra 1000 payment from the government paid over two instalments at 3 months and 12 months. If employers recruit an apprentice with additional learning needs the government will pay the training provider an extra payment to support them. Employers with fewer than 50 employees will be able to take on an apprentice aged (or aged who has been in care or has a Local Authority Education, Health and Care plan) at no cost. All English and Maths training to support apprentices reach the minimum standard required will be paid for by the government. What is the employer responsible for? Employers will: Assign a supervisor/mentor to each apprentice Provide the apprentice with a contract of employment Pay a salary of at least the apprentice minimum wage Allow the apprentice time away from the work station/workplace for off the job training and Functional Skills Ensure apprentices do not work more than 40 hours a week including time for off the job training Ensure apprentices receive a full induction and necessary ongoing training within the workplace Meet with our staff at regular intervals to monitor the progress of each apprentice An induction should include the following: Introduction to supervisor, mentor and other staff Tour of the premises Policies around working hours, breaks, holidays, sickness and time keeping Standards of dress and conduct expected Health and safety rules, procedures in the event of an accident/ fire Engineering/workshops to ensure that guards are on machines, goggles and safety shoes worn and protective equipment provided in all occupational areas where required An outline of the training to be provided Disciplinary procedures

8 Step by step guide to Apprenticeships Recruiting apprentices If you are considering apprenticeships to recruit new talent, our Search and Select team can help you to find the right apprentice for your business. We will: Work with you to produce a vacancy template. This will be used to advertise your vacancy on the Apprenticeship website, our own website and social media. We also have a network of partners including schools and other providers who receive details of vacancies that may be suitable for the people they work with. On receipt of applications we will sift through these and pre-interview suitable candidates judging their applications against the job and person specification agreed with yourself. Following the pre-interview with ourselves, we will forward you profiles for all applicants deemed suitable. Once you have had an opportunity to look through the profiles and selected applicants for interview, all you will need to do is inform us of a date/time convenient to you for interview and leave the rest to us. This process is all free of charge. Please note that there will be a charge for any applicant recruited on behalf of the employer by PTP who does not complete Apprenticeship training. Information, advice and guidance From the applicant s perspective we offer a free information, advice and guidance service including: Information about courses and programmes available and the suitability of these Guidance on education and training, jobs and career development to enable them to make informed choices about their future Once someone begins a programme with us we will provide them with information, advice and guidance throughout their learning journey and to help them decide on their next steps after they have completed their training We have a full IAG policy available on request by applicants or employers. You can access the policy here. From the employer s perspective we can offer: A full, free training needs analysis to determine skills gaps in the business and suggest how these could be filled Information on the most suitable apprenticeship programme for current employees or new recruits Advice on additional training such as health and safety and business skills which could be beneficial for your employees and the business Information on bespoke training programmes designed to meet the needs of your employees and business, including ILM accredited management training Advice on how to best support apprentices, including young people starting their first job, in terms of induction and training

