Employee Apprenticeships (fully-funded)

Transcription

1 Employee Apprenticeships (fully-funded) Guidance for employees on what apprenticeships are, how to express an interest and the conditions of funding (for January 2019 intake)

2 Contents 1. Introduction Background to Apprenticeships The Apprenticeships Available... 4 What can I study? Eligibility for an Apprenticeship What will my Apprenticeship look like?... 6 What will I be doing?... 6 Points to note about becoming an apprentice Required Support from Your School or Division... 7 Line Manager and Dean of School or Director of Professional Service... 7 Study and Day-Release Application Process... 8 Completing the Expression of Interest and Approval Form... 8 Submitting Your Form... 8 Deadlines... 9 Being Informed of the Outcome of Your Submission Progress through the Apprenticeship Deciding to do the Apprenticeship Progress on your course Break in Learning Leaving the Apprenticeship Apprenticeship Cost and Funding What the Apprenticeship Levy will pay for Other Points to Note Studying at other Institutions or Course Providers Contact... 11

3 1. Introduction This document provides guidance for existing employees on what an apprenticeship is, how it is funded, how to assess whether it is a good professional development option, and how to express an interest in undertaking one. Please read in conjunction with the Expression of Interest and Approval Form. Please note: this route is currently only open to existing employees seeking to do one of the apprenticeships being delivered by Salford Business School for a January 2019 start; Associate Project Manager (L4 Cert HE Project Management Consultancy) Operational/Departmental Manager (L5 FdSc Business and Management) Chartered Manager (L6 BSc Hons Business and Management) Senior Leader (L7 Master of Business Administration) Senior Leader (L7 MSc Leadership and Management) 2. Background to Apprenticeships What is an apprenticeship? An apprenticeship is a work-based learning route to gain a formal qualification and sometimes also a professional accreditation. It is an appropriate solution where someone has a sizeable gap in skill and knowledge between where they are now and where they need to be to succeed in role and progress their career. Traditionally apprenticeships are associated with manual trades, such as plumbing, however the principle behind apprenticeships, i.e. learning on the job and applying taught theory in work situations, is applicable to most professions. For this reason, national apprenticeship reforms have recently expanded apprenticeships to include higher level skills and qualifications and a wider range of subjects. This includes the introduction of degree apprenticeships where a full degree (at undergraduate or postgraduate level) can be studied as an apprenticeship, as well as other higher level qualifications, such as a Cert HE and a Foundation Degree. The reforms also mean that apprenticeships can now be studied by people of any age and, importantly to this document, existing employees. Apprenticeships are no longer restricted to new hires only. There is also more flexibility in the criteria for study, meaning that someone could be eligible for an apprenticeship at a higher level even if they are already qualified in the same subject at a lower level; or, alternatively, someone could be eligible to study for a Cert HE in a new subject, for example, even if they already hold a Cert HE in a different subject. These reforms open up routes within the University for an employee to learn and develop in a different way, particularly for people needing to expand their skills, knowledge and qualifications to a higher level. On a practical basis, an employee would stay in their existing role and opt to do a fully funded higher level qualification as an apprenticeship, getting time out of their role to do so. (see also section 10)

