What is an apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is a development or training programme to improve knowledge, skills and behaviours.
Employees are in paid employment, and the programme includes on and off-the-job training.
They can achieve a variety of qualifications up to and including a degree. They have the same employment rights as other employees.
Employees gain technical knowledge, practical experience and broader skills needed for their job. They also develop generic skills which are useful for their future career.
This policy covers:
- new employees recruited on a temporary contract specifically for the period of training. We will designate these as apprentice roles
- existing employees employed on permanent contracts undertaking apprenticeship training
We will seek to permanently employ an apprentice at the end of their completed training programme. However, we cannot guarantee permanent employment.
The main government rules concerning apprenticeships are:
- the apprentice must be employed in a real job
- they may be an existing employee or a new recruit
- the apprentice must work towards achieving an approved apprenticeship standard
- the apprenticeship training must last at least 12 months and one day
- the apprentice must spend a minimum of at least six hours of their time on approved off-the-job training per week, if their contract is 30 hours or more
- apprentices who work less than 30 hours per week will have their apprenticeship duration extended to take account of this
- for term-time only contracts, off-the-job training is calculated as though the apprentice is working 52 weeks per year (minus statutory leave). Once the calculation is made, the training can be delivered across the weeks specified in the term-time only contract (usually 39 contact weeks). This is dependent on what has been agreed between the employer and main provider (this will mean delivering more than the minimum six-hour requirement per week)
- for apprentices with a term-time only contract only, if there is no planned activity over the six-week summer break, this will not require a break in learning
We offer apprenticeship training through our employer provider provision and external training providers. We are fully responsible for the overall apprenticeship.
An apprenticeship is an agreement between three parties:
- the apprentice
- the training provider or in-house satellite centres
- the employee's manager
They all work towards successful completion of the apprenticeship.
Committing to an apprenticeship
We expect any potential apprentice to have a clear understanding of the training programme. They need to fully understand what the programme will require to ensure successful completion.
We need to ensure the appropriate return on investment. Managers must commit to supporting an apprentice.