9 Planning training To ensure each of our learners and their employer gets maximum benefit from their apprenticeship programme we create an Individual Learning Plan for each apprentice We ask learners if they would like to disclose any additional needs and then tailor our programme to ensure these are met We will work with you at every stage to ensure you are fully informed of the training requirements for apprentices, including any functional skills or other qualifications so that you are aware of your responsibilities in terms of time off the job A joint decision will be made about which aspects of the training will be provided within the workplace by you and your employees and which will be delivered by our training advisers Reviewing progress It is important to make sure all apprentices progress as they should and complete their programme in the agreed time. To ensure this happens we will arrange regular reviews with the apprentice, their training adviser and their manager. Where the employer feels it is appropriate, other managers may also be involved in these meetings. These reviews give an opportunity to monitor progress, make sure all necessary aspects of training are being covered and discuss any problems or issues that either the learner or the employer may have with the process. In the case of apprenticeship standards with an end point assessment, a separate review meeting will be held towards the end of the programme to discuss the apprentice s readiness for the end point assessment. They will only be entered for the assessment when both the training adviser and the employer agree that the apprentice is meeting the required standard and is therefore ready to be assessed. Many end point assessments have gateway requirements, such as the completion of functional skills, which have to be achieved before the apprentice can be entered for final assessment. Assessment Apprenticeship standards have end point assessments which consist of a number of elements. These vary between standards but could include a test, a professional discussion or an observation. The end point assessment is carried out by an independent end point assessment organisation. We can support employers to find and choose an end point assessment organisation to use. The fees for this are included in the overall price of the apprenticeship and paid to the end point assessment organisation by Performance Through People. Some aspects of the assessment, such as professional discussion, may require the apprentice s manager to be involved. We will make you aware of this during the initial discussions about which apprenticeship programme an individual should complete. Apprenticeship frameworks are made up of separate qualifications which are usually assessed using a portfolio of evidence. The training adviser will work with the apprentice to put the portfolio together and ensure it includes proof of all the necessary skills and knowledge. The portfolio can include documents produced as part of their usual work, specific tasks set to demonstrate additional skills and audio recordings of apprentices discussing their work. Some qualifications, including AAT accounting qualifications and dental nursing, also have exams, which apprentices may need to attend in working hours. Functional skills are assessed with an online test. This takes approximately half a day for each subject (plus additional time if retakes are necessary) and again will be discussed before the apprenticeship begins.

10 Equality and Diversity We take equality and diversity very seriously and have a full policy available to apprentices and employers on request. We ensure we follow equal opportunities during the recruitment process and make all learners aware of their rights and what to do if they feel they are being treated unfairly by either their employer or ourselves, including making our complaints procedure accessible to all learners. We are able to offer guidance to employers related to equality and diversity issues. Employers are responsible for: Complying with equal opportunities legislation Having a clearly publicised statement of commitment to equal opportunities in the workplace Ensuring equality of opportunity when recruiting staff Ensuring that apprentices are treated equally, that they are not bullied, harassed or made to feel unwelcome in the workplace and that they know what to do if they have a complaint about how they are treated You can view our full Equality and Diversity policy here National Minimum Wage All employers must comply with the national minimum wage. For apprentices aged under 19 or any apprentice in the first 12 months of their apprenticeship this can be the national minimum wage for apprentices. We encourage companies who are recruiting an apprentice to offer above the apprentice wage as a way of attracting the strongest candidates for your vacancy. For apprentices aged 19 or over who have completed the first 12 months of their apprenticeship the usual rules on minimum wage apply according to their age. You can view government guidance on minimum wage here: Working Time Regulations Apprentices are covered by the Working Time Regulations in the same way as other employees. The regulations include: Maximum working week of 48 hours for most employees. Workers can choose to work more if they want to. A right to an in-work rest break if the working day is longer than 6 hours. A right to a day off each week. A right to 5.6 weeks paid annual leave for all employees from the commencement of employment. This is accrued on the basis of one twelfth of the entitlement per month worked round to the nearest half day. In addition, apprentices aged under 18 are entitled to: A daily rest period of not less than 12 consecutive hours in each 24 hour period. 2 days off (ideally continuous) in every 7 worked. 30 minute break after each 4½ hours worked. More information can be found on the HSE website at workingtimedirective.htm