4 3. The Apprenticeships Available What can I study? These fully-funded apprenticeships are currently open to existing employees and are being delivered by the Salford Business School for a January 2019 start; Associate Project Manager (L4 Cert HE Project Management Consultancy) Operational/Departmental Manager (L5 FdSc Business and Management) Chartered Manager (L6 BSc Hons Business and Management) Senior Leader (L7 Master of Business Administration) Senior Leader (L7 MSc Leadership and Management) For clarity, these are open courses for external applicants that the University is supporting employees to apply for and providing full funding. You can find out more about the content and delivery of these by visiting the University apprenticeship web pages or contacting the Apprenticeship Office (apprenticeships@salford.ac.uk) You should assess, in conversation with your line manager, whether the content of the particular apprenticeship you re interested in would meet your development needs and is the right solution for you. Please bear in mind the significant time commitment and nature of apprenticeships. We are proud that we are able to offer these apprenticeships here at the University and are confident in the quality of the programmes, our ability to offer employees an internal student experience and in the benefits that studying on-site brings. A number of other apprenticeship programmes are currently in development within the University and, in due course, may become available for employees. This guidance document will be updated with information about these when relevant. 4. Eligibility for an Apprenticeship Who should apply? Apprenticeships are not suitable for everybody. An apprenticeships is a significant time-based investment and should be fully considered before a formal application is made. The usual apprenticeship duration for the Associate Project Manager and the Operational/Departmental Manager being offered to employees through the Salford Business School is months with at least 20% time out of the day job during this period. The courses run on one day of the week, Thursday for the Associate Project Manager and Monday for the Operational/Departmental Manager. This type of development is most suited to early career professionals, career changers, and people being developed into a significant new aspect of their role. The usual apprenticeship duration for the Chartered Manager is 48 months with at least 20% time out of the day job during this period. This course will run one day a week, for the first year this will be a Thursday. This type of development is most suited to professional managers who want to fully develop all aspects of their management and leadership skills, knowledge, self-awareness and behaviours. The usual apprenticeship duration for both of the Senior Leader programmes is 24 months, with at least 20% time out of the day job during this period. The course is delivered by online delivery and classroom delivery one Monday and Tuesday a month. This apprenticeship can help meet the aspirations of those who are in management, possibly at a modest level, who want to progress. The apprenticeship could also be suitable for someone who has senior management responsibility.

5 The knowledge and skill gained through the apprenticeships and brought back into the role will sufficiently justify the investment and time spent in learning activities. For these reasons the decision to proceed must be a joint one between a line manager and employee, and the requirement for this development would usually be identified through PDR discussion. All employees, regardless of location or grade, can potentially be eligible for an apprenticeship. This includes academic, clerical, secretarial, administrative, technical and academic-related roles. If any guidance is required on the suitability of an apprenticeship, please direct your query to the Apprenticeship Office (apprenticeships@salford.ac.uk) who can provide detailed information about the apprenticeship structure and delivery, and will refer employment-related queries as appropriate to HR for additional specific guidance. The apprenticeship must be directly relevant to your current role, enable you to carry out your professional duties more effectively, meet an identified skills gap and be identified as essential development through your PDR discussion. Consideration will be given to apprenticeships sought for the purpose of development of skills necessary for the development of career overall for succession planning purposes; this should have been discussed in your PDR as being appropriate but not essential. Eligibility criteria There are certain conditions that you must meet in order to be eligible. You must: 1. Be contracted as a University of Salford employee for 30 hours or more (if fixed term then your contract end date must be beyond the end date of the apprenticeship. If you work under 30 hours p/w then there may be an opportunity to undertake an apprentice on different terms. This will be assessed on a case by case basis; please speak to HR for more guidance). 2. Be either fairly new and/or have a significant learning need within your existing role o The purpose of an apprenticeship is to deliver a significant amount of new or different knowledge, rather than to accredit existing knowledge, so you must be in a role where there is a significant gap between the knowledge and skill that you currently hold, and the knowledge and skill you need to be fully competent and excel in your duties. 3. Not have previously studied or be qualified in: o the subject of project management at L4 or above (if applying for the Cert HE) o the subject of departmental/operations management at L5 or above (if applying for the Foundation degree) o the subject of chartered management at L6 (if applying for the BSc Hons Business and Management) o the subject of senior leadership at L7 (if applying for the MBA or the MSc Leadership and Management) 4. Be able to spend at least 20% of your current role in off-the-job training (your job may need adjusting slightly in order for this to happen, hence it being vital that your line manager is involved in the decision to proceed) 5. Be available for the days of study at SBS 6. Be willing to commit to undertaking the apprenticeship over the full duration 7. Be willing to comply with all the conditions of being a University of Salford student and, specifically, the requirements of the apprenticeship 8. Hold a level 2 qualification (i.e. GSCE or equivalent) in English and Maths and be able to evidence this through certificates. Please note, this is an essential criteria for all apprenticeships

