UPSKILLING
EXISTING
EMPLOYEES
Employers can now use apprenticeships not only to recruit and train college leavers, but also to develop existing employees of any age who need to further develop their knowledge and skills in order to increase performance and productivity.
Utilising Funding to develop skills
Apprenticeships are now set to play a crucial role in developing the future workforce, increasing productivity and driving growth in the economy. The Apprenticeship Reforms introduced in May 2017 brought significant changes in the way apprenticeships were funded, who was eligible to undertake them, and how they were designed, delivered and achieved.
So, what’s changed?
Changes in funding – Employers with a payroll of over £3 million per year must now pay an apprenticeship Levy which they can reinvest back into the workforce by enrolling their employees onto the new apprenticeship development programmes. Companies with an annual payroll of less than £3 million will only pay a 5% contribution to the costs of the new apprenticeships if they want to use them to develop their workforce. There are further funding benefits for those wanting to recruit and train a 16-18 year old.
Changes to eligibility and apprenticeship Levels – Apprenticeships are now available from level 2 (intermediate) to Level 7 (masters) and are accessible to all employees of all ages within the business structure, who require development, from trainees right up to the senior leadership team.
Changes to the apprenticeship design and structure – Apprenticeship programmes are now being redesigned by groups of employers called Trailblazer groups. The new programmes are called apprenticeship Standards, requiring Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours to be achieved in a specific occupational area. In many cases the employer groups are incorporating highly credible professional qualifications which cover the knowledge requirement of the programme making them a very attractive and cost effective way to develop the knowledge and skills of your workforce.
Changes to assessment methods – Apprenticeships are now end-point assessed by an independent organisation who is not the apprenticeship training provider, and have pass, merit, and distinction grading criteria. This has made them much more robust and credible and ensures that skills and knowledge gaps are tackled head on.
APT group
smarter working
APT Group is a family of companies who support organisation’s of all sizes, primarily in HR functions including resourcing, work placed apprenticeships, health and safety training and consultancy.
Training
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Complimentary Recruitment Service
At APT Apprenticeships, we know how time-consuming and expensive it can be to recruit new, motivated staff to your business. This is why we offer a complimentary recruitment service.
We will advertise your vacancy, screen applicants and pre-interview potential candidates to ensure you only interview the most appropriate people for your specific role – all free of charge – saving you time and money.
The Apprenticeship Levy
The apprenticeship levy effects an employer with an annual pay bill of more than £3 million, where they pay 0.5% of this towards this through PAYE each month. There’s also allowances to reduce the amount needed to be paid which is topped up by government. Use our apprenticeship levy guide for an illustration of how it all work