EM
PL
OY
ER
S B
RO
CH
UR
E
F O R Y O U
APPRENTICESHIPS
F O R Y O U R B U S I N E S S
EMPLOYERS GUIDE TO
City College Peterborough “The heart of Peterborough Business Community.”
A message from the Principal
Thank you for taking the time to read our Employer Guide
to Apprenticeships which shows our professional employer
engagement service dedicated to employers wishing to explore or
recruit apprenticeships now and in the future.
In my six years, as Principal of City College Peterborough, I have had
the honour to visit and meet with some of the most interesting, diverse
and innovative businesses within Peterborough’s business community.
What has been evident from the start is the passion and outstanding
success apprenticeships bring to any business. Through recruiting
high quality apprentices, those employers have reaped the rewards,
through better trained employees, who build expertise, increase their
staff skills base and improve productivity, growth and sustainability to
their business.
To support the success of those businesses our proven track record is
evident in our recent Ofsted inspection (November 2016) which
highlighted the Colleges outstanding ethos on employer engagement;
"Highly effective employer engagement and recognises that
apprenticeship provision has grown significantly over the past few
years with success rates well above national rates".
If, as an employer, you are already successfully employing apprentices
but need to know more about the recent Government changes to
apprenticeships or you are new to apprenticeships and considering
recruiting an apprentice for the first time, then here at City College
Peterborough we can provide you with a professional and
experienced employer account manager dedicated to serving
employers in the world of apprenticeships.
We can’t wait to speak to you,
Pat Carrington
Principal of City College Peterborough
CONTENTS
Service Offer
Benefits
Funding
Apprenticeship Levy
Recruitment
How it Works for your Business
Frameworks/Standards
Length of an Apprenticeship
Employer Requirements
The Apprentice Wage
Health & Safety
Safeguarding
Pastoral Support
Work Experience & Volunteering
Supported Internships
Case Studies
Why employ an apprentice?
2
3
4
5
5
6
6
7
7
8
9
9
9
9
10
10
11
3
What We Can Offer Your Business
Dedicated account manager
Training needs analysis undertaken to identify individual needs
Interview support management
Free recruitment service
Tailored programmes
Dedicated email address
Free Vacancy Advertising and Recruitment Service
City College Peterborough offers a free recruitment service for your
apprenticeship role. We will advertise the positions and screen all
applicants prior to sending their details over to your company for
consideration. City College Peterborough will assess the
applicant's functional skills in English and maths, as well as their ICT
abilities before suggesting them for the position. As the employer you
will be able to shortlist candidates and hold interviews in order to
select the candidate that is right for you.
Tailored Apprenticeship Programmes
Apprentices can fulfil a number of roles within all businesses, from
administration to catering through to team leading and management.
Depending on the type of role you require, an apprenticeship can be
tailored to suit the requirements of your job role. This provides greater
flexibility and ensures that your apprentice is being trained to meet the
needs of your business and the role you require.
of employers reported that apprenticeships improved the quality of their product or service
www.gov.uk, 2017
Why Invest in an Apprentice?
Develop your Apprentice into a Valuable Team Member
An apprentice brings a huge return on investment for you as an employer. The pay rate for an apprentice
depends upon numerous factors, but the recruitment team at City College Peterborough will be more than
happy to explain this in further detail.
The National Minimum Wage for apprentices applies to those who are aged under 19 and those who are
aged 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship. All other apprentices are entitled to the
National Minimum Wage for their age. You can find out more about the current National Minimum Wage
for apprentices on www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates.
An apprentice can enter your business, as a
novice or be an existing member of staff and you
will quickly see their productivity increase, their
knowledge expand and their capabilities
strengthen.
With an apprentice from City College
Peterborough you can feel reassured that your
apprentice will be an ideal organisational fit, as
they will have learnt and developed according to
your business needs and your working
practices. Apprentices will transfer new ideas and
fresh thinking into the workplace.
Motivate & Increase your Workforce's Productivity
Not only do apprenticeships deliver real financial
returns, they help to improve productivity for you
and to be more competitive. Training apprentices
is more cost effective than hiring skilled staff,
leading to lower overall training and recruitment
costs.
Apprentices are often motivated, dedicated
members of a team as they learn, earn and gain
hands-on experience. Here at City College
Peterborough we have a great variety of
apprenticeship programmes available for anyone
aged 16 and over, and we are always looking for
businesses to step on board too.
If you would like to know more about how an apprentice can benefit your business, please contact 01733 293899 or email: [email protected]
4
of employers say that productivity has improved
www.gov.uk, 2017
Funding for Apprenticeships
Due to the reforms that were introduced in May 2017, the funding for
apprenticeships is now dependent upon the age of the apprentice and
the number of employees within the company. For some apprentices
aged 16-18 the Government will fully fund the programme, with others
there may be a 10% contribution and for some employers the costs
will be provided from their levy pot/digital account. In addition, there
are incentives available for certain apprentices. We understand that
this can be confusing for employers, so please do not hesitate to
contact one of our team on 01733 293899 to discuss this
further. Further information on funding is available at
www.apprenticeships.org.uk.