6 9. Be sufficiently qualified to the level below the apprenticeship that you are applying for (i.e. to apply for Level 4 you must be qualified to Level 3 in an academic qualification, e.g. A Level or equivalent, in relevant subjects. Please seek advice from HR on whether your prior qualifications are suitable to qualify you for entry) 10. Not be in receipt of any other DfE funded FE/HE programme at the same time as the apprenticeship NB. APEL/APL can be considered in certain cases. APEL/APL allows us to consider students who may not have the traditional academic entry criteria but do have relevant experience, vocational qualifications or the ability to pursue the course successfully. Assessment may consider employer references, previous coursework/examinations or a portfolio of your work. Further details about APEL/APL can be found here Restrictions You cannot apply to do an apprenticeship that you have already started. An apprenticeship is only eligible for funding if it is funded from the outset. Equally you cannot apply to do an apprenticeship for the purposes of gaining a retrospective qualification for knowledge and skills already held. The purpose of an apprenticeship is to gain new skills, knowledge, behaviours and qualification(s). This is the first year in which the University is able to offer and fully-fund employee apprenticeships. As such, there are no restrictions on who can apply. This is a very specific type of development and therefore the main criteria will be on (1) whether an employee meets the standard apprenticeship entry criteria, and (2) local assessment and approval of suitability by the employee, line manager and Dean/Director. All expressions of interest will be considered on a case by case basis. 5. What will my Apprenticeship look like? What will I be doing? An apprenticeship is designed to deliver a significant amount of knowledge and opportunities for this to be applied within the workplace. As such: 1. You will be required to spend at least 20% of your time off-the-job in training or learning experiences. Most of this will be through: o The teaching of theory formal, e.g. lectures, workshops, practical training, online learning. This will be on a weekly day release basis with Salford Business School and you will be joining a mixed cohort of other apprentices from industry o Practical training, e.g. shadowing, mentoring, industry visits o Learning support and time spent writing assignments (some time at home working on assignments will also be required) 2. The 20% time off-the-job applies to the whole duration of the apprenticeship. This broadly accounts for time spent covering all theoretical content, undertaking a work-based project, all associated activities and doing the end-point assessment which will assess your competence and complete the apprenticeship. 3. Your line manager will provide you with opportunities within role to work on activities pertinent to your apprenticeship so that you can practice the theoretical skills and knowledge that you re acquiring.

7 Points to note about becoming an apprentice In becoming an apprentice at the University the following will take place: 1. You will remain an employee in your current role but time will be allocated for you to undertake the apprenticeship. As such you will be issued with an Apprenticeship Agreement as an appendix to your contract of employment for the duration of the apprenticeship. This is a contract of the apprenticeship and will set out the terms, reflecting that the apprenticeship is primarily a job rather than training. Your other terms and conditions remain unchanged. 2. You will also become a University of Salford student and will be required to register as a student and undertake all relevant student activities and processes 3. You will be required to sign a Commitment Statement. This is a tripartite agreement between the University as your employer, the University as the provider of the apprenticeship, and you as the apprentice. This outlines what each party is committing to and required to do as part of the apprenticeship. 4. You will have a work-based mentor assigned to you. This will be someone (other than your line manager) to support you for the duration of the apprenticeship. An apprenticeship work-based mentor is different to a standard mentor/mentee relationship in the workplace. 5. You will have quarterly review meetings to assess your progress in line with the agreed apprenticeship learning objectives. This ensures that you are being fully supported and that any issues about progress, attendance or commitment are picked up and addressed at the earliest opportunity. 6. Once you complete the apprenticeship you will revert to your previous conditions of employment and no longer be classified as an apprentice or as a student of the University. 7. Apprentices typically undertake an apprenticeship on a training salary which, nationally, aligns to the national minimum wage and reflects the fact that an apprentice does not yet hold all the knowledge and skills to be fully competent in role. During your apprenticeship however you will stay on your existing salary and still receive your standard incremental and cost of living increases in line with University policy. Due to this approach, and the fact that the University has fully-funded your qualification and given you the time and support to complete it, you will not receive an additional increase in salary as a result of completing the apprenticeship. 8. There may be restrictions around when you can take annual leave to ensure that you can attend all necessary learning activities. As a guide, annual leave may be recommended during the formal vacation weeks between semesters when more flexible learning activity is taking place, rather than timetabled classroom delivery. Please note, the 20% of time spent in off-the-job learning applies for the duration of the apprenticeship, not just in the taught semesters. 6. Required Support from Your School or Division Line Manager and Dean of School or Director of Professional Service Before agreeing to support an apprenticeship, a line manager and Dean/Director should bear in mind: 1. Support should only be given for employees to undertake an apprenticeship where this has been identified during PDR conversations and it supports the professional and personal development of the individual and contribute towards the achievement of the University s strategic aims. 2. Please consider before supporting the application whether you can accommodate the time required for the employee to undertake the apprenticeship, i.e. at least 20% of working time spent off-the-job for the duration of the apprenticeship, and adjust the employee s workload accordingly.

