Apprenticeships - Employer Mini Guide 2026

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2024

WEST YORKSHIRE

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EMPLOYER MINI GUIDE

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INTRODUCTION Hiring an apprentice as a new recruit or upskilling an existing employee is a productive and effective way to grow talent and develop a motivated, skilled, and qualified workforce within your organisation.

CASTLEFORD COLLEGE

An apprenticeship is a paid job that provides the opportunity to gain industry relevant knowledge, skills and behaviours.

By offering apprenticeships you can ensure the skills developed match your current and future needs. Some of the key benefits are…

• Build a culture of learning and development.

SELBY COLLEGE

• Higher staff retention and morale.

• Promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

• Offer on the job training in a safe working environment.

WAKEFIELD COLLEGE

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11

Introduction The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group Recruitment & Apprentice Candidates What do we do as a Training Provider?

Post-Enrolment & Learning Support Change of Circumstances Apprenticeship Funding Grants Redundancy

The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group is here to support you!

An Apprenticeship Recruitment & Engagement Officer will be assigned to each employer, whose role is to support you throughout the apprenticeship journey by: 1. Identifying the correct apprenticeship standard and confirming that the apprenticeship route is most suitable for your organisation.

2. Supporting with apprenticeship recruitment if required.

3. Assessing candidates to ensure they are suitable and eligible for the apprenticeship programme.

4. Supporting you with the creation of your Digital Apprenticeship Service Account.

5. Ensuring your apprenticeship funding is reserved in a timely manner.

6. Ensuring all required paperwork to meet apprenticeship compliance is discussed and completed.

7. Ensuring you are aware of funding requirements, and these are met prior to enrolment.

8. Providing advice and guidance throughout the journey.

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RECRUITMENT Your allocated Recruitment & Engagement Officer can support you with the recruitment of an apprentice. You would be asked to complete a vacancy template which we would then use to create your advert. Your vacancy is advertised on the government ‘Find an apprenticeship’ website.

recruitment processes. We can support with the arrangement of interviews and/ or assessment days if required.

• Your Recruitment & Engagement Officer will keep in regular contact throughout this process and will be on hand if you require any support or guidance.

We will also promote your vacancy: » on our website » on our social media » to our current students » to our speculative apprenticeship candidates • Applications will be shortlisted based on your requirements and provided to you on a weekly basis for review. From there, you would continue with your usual

APPRENTICESHIP CANDIDATES All apprentice candidates are screened by the Apprenticeship Recruitment Team to ensure suitability and eligibility. Every candidate will be required to complete an English & maths assessment.

On occasion some candidates may not meet the entry requirements of the chosen apprenticeship programme; this would be discussed with you by your Recruitment & Engagement Officer.

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WHAT DO WE DO AS THE TRAINING PROVIDER? As part of suitability and eligibility checks we will issue several documents for completion prior to the enrolment onto programme.

Initial documentation: » Job scan » Health & Safety questionnaire » Small employer declaration (if required) » Candidate application form » Vacancy template/job description (if required) We will also require a copy of your Employer Liability Insurance certificate. Prior learning is assessed to establish the correct starting point for an apprentice and to ensure no duplication of learning is delivered and funded. This includes prior education, training or associated qualifications in a related area, previous apprenticeships or relevant work experience.

Contractual paperwork is issued via signable documents for signature to both the apprentice and employer/line manager. » Apprenticeship Agreement » Training Plan » Training Agreement Once all steps complete and the contractual paperwork has been signed, your apprentice will be issued with an enrolment form for completion. Alongside this they will be required to provide a copy of identification and a passport-style photograph.

Candidates will each be contacted to complete these prior to enrolment onto programme. A reduction in funding must be made if the apprentice has relevant prior learning; please note the duration may be affected too.

If an apprentice has a high level of prior learning, your Recruitment and Engagement Officer will work with you to explore the most appropriate option.

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POST-ENROLMENT A welcome email, including college login details and timetable (if applicable) will be shared with your apprentice following their enrolment. Some may be issued with a first day of learning task which will evidence their start on programme.

