Hiring an apprentice is a cost-effective way to develop both new and existing staff, helping them build the skills needed to succeed in your organisation.
What is an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships are real jobs where individuals earn a wage while gaining job-specific knowledge, skills, and behaviours. They are increasingly popular as businesses use them to build a skilled, motivated workforce through a wide range of programmes.
Apprenticeships overview
Who can apply: Apprenticeships are open to anyone aged 16 and over, with no typical upper age limit.
Not just for new hires: Existing employees can also become apprentices
Structure: 80% of their time working and gaining practical experience, and 20% in structured learning delivered in the workplace, at a college, or through a training provider.
Minimum duration: At least 8 months
Benefits of hiring an apprentice
Hiring an apprentice offers a wide range of advantages for businesses, from reducing recruitment and training costs to strengthening workforce capability, improving productivity, and building a long-term pipeline of skilled talent within the organisation.
- For non-levy payers, the government covers 95% of training costs.
- £1,000 incentive available for hiring apprentices aged 16-18 or those with special educational needs.
- Training your own staff reduces reliance on external hiring
- 75% of businesses report reduced recruitment costs
- Training is tailored to address specific, immediate skill gaps within the business.
- Apprenticeships can be used to upskill existing staff into higher-level or managerial roles.
- Apprentices bring new, up-to-date perspectives and technologies, improving efficiency and innovation.
Employers report increased staff retention, as employees trained in-house feel more valued and loyal.
Employer responsibilities
There are specific requirements for apprenticeships that employers must meet, including legal, training, and workplace obligations designed to ensure apprentices receive appropriate support, supervision, and opportunities for development.
Apprentices must have a contract of employment. They are entitled to the same rights as other employees, including sick pay and holiday pay.
You must pay apprentices at least the National Minimum Wage, in line with regulations. This may vary depending on the apprentice’s age.
At least 20% of paid working hours must be spent on off-the-job training, which can include workshops, shadowing, or online learning.
All employers must register an account on the Digital Apprenticeship Service to ensure funding can be allocated to colleges to cover the training costs.
Funding and financial support
In most cases, the government will fund the majority of apprenticeship training costs, depending on the size of your organisation and the age of the apprentice. Regardless of the funding method, every employer taking on an apprentice must first register on the government’s Digital Apprenticeship Service.
Further instructions on how to register can be found by visiting our webpage on Using the Digital Apprenticeship Service.
Want to hire an apprentice?
If you don’t have a candidate in place, you can recruit an apprentice via the government’s digital apprenticeship service website. Further details are available on the government website.
Simply complete a Business Request Form and arrange a chat with a member of employer services team.