8 The 20% must take place during working hours or TOIL must be granted for any learning that takes places out of usual hours. 3. Both the line manager and Dean/Director need to contribute towards the application form. This is to ensure that there is clarity and agreement on what is being signed up to. 4. All agreements for support made between the school/division and the employee should be put in writing locally for clarity. This includes study time, workload and financial arrangements. 5. Employee progress on the course should be discussed often, e.g. catch-ups and PDR discussions. 6. There is an expectation that line managers, in particular, will aim to maximise the benefits by seeking opportunities for the employee to share new knowledge amongst colleagues and to apply it to make positive improvements to the business. 7. Line managers will be required to create opportunities for learning on the job, provide a work based mentor and support the apprentice throughout the apprenticeship; in particular opportunities for the apprentice to complete their learning portfolio by allowing them to work on relevant projects and activities in support of the apprenticeship. If guidance is required on how this might work and things that need to be considered then please speak to the Apprenticeship Office for further information (apprenticeships@salford.ac.uk). 8. Line managers are required to attend a quarterly review meeting with the apprentice and a course representative from Salford Business School 9. In the unusual event that an apprentice fails the learning assessments and subsequent reassessments, and a decision is made for the apprentice to re-study a module, the cost for this must be funded by the school/professional service. The same learning activity cannot be funded twice from the apprenticeship levy. Study and Day-Release You will be released for 1 day per week (20% time) to undertake formal learning without having to work time back in lieu. Your line manager may additionally create time away from your usual duties to undertake practical training, including shadowing, mentoring, and industry visits. You will work on a learning portfolio. It is expected that you will be able to accommodate all other study in your own time outside of work. 7. Application Process Completing the Expression of Interest and Approval Form Once you and your line manager are confident that an apprenticeship is the right way forward, please complete the Expression of Interest and Approval Form. You should include all relevant information about why an apprenticeship is applicable for you. Section 3 is particularly important as it provides an opportunity for you to outline your reasons for wanting to do an apprenticeship in particular and its relevance to your role. Your previous qualifications or experience may contribute towards an exemption or advanced standing for part of the apprenticeship. Please check whether this is the case and provide details on the application form if applicable. Once you have filled in the applicant sections, please pass it to your line manager and Dean/ Director and ensure they both contribute to and sign Section 4 before you submit. Submitting Your Form You can submit the form in two ways:

9 1. On paper. Please print and ensure that it is signed by yourself, your line manager and your Dean/Director, then send by internal mail to HR, Maxwell Building. 2. By . You can your completed form to Please attach s from your line manager and Dean/Director as the evidence of their support. Your application will be returned to you for further detail to be added if any sections are incomplete. Deadlines Forms are currently being accepted during June for a January 2019 start. Please submit no later than Monday 12 th November Please note: HR will process your form as soon as it is received, therefore please do not wait until the deadline to submit. A number of formal application steps need to be undertaken after this stage so please submit as soon as you can. Your next opportunity to express an interest for some of the apprenticeships will be in Spring 2019 for a June start. The closing dates will be advertised on the HR website. Being Informed of the Outcome of Your Submission HR will advise you whether your expression of interest is being progressed to application stage with Salford Business School. You should then receive contact from SBS to advise you of what to do next. The next stage of the process requires you to undertake an interview stage with SBS and complete a formal apprenticeship application form. They will guide you on what to do when they get in touch. There is no appeal process if you are ineligible to apply.