The Government introduced the Apprenticeship Levy to improve the
quality and quantity of apprenticeships in England. Apprenticeships
benefit employers and individuals by boosting the skills of their
workforce and help to improve economic productivity.
The reforms will give employers more control over designing,
choosing and paying for apprenticeship training. The Government will
double the annual level of apprenticeship spending to £2.5bn, which
will be funded by the new Apprenticeship Levy. The Government
target is 3 million apprenticeships by 2020.
Employers with a wage bill less than £3 million will not pay the levy
but will contribute 10% towards the cost of the apprenticeship training
and assessing and the Government will co-invest the remaining 90%.
Employers with a wage bill of £3 million or more will pay into the Levy.
This is 0.5% of their wage bill which is topped up monthly by 10%
from the Government. There is also £15,000 allowance to offset
against this each year. This is paid into their digital account to be
spent on apprenticeships.
Employers with less than 50 employees will not have to pay towards
an apprenticeship, when taking on an apprentice aged between 16-
18.
When an employer takes on an apprentice aged 16-18 they will
receive a £1000 grant to help towards additional costs such a
equipment and support.
Apprenticeship Levy
Please do not hesitate to contact on 01733 293899 to discuss this
further or email [email protected]
5
How it works for your Business
You will be appointed an assessor who is responsible for delivering the apprenticeship and carrying out
any apprentice assessments. They will support you and your apprentice throughout the process. This
could include visits to your workplace to provide training and to assess their competence against a set of
standards or by delivering workshops within the college.
The first few weeks of the apprenticeship can be the most challenging for an apprentice as they settle into
the work environment. As an employer, you will need to provide a mentor to support them through their
apprenticeship. We will ensure that the apprenticeship is tailored to meeting your needs and the
apprentices job role.
The National Apprenticeship Service offers an on-line service which can be used to advertise and recruit
an apprentice role for you. In order to use this service a training provider, such as City College
Peterborough, will be required.
City College Peterborough offers a free recruitment service for your apprentice role. We will advertise the
positions and screen all applicants prior to sending their details over to your company for consideration.
City College Peterborough will assess the applicant's functional skills in English and maths as well as their
ICT abilities before suggesting them for a position. As the employer you will be able to shortlist candidates
and hold interviews in order to select the candidate that is right for you.
To help with recruitment, you may wish to consider the option of offering a traineeship. These
programmes provide young learners with work experience and work preparation training and act as a
stepping stone into an apprenticeship. This will allow you to assess their suitability for an apprentice role.
To find out more about traineeships go to www.gov.uk/findtraineeships. You can also discuss this with
one of our account managers.
The Recruitment
6
All apprenticeship frameworks/standards are linked to specific job roles or occupations. There are three levels of apprenticeships available for those aged 16 and over.
Apprenticeship Framework/Standard
Intermediate Level Apprenticeships (Level 2)
Advanced Level Apprenticeships (Level 3)
Higher Level Apprenticeships (Levels 4 & 5)
A typical framework for each level includes:
A nationally recognised vocational qualification (NVQ/Diploma)Functional skills: English, maths and ICTA principal certificate that covers knowledge of sector areaPersonal Learning and Thinking SkillsEmployee Rights and Responsibilities
City College Peterborough's apprenticeships:
Length of an Apprenticeship
The length of an apprenticeship varies depending on the prior skills level of the apprentice, the qualification being obtained and the industry sector.
The minimum amount of time for an apprenticeship is 12 months.
7
On-the-job Learning
Help to Plan
As an employer, it is important that you provide your apprentice with an introduction into their role and
continual on-the-job learning. Through on-the-job learning an apprentice will develop job-specific skills
that will enable them to fulfil the role and meet the requirements of their programme.
During the course of the apprenticeship you can support your apprentice by the following;
Provide Opportunities
By identifying activities that can be used to
generate evidence and setting targets for
achievement and assessment.
Ensure your apprentice has the opportunity to
practice and develop their skills and aim to
allocate activities which will encourage them. If
possible, change their routines regularly to add a
variety of tasks and provide further opportunities
to learn.Observe and Analyse
Monitor your apprentice and check their work
regularly. Record any areas for improvement and
give opportunities for practice.Evidence of Learning
Apprentices will be required to gather evidence
during their apprenticeship which supports and
evidences their competency. City College
Peterborough will provide assessment materials,
an online portfolio and access to the Colleges'
Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).
Evidence can be collected in many forms and is
acceptable, as long as it helps to prove
competence. This may include a written
testimony, notes or an observation etc.
Give Feedback
Discuss performance with your apprentice
ensuring they input to the process. Be positive
about things they have done well and be open and
honest about any areas for improvement.
Explain or Demonstrate
Discuss ways of improving techniques and, if
possible, use examples of similar work or
demonstrate better techniques.Off-the-job Learning
As part of their programme your apprentice will
be required to complete 20% off-the-job training.