• Each apprentice will be designated an assessor, who will contact them within the first four weeks on programme.

• Regular progress reviews will be completed by the assessor with the apprentice and employer. Additional feedback, planning, observations and on-site assessments will also take place during the apprenticeship.

• Attendance alerts are created upon enrolment via automatic email to line manager/mentor.

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• We will periodically ask for feedback from employers and apprentices. Apprentices who require English and/or maths as part of their apprenticeship programme will be notified at least six week prior to their required attendance. Both the apprentice and employer will be notified.

• The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group uses electronic portfolio systems.

Login details are provided shortly after enrolment, and assessors will instruct apprentices on how to use this.

• An Apprenticeship Assessment is a requirement of all apprenticeship standards and is designed to ensure competency of an apprenticeship.

• A government grant is available for eligible employers. Further information can be found on page 10.

CHANGE OF CIRCUMSTANCES On occasion changes may affect the apprenticeship programme.

We would advise you contact your apprentices Assessor or Recruitment & Engagement Officer as soon as possible to discuss these.

• Date employment was terminated.

• Reason why employment was terminated.

Your Digital Apprenticeship Service account will need to be stopped in the same month the apprentice left your employment.

An apprentice must be employed continuously throughout the duration of the apprenticeship programme. If the employment is terminated by dismissal or resignation, please inform the assessor and/or Recruitment & Engagement Officer as soon as possible:

Apprentices will have up to 12 weeks to secure alternative suitable employment (if applicable) and will be supported by the assigned Recruitment & Engagement Officer.

Break in Learning

Change of Employer

• If your apprentice is absent from work for a period of time you must inform your Assessor or Recruitment & Engagement Officer as soon as possible and PAUSE your Digital Apprenticeship Service account as per the month the break commenced. Do not ‘stop’, only ‘pause’.

On occasion apprentices may choose to move employer. In these instances, please inform your Assessor or Recruitment & Engagement Officer as soon as possible with the date the apprentice is due to leave your employment.

• Where no active learning is planned to take place within a calendar month, apprentices may be placed onto a break in learning.

You will be required to stop the funding on your Digital Apprenticeship Service account as per the month the apprentice leaves your employment.

Redundancy • Apprentices made redundant, who, on the day of dismissal, are within six months of the final day of the apprenticeship practical period or they have completed at least 75% of the apprenticeship practical period, may continue their apprenticeship training without being employed.

• We will need to be provided with a formal redundancy communication from their

employer in order to support apprentices under the redundancy funding rules.

• For those apprentices who have completed less than 75% and remaining training represents a training duration of six months or more, can continue to their apprenticeship programme for a maximum of 12 weeks whilst searching for a new employer.

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APPRENTICESHIP FUNDING • Apprenticeship Funding is dependent on the annual wage bill and number of employees in your organisation.

• If your organisation has an annual wage bill less than £3 million per annum, you will be eligible for at least 95% of the training costs to be funded. If your apprentice is aged 25+ you will be required to contribute 5% of the training costs.

• If you take on an apprentice aged 16-24, the apprenticeship will be fully funded.

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• If your organisation has an annual wage bill more than £3 million per annum, you will therefore already be paying into the apprenticeship levy fund via HMRC. This will be used to fund apprenticeship training.

• Further information on apprenticeship funding rules can be found at; www.gov.uk/guidance/apprenticeshipfunding-rules

DIGITAL APPRENTICESHIP SERVICE (DAS) - FUNDING AN APPRENTICE The Digital Apprenticeship Service is a government-run service that is used to reserve apprenticeship funding, advertise apprenticeship vacancies and manage your enrolled apprentices.

• All apprentice-employing organisations are required to register a DAS account prior to the enrolment of an apprentice.

You will require a PAYE reference number to do this which you can apply for through www.gov.uk/register-employer.

Alternatively HMRC can support you with this.

• Please register for a DAS Account at; www.gov.uk/sign-in-apprenticeshipservice-account.