10 8. Progress through the Apprenticeship Deciding to do the Apprenticeship An apprenticeship is a significant investment in you and an indication of the University s commitment to grow and develop its existing employees. There is a reciprocal expectation for you to invest your time, energy and motivation into the apprenticeship and fully commit to undertaking the whole thing. You should therefore carefully consider the implications and impact of doing an apprenticeship before signing up to it, including the time you may need to spend writing assignments. Progress on your Course You will have a review meeting on a quarterly basis as part of the apprenticeship. These will ensure that you are progressing sufficiently and identify any issues. You should seek to take every opportunity available to integrate the new knowledge and skills learnt on your course, into your working life. Your line manager and Dean/Director should support this. Break in Learning It is recognised that during the apprenticeship your life circumstances may change due to illness or personal commitments. In these instances it may be possible for you to temporarily pause the apprenticeship and recommence a few weeks later. Please note that this option is only available in exceptional circumstances and will have an impact on your learning, the duration of the apprenticeship and the funding arrangements. If you think there may be issues affecting your ability to continue then you should flag these up as soon as possible. Leaving the Apprenticeship In the event that you choose to leave the apprenticeship then you will no longer be classified as an apprentice and your role will revert to as it was before the apprenticeship. Please note that the apprenticeship is delivering skills, knowledge and a qualification considered vital in you being able to do your role and if you withdraw from this, there may be other implications to your role in general. You should discuss with your line manager in advance of you commencing an apprenticeship so that you are both clear on options if this scenario occurs. In the event that you choose to leave the employment of the University of Salford (including under a Voluntary Severance arrangement), then your apprenticeship will end. In both of these situations you will not be required to repay any of the apprenticeship tuition fee. 9. Apprenticeship Cost and Funding Funding available for employees to do an apprenticeship The apprenticeships cost between 9,000 and 27,000 will be fully paid for using the Apprenticeship Levy. No financial contribution is expected from the school/professional service or the employee. The Apprenticeship Levy is a newly introduced fund as part of the apprenticeship reforms and has been set up by the government to encourage employers to invest in apprenticeships. The University contributes into this fund via an employer tax and can use the money to pay for employee apprenticeships. Employee Apprenticeship Guidance, January 2019, v1 Page 10 of 11 Human Resources Division

11 Please note, the school/professional service will continue to pay for the employee s salary as usual for the duration of the apprenticeship. What the Apprenticeship Levy will pay for Included: Tuition fees (which includes all elements of registration, assessment, and content delivery) Excluded: Apprentice wages, travel expenses, books/resources, technical equipment, or other fees and expenses, English and Maths up to level 2, re-sits for assessment where no additional learning takes place, time spent by other employees or managers supporting or mentoring apprentices. Membership and registration fees for professional bodies will also not be funded. These things remain the responsibility of the school or professional service. 10. Other Points to Note Wider Impact of Apprenticeship Reforms on our University As a University the apprenticeship reforms are significant because we can now offer new programmes and qualifications for our students in line with the emerging range of national apprenticeship standards being developed in partnership with industry. This new qualification route is an attractive and significant development for students and employers: Students can gain a degree level qualification whilst earning a wage and the entire cost of the qualification will be met by the employer. Employers get a solid new way of growing skills and talent internally at higher levels than previously possible, helping to foster motivation, innovation and commitment amongst staff. There is work underway across the University on this. To find out more about apprenticeships from an academic programme delivery perspective, please contact the University Apprenticeship Office apprenticeships@salford.ac.uk Recruiting new apprentices The University is able to recruit new employees specifically as apprentices to work in a role and study for a qualification at the same time; this widens the applicant pool as we can target people wanting to study for a specific qualification rather than just those who already hold it. Apprenticeship recruitment is not covered by this document or the Expression of Interest and Approval Form. Queries about apprentice recruitment should be directed to HR in the first instance. Studying at other Institutions or Course Providers If a manager needs an employee to undertake an apprenticeship which is not offered internally by the University then he/she should contact HR in the first instance for a discussion (hrresourcing@salford.ac.uk). It may be possible for an externally delivered apprenticeship to be funded from the apprenticeship levy. Due to funding restrictions, it s important that any employee apprenticeship activity is planned and organised alongside HR and the Apprenticeship Office. 11. Contact Please contact HR if you have any queries about the content of this document or need further advice on your situation hrresourcing@salford.ac.uk. Please contact the Apprenticeship Office if you have general queries about the apprenticeships apprenticeships@salford.ac.uk Employee Apprenticeship Guidance, January 2019, v1 Page 11 of 11 Human Resources Division