11 Safeguarding Safeguarding is defined by the Children s Act 1989 and means that agencies and organisations working with young or vulnerable adults take all reasonable measures to ensure that the risks of harm to the individual s welfare are minimised. Safeguarding applies to all vulnerable people. This includes children (defined as under 18) as well as adults who have a learning disability, a mental illness or physical or sensory impairments and those who are elderly and frail. It also applies to those who are in custody or are considered vulnerable due to issues around drugs or alcohol or other circumstances. Performance Through People are committed to safeguarding our learners and have a full safeguarding policy available to learners and employers. There is a designated safeguarding officer within the company and we ensure all learners and employers are aware of this and how to contact us if they have a safeguarding issue. All of our staff undergo an enhanced DBS check and complete online and classroom based safeguarding training. Employers are responsible for: Understanding what is meant by safeguarding and promoting the welfare of learners and being aware of their statutory duty to do so Being familiar with their organisation s guidance and procedures on safeguarding, including who to report to and their own responsibilities In terms of safeguarding, the definition of harm includes: Physical Emotional or psychological Neglect Sexual abuse or exploitation Possible indicators of abuse include: Showing wariness and distrust of adults Inconsistent explanation of injuries Low self esteem Difficulty reading aloud Aggressive or demanding behaviour Abusing alcohol or drugs Suicidal feelings or attempts at suicide Difficulty concentrating Being withdrawn Reluctant to go home Possible factors contributing to harm include: Isolation and lack of family support Stress of taking care of a family member whilst trying to attend work or training Drug and alcohol problems Low self-esteem and self confidence Poor childhood experiences Social environment Illness or disability You can view our Safeguarding policy here

12 Prevent Prevent is part of the national counter-terrorism strategy and aims to stop people being drawn into or supporting terrorism. The prevent programme is the one of the government s responses to the terrorist threat in the UK and has three key elements: The government will respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat from those who promote it. The government will prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure that they are given appropriate advice and support. They will build on the successful multi-agency Channel programme, which identifies and provides support for people at risk of radicalisation. The government will work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation. This includes education providers as well as addressing the challenge of radicalisation on the internet. All staff at Performance Through People undertake online Prevent training and we have previously accessed Prevent training from the police service. We take our responsibilities seriously and strive to embed British Values in our training programmes, in line with government guidance. We aim to ensure all our learners have an understanding of democracy and how they can be involved in the democratic process as well as an awareness of the freedom to choose a religion or beliefs and how to identify and respond to discrimination. Employers are responsible for: Being aware of potential signs of radicalisation Understanding that Prevent does not criminalise people for holding extreme views but looks to stop them from committing violent acts Supporting our training adviser in promoting British Values You can view government guidance on Prevent online at

13 Health and Safety We are committed to maintaining the Health and Safety of all our learners. To promote health and safety we: Ensure all our staff undertake health and safety training Complete a health and safety check of all workplaces before we begin an apprenticeship programme with any of their staff Support employers with any additional health and safety advice or training they may need through our short courses and health and safety advisory service Ask all learners about any additional needs they have to ensure we can recognise and meet these Make sure all learners have an awareness of health and safety and know who to report any issues to Investigate any health and safety incidents involving our learners Provide a safe environment for off the job training by ensuring our centres comply with all legislation Employers are responsible for: Complying with health and safety legislation Co-operating with health and safety checks we need to make, this may include providing documentation Informing the apprentice of health and safety policies and who is responsible for health and safety Providing apprentices with necessary training and PPE Reporting any accidents involving apprentices to us Completing a risk assessment with regards to the duties the apprentice will undertake and taking measures to remove or reduce risks Providing appropriate supervision to ensure the apprentice s safety Having appropriate insurance which covers the apprentice Health and safety for young people If you choose to employ a young person under the age of 18 there are additional regulations you will need to meet. These are in place due to the increased risk of injury in young people, due to their inexperience and immaturity. We can support employers to understand and fulfil their responsibilities when employing a young person. Employer s responsibilities include: Completing a risk assessment before the young person is employed. This should consider the employee s inexperience and lack of awareness of risk, the nature of the workplace, any equipment or chemicals that are used and the training you will provide. This risk assessment must be reviewed each time a new young person is employed to take into account any specific issues they may have. Providing information to the parents or guardians of school age children about the risks. Deciding whether to stop young people from completing certain activities, such as those which use dangerous equipment or hazardous substances. Providing induction training, clear instructions and adequate supervision to young people. A young person should never be expected to: Work beyond their physical and psychological capabilities. Have exposure to harmful radiation or harmful exposure to any agents which can chronically effect health. Complete tasks which involve risks to health from noise, vibration or extremes of temperature. You must take in to account allergies or other medical conditions such as asthma which will affect the work the young person can safely undertake. More information can be found on the HSE website at index.htm

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