Looking to upskill or returing to work from a career break?

Whether your are an employer looking to build your business or an individual wanting to fast-track yourself to a debt-free career with our high-quality apprenticeships, our team have outlined some key questions below to help explain what an apprenticehip is, how you can apply and how it all works.

If you want to find out more contact us: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 01895 853622.

For Apprentices and Employers

  • What is an apprenticeship and how do they work?

    Apprentices are aged 16 or over and combine working with studying to gain skills and knowledge in a specific job. 

    Apprentices can be new or current employees. An apprentice will be a full time member of staff. Apprentices will follow an approved industry standard whilst gaining a nationally recognised qualification, working full time and attending training sessions at a frequency confirmed prior to enrolment.

    Apprentices will be paid the apprentice National Minimum Wage. However, many employers pay more!

    As an apprentice you will:

    • work with experienced staff 
    • work in a real job for at least 30 hours per week
    • study an apprenticeship designed and respected by industry expert employers
    • learn job-specific skills at workplace
    • get paid to train job specific knowledge and skills plus learn English, math and ICT
    • get time for training or study during the working week at the college (at least 20% of normal working hours)
    • achieve a recognised qualification and work experience to progress quicker in your chosen career

    Usually, apprentices will be placed with an employer working full time 4 days per week with 1 day a week college attendance studying the qualification.

    Our HRUC Account Manager, Industry-Trained Assessor and Learning Advocate support employers and the apprentice to deliver our training programme.

  • Who can do an apprenticeship?

    Anyone aged 16 years and over is eligible to apply for an apprenticeship. You must be living in the UK for at least 3 years or have permanent residency status in the UK.

    So no matter what your plan is, apprenticeships help:

    • Career after Year 11
    • Career progression at work
    • Career after a break
    • Career change.

  • What is an apprentice paid?

    Apprentices must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage.

    There’s different rates of pay for apprentices depending on age and what year of their apprenticeship they’ve completed. The contract of employment should make it clear what wage the apprentice will be paid and for what hours.

    • Aged 16 to 18: the current National Minimum Wage rate for an apprentice is £6.50 per hour
    • Aged 19 or over and in their first year: the current National Minimum Wage rate for an apprentice is £6.50 per hour
    • Aged 19 or over and have completed 12 months: apprentices will be entitled to the Apprentice National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage rate for their age.  

    Employers please use the National Minimum Wage and Living Wage calculator to check if you are paying your apprentices correctly.

    Many employers may pay more than the national minimum.

For Apprentices Only

  • Where will I study?

    You could be studying at our Hayes, Uxbridge, Harrow or Richmond campuses depending on which qualification you are studying.

  • How long is an apprenticeship?

    Minimum apprenticeship duration is 1 year and 1 week however programme duration varies depending on which qualification you are studying. Apprenticeship duration can be found on our subject area information pages.

  • Training and study

    You should be paid as an apprentice for time spent training or studying for your apprenticeship. Apprentices must spend at least 20% of their normal working hours training.

    The training might take place:

    • at your place of work
    • somewhere else (for example, a college or training provider)
    • online


    If you are also studying for Functional Skills in English or maths which is required by your apprenticeship, you are entitled to paid study time during your normal working hours but it is not included within the 20% off the job training.

  • How much will it cost?

    Apprenticeships are free for the students so if you are thinking to do an apprenticeship, there will be no cost for you to pay. In fact, you will get paid to do an apprenticeship.

  • How can I apply for an apprenticeship?

    There are several steps to becoming an apprentice.

    Unemployed apprentices:

    • Apply for a vacancy on our website.
    • Robust initial interview
    • Initial assessment
    • Initial scan
    • Curriculum interview
    • Set individual end date
    • Once approved by curriculum, then your CV needs to be sent to the employer for interview consideration
    • If you get through the interview successfully, you start your apprenticeship after making an apprenticeship agreement and commitment statement with your employer.


    Employed apprentices:

    • Robust initial interview
    • Curriculum interview to confirm suitability
    • Assess job role to see if it is fit for purpose to cover assessment range
    • Complete skills scan
    • Set individual end date
    • Start your apprenticeship

  • Can graduates do apprenticeships?

    Yes, graduates can apply for an apprenticeship in a different field to their qualification. For example, a business graduate is eligible to apply for an apprenticeship in the construction sector.

For Employers only

  • What is an employer responsible for?

    • Giving your apprentice their contract of employment and meeting the minimum hours of work currently set at 30 hours a week
    • Paying your apprentice’s wage (apprentice national minimum wage)
    • Having a valid employers liability insurance
    • Signing an apprenticeship agreement with the apprentice and training provider 
    • Ensuring apprentices are given at least 1 day a week of college training during their normal working hours
    • Making sure apprentices have appropriate support and supervision on the job, by you (the employer), to carry out their job role.

  • Employers can get funding

    Employers can get help from the government

    • To pay for apprenticeship training and assessment
    • As an incentive payment for other costs.


    Help to pay for apprenticeship training and assessment
    The amount the employer gets depends on whether the employer pays the apprenticeship levy or not. An employer will pay the levy if you’re an employer with a pay bill over £3 million each year. 

    If an employer does not need to pay the levy
    The employer pays 5% towards the cost of training and assessing your apprentice. You need to:

    • Agree a payment schedule with the training provider
    • Pay them directly for the training.


    The government will pay the rest (95%) up to the funding band maximum. They’ll pay it directly to the training provider.

    The employer could be eligible for extra funding depending on both their and your apprentice’s circumstances.

    The employer will contribute 10% towards the cost of training and assessing your apprentice and the government pays the rest (90%) if your apprentice started before 1 April 2019. This rate continues until your apprentice completes their training.

    If an employer pays the levy
    The employer will receive funds to spend on training and assessing your apprentices. In England, the government will add 10%.

    Help to pay for other costs
    The employer can claim for an incentive payment for new apprentices who join their organisation.
    The amount the employer gets will depend on when the apprentice joined the organisation.

    Click here to find out if you are eligible, what you can use the payment for and how to apply as an employer.

    Register for a digital service account
    Register for an apprenticeship service account to access funds or pay for training. As an employer, you’ll be able to apply for the incentive payment after you add new apprentices to your account. If as an employer you pay the apprenticeship levy and use an apprenticeship training agency, you cannot use funds from your digital account to pay for the training agency’s services.

    READ OUR FUNDING PAGE TO FIND OUT MORE

  • As an employer can I train my current employees?

    Yes you can use apprenticeships to upskill and retrain your existing workforce.

    Your existing members of staff will benefit from the new apprenticeship standards that now reflect up to date industry practices, boost movtation, fill key skill gaps and improve on retention.

    Similar in hiring a new apprentice, you must allow your member of staff that quota of 20% off the job training.