Apprenticeships

For many, the later years at school can be frustrating when all you want to do is get out into the world, start working and earn a living.

Likewise, if you're already working, you may be looking to try something new altogether or to improve your skills and knowledge to help you progress up the career ladder. You may also want to improve your prospects of finding a job in your chosen industry.

Whether you're looking for your first role or are already in employment, apprenticeships give you the chance to do just that. They enable you to enter or stay in the world of work, earn a decent wage and learn new skills. An apprenticeship will offer you amazing opportunities to shine in a job you enjoy.

Apprenticeships mix on-the-job training with classroom learning. They provide you with the skills you need for your chosen career that will also lead to nationally recognised qualifications. As an apprentice you earn while you learn and receive other benefits as well. Apprenticeships are real jobs for real people.

Top 10 benefits of Apprenticeships in your business

Discover the business benefits of Apprenticeships for companies like yours

With all of the discussion and coverage of the Apprenticeship levy and how it will be delivered, the benefits of having an apprentice on your team can sometimes get lost. Here are just a few

The average Apprenticeship improves productivity by £214 a week
Apprenticeships are a tried and tested way to recruit new staff, re-train or up-skill existing staff
Up to 100% funding could be available to support Apprenticeship programmes in your business
Apprenticeships can help you tackle skill shortages
Learning can be done in your workplace, minimising disruption and maximising impact
Apprenticeships are a great way of attracting enthusiastic talent with fresh ideas
They can be tailored to specific job roles, making them flexible to the needs of your business
Apprenticeships provide you with the skilled workers you need for the future.
Apprenticeships can help reduce staff turnover, by increasing employee satisfisfaction and loyalty
From April 2016, if you employ an apprentice below the age of 25, you will no longer be required to pay employer National Insurance contributions for them

Whatever sector you’re in, there are so many benefits that apprentices can bring to your business.

Discover how Apprenticeships can transform your business – call us now to chat further.

What is the Apprenticeship Levy, why is it being introduced and how to make the most of it?

The Apprenticeship Levy is here. From 6 April 2017 employers with a pay bill of over £3 Million have been paying their monthly Levy bill and will be able to access the funds to pay for Apprenticeship training from May 2017.

Think of the Levy as an investment, not a tax. By implementing a successful Apprenticeships program you will be able to develop the skills of your workforce and drive business improvement.

We’re already helping employers like you understand their Levy payments and maximise their return with tailored Apprenticeship programs. Get in touch to find out about why People People Development is your ideal training partner and how we can help your organisation.

What is the Levy and who will have to pay?

The Apprenticeship Levy will be a tax on large UK employers with a pay bill of over £3 million per annum. These Employers will be required to pay 0.5% of their annual payroll into the Levy and these funds will be used to pay for new Apprenticeships.

Why is the Levy being introduced?

The government is committed to developing vocational skills, and to increasing the quantity and quality of Apprenticeships. It has committed to an additional 3 million Apprenticeship starts in England by 2020. The Levy will help to deliver new Apprenticeships and support quality training by putting employers at the centre of the system. Read more about the Levy and wider Apprenticeship reforms.

How to make the most of your Levy payments?

The Apprenticeship Levy – Checklist

Our 7 Stage Checklist!

1. Your spend

Hopefully by now you’ll understand how much your levy payments will actually be. Now it is important to understand how you can spend your Levy funds and the eligible training.

2. Business needs

This is the most important step. You’ll need to identify which areas of your organisation could benefit from a skills boost. This could be developing existing employees or taking on new apprentices.

3. Partner with a quality training provider

There are lots of providers out there offering a range different subjects and qualifications, from smaller niche providers, to larger providers with a more diverse range of subject areas. Your choice will depend on your specific business needs and it’s important to work with a provider that understands them.

4. Pilot scheme / review existing program

If you don’t already have Apprenticeship delivery, now is the time to start a pilot. If you have an existing program, now is the time to review and look at potential new areas to maximise the return on your Levy spend.

5. Assess impact

Spending time to assess the impact that Apprenticeships have on your organisation will identify which departments / qualifications have delivered the greatest benefits.

6. Expansion

Having identified which departments / qualifications work best, you should be in the perfect position to recruit more apprentices or place more existing staff on program, enabling you to maximise your return on the Levy.

7. Design / Develop

Your expanded Apprenticeship program is up and running and working well, it’s time to ask; what next? Now you can begin looking at developing your own qualifications and explore progression options into higher level Apprenticeships.