• Support on registering your account can be found youtube.com/watch?v=4tb_ vz1iGj0 or speak to your designated REO. Alternatively, the DAS helpdesk is available on 08000 150 600 or helpdesk@manage-apprenticeships. service.gov.uk

The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group through the DAS system, we can reserve the required funding on your behalf.

All requests will need to be reviewed and approved prior to utilisation of any funding and the enrolment of your apprentice.

• For levy employers we would advise you provide The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group with permission through the DAS system to add apprentices on your behalf. These will need to be approved by you prior to the utilisation of any funds.

• Permission can be granted through the ‘Training Providers’ Section on your DAS account home page. Please follow the onscreen instructions. You will be asked to enter UKPRN 10007289, which will identify The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group as the training provider.

• Upon creation of your account, you will be asked to review and approve an ESFA Agreement. Full access to the service will not be permitted until this is approved.

• For non-levy employers, apprenticeship funding needs to be reserved and approved prior the enrolment of your apprentice. By providing permissions to Employer Mini Guide 9

GRANTS Incentive Grants • A £2000 incentive payment is available for apprentices who are aged 16-18 years old on the date of enrolment or under 25 if candidates have an Education, Health & Care Plan in place.

• This is paid to us in order to pass onto you by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), with checks made at 90 days and 365 days of the apprenticeship before payment is made.

transfer within 7-10 working days upon receipt of this information.

• The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group process this grant on the behalf of the ESFA and will contact eligible employers once requested to do so by them.

• Please note that we cannot guarantee that you will receive incentive payments at exactly 90 and 365 days.

• Employers will be required to complete a form with their organisation bank details, so payments can be made by BACS.

CITB Grants If you are a CITB registered employer and meet eligibility rules you can apply for a CITB Apprenticeship Grant.

Further information on this and details on how to apply can be found at: www.citb.co.uk/levy-grants-and-funding/ grants-and-funding/apprenticeshipgrants/england-apprenticeship-grants/.

Levy Transfer Levy paying employers can choose to transfer up to 50% of their Levy funds annually to other organisations. This helps other companies to fund their apprenticeship training and assessment.

If your apprenticeship programme is to be funded by a levy transfer, please inform your Recruitment & Engagement Officer so we can ensure the necessary steps are taken.

Further information on levy transfers can be found at: www.gov.uk/guidance/transferring-your-apprenticeship-levy-to-another-business.

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DID YOU KNOW? On average the estimated yearly gain for employers is between £2,500 and £18,000 per apprentice during their training period. Apprentice outputs usually surpass their associated costs, delivering a net benefit to employers during their training.

92% of companies believe a good salary leads to a more satisfied and motivated workforce, 86% helped develop relevant skills to their organisation, 80% have seen a significant increase in staff retention.

There are around 8 millions searches a month on the Find an Apprenticeship website!

LEARNING SUPPORT We are required under section 20 of the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for disabled (including those with learning difficulties).

All candidates will be given the opportunity to discuss any support needs they may require prior to and post enrolment.

SAFEGUARDING The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all students and apprentices under the age of 18, in accordance with the statutory guidance contained in Keeping Children Safe in Education, Working Together to Safeguard Children and Prevent Duty Guidance. We follow Safer Recruitment procedures for all our staff.

If you have any safeguarding concerns about an apprentice, please speak to your assessor or contact safeguarding@ heartofyorkshire.ac.uk.

Support is available, including advice, counselling, wellbeing support, and referrals to external services where appropriate.

We hope this guide has helped provide further information on Apprenticeships at The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group. If you require any further support please do not heisitate to contact us at apprenticeships@heartofyorkshire.ac.uk or 01924 789469.

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t: 01924 789789 www. castleford.ac.uk

t: 01757 211000 www. selby.ac.uk

t: 01924 789789 www. wakefield.ac.uk

e: info@heartofyorkshire.ac.uk w: www.heartofyorkshire.ac.uk

t: 01924 789469 e: apprenticeships@heartofyorkshire.ac.uk

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