This can take place in their normal place of work
but must not be part of their normal role and
must be directly relevant to their apprenticeship.
This can include shadowing, attending theory
sessions, mentoring, writing assignments,
building their portfolio and attending meetings.
The apprentice will be required to keep a log of
these to show that they are meeting this
requirement. Support from you and the assessor
will assist them with this.
Functional Skills Courses
As part of the apprenticeship framework/standard,
your apprentice may be required to up-skill in
functional maths and English in order to complete
their programme. These requirements will be
discussed at your sign-up meeting with
our account managers.
You may need to release your apprentice from
their workplace to attend classes, if required. A
member of the apprenticeship team will contact
you to arrange a convenient date for them to
attend.
8
The Apprentice Wage
Employers are responsible for paying an apprentice's wages and
issuing their contract of employment. Apprentices must be paid at
least the Apprenticeship National Minimum Wage.This applies to
those who are:
For more guidance on the current National Minimum Wage go to:
www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates
Health and Safety
Both the employer and City College Peterborough have a duty to
ensure that the environment within your workplace is safe, secure
and that the company complies with basic health and safety law.
Therefore, prior to an apprentice starting within your work
place, your account manager will require a copy of the
company's Employer Liability Insurance certificate and will carry
out a health and safety assessment.
Pastoral Support
For further guidance please visit the HSE website:
hse.gov.uk/youngpeople/apprentices.htm
Safeguarding
City College Peterborough has a statutory and moral duty to
ensure that it functions with a view to safeguarding and promoting
the welfare of the children and vulnerable adults receiving
education and training. This includes ensuring that we have
robust safeguarding and child protection policies in places and they
are shared with employers. Your account manager will discuss the
policy with you and provide you with a copy, including what you
should do if you have any concerns with the wellbeing of your
apprentice.
For those apprentices that require additional pastoral support,
whether from the start of the programme or identified at a
later stage, this can be arranged with the assessor and
a support worker will work on a one-to-one basis to ensure the
apprentice's needs are met.
Aged under 19.
Apprentices who are aged 19 and over but within the first year
of their apprenticeship.
Individuals not falling into these categories should be paid the
standard National Minimum Wage rate for their age band.
Apprentices are also entitled to statutory Maternity and Sick Pay.
9
10
Work Experience & Volunteering
Would you be willing to help to develop the personal, social and
employability skills of our learners?
We believe that it is important to develop these skills so that our
learners understand the standards that are expected in the
workplace and how to become an important part of their
community.
We believe that by completing work experience or volunteering will
help to build up their confidence and that by combining this with
their technical skills, it will make them more ready for employment.
By offering work experience or volunteering within your workplace
then it will enable you to gain insight and feedback from a
different perspective and will be a rewarding experience for all of
those involved.
The duration and timing of the placements can be flexible to meet
your needs and ensure that they suit both parties.
We have dedicated team of work experience officers in place who
will assist you throughout the process and you will be allocated a
named individual to support you as your point of contact.
Supported Internships
In addition to work experience and volunteering opportunities, we
also offer supported internships for learners with learning difficulties
or disabilities.
This is a highly rewarding programme and you will be fully
supported throughout the whole process by a dedicated member of
staff. This will help to develop you from being fully supported to
working independently within a practical job role.
We will assist you throughout the recruitment process, from
advertising to interviewing and employment.
We would love to hear from you, if you would like to discuss any of
these opportunities further. Please do not hesitate to contact us on
01733 293899.
Why our employers value their apprentices and what they have to say:
NetSupport, based in Market Deeping, provides innovative
solutions to aid the management of desktop computers and
their users in over 90 countries worldwide. NetSupport is a
longstanding supporter of IT apprenticeships within their
business. Andy Earp, Tech Support Manager, explained that
NetSupport's technical support department recruit and train
apprentices whose skills can be moulded to the business.
" At NetSupport we're dedicated to giving apprentices an
experience that will let them nurture their interests, whilst
giving them the skills they need to become a core part of our
business. Technical support is a really busy department. It
depends great customer service but also passion and flare
for IT. Our employees need to become completely at home
with the NetSupport products - making in-house training a
priority". Andy Earp - Technical Support Manager
11
"The Peterborough School Nursery has found that
employing apprentices has provided a 'home grown' supply
of full time practitioners because it has allowed the
apprentices to develop their skills and knowledge of how
the Nursery operates though in-house support and training.
These also develop the apprentice's childcare skills and
often provides them with the opportunity to progress within
the setting to become a full time permanent member of the
team". Pauline Bellamy - The Peterborough School Nursery
CONTACT US www.citycollegepeterborough.ac.uk
T: 01733 293899
City College Peterborough
Brook Street
Peterborough
PE1 1TU
City College Peterborough
John Mansfield Centre
Western Avenue
Dogsthorpe
Peterborough
PE1 4HX
Follow us on:
@CCPboro
Email: [email protected]