Recruitment and Employment of Apprentices Guidance for Managers
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Guidance for Managers on the Recruitment and Employment of Apprentices
Contents
Scope 1
Purpose 1
What is an Apprenticeship? 1
Apprenticeship Standards 2
Key Requirements of an Apprenticeship 3
Apprentice Pay Rates 4
How to Recruit an Apprentice 4
Induction 5
Probation 6
Early Termination of an Apprenticeship 6
Arrangements for the End of the Apprenticeship 6
How to Enrol an Existing Employee onto an Apprenticeship Scheme 6
Scope
This guidance applies to all apprenticeships within Leicestershire County Council, excluding those arranged by schools and colleges with delegated budgets.
Purpose
Managers should consider the use of apprenticeships as part of their workforce planning and particularly when a vacancy arises within their team. Not all vacancies will be suitable for an apprentice, however there are a vast array of apprenticeships already available or being developed, ranging from GCSE to degree level equivalent.
The purpose of this guidance is to provide managers with information on the different types of apprenticeships that are available and advice on how to recruit an apprentice.
What is an Apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is a genuine job with an accompanying skills development programme provided by a recognised training provider who is on the Register of Approved Training Provider. Throughout their apprenticeship, apprentices gain the technical knowledge, practical experience and wider skills they need for their immediate job and future career. The apprentice gains this through a wide mix of learning in the workplace, formal off-the-job training and the opportunity to practice new skills in a real work environment.
The Council currently operates three types of apprenticeships:
· Where an individual is appointed to an apprentice position and is paid an apprentice rate of pay (see Apprentice Pay Rates below);
· Where an individual is appointed as an apprentice but is paid the evaluated grade for the job; or
· Where an existing employee is engaged on an apprenticeship scheme as part of their continuing professional development.
Further advice on the different types of apprenticeships is available from your Learning and Development Advisor.
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Apprenticeship Standards
Before an apprentice can be recruited or an employee placed on an apprenticeship scheme, managers, in conjunction with Learning and Development, will need to identify the most appropriate apprenticeship standard for the position. A wide variety of apprenticeships are available, ranging from GCSE to degree level equivalent, so it is important that the most appropriate one is selected.
The standards that are currently available for delivery and assessment are listed on the gov.uk website under Apprenticeships Standards. These are updated on a regular basis.
Name / Level / Equivalent Educational LevelIntermediate / 2 / 5 GCSE passes at grades A* to C
Advanced / 3 / 2 A level passes
Higher / 4,5,6 and 7 / Foundation degree and above
Degree / 6 and 7 / Bachelor’s or master’s degree
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Key Requirements of an Apprenticeship
· Apprenticeships are available to individuals over the age of 16 who are living in England. There is no upper age limit;
· The individual must have the right to work in England and be either (1) a citizen of a country within the European Economic Area (EEA) (including other countries with bilateral agreements), or have the right of abode in the UK and have been ordinarily resident in the EEA (or other countries with bilateral agreements) for at least the previous three years, or (2) a non-EEA citizen with permission from the UK government to live in the UK (not for educational purposes) and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least the previous three years;
· The apprenticeship should be at a higher level than a qualification that the individual already holds. Where the apprenticeship is at the same or a lower level than a qualification they hold, the content of the apprenticeship must be materially different from any prior qualification (this includes modules/units undertaken as part of a qualification) or previous apprenticeship;
· Apprentices must have a contract of employment which is long enough for them to successfully complete their apprenticeship. The minimum duration for apprenticeship training is one year (prior to completion of the end-point assessment) however it is expected that training will last for a minimum of 15 months for level 2 and 18 months for level 3. The apprentice must remain employed until they have passed their end point assessment. Where an apprentice has a break in their learning, for example due to maternity leave or long term sickness, their contract must be extended, where necessary, to allow them to complete their apprenticeship. The time spent by the apprentice undertaking their learning must meet the one year minimum timescale as set out above;
· Apprentices should be employed for at least 30 hours per week, including any off-the-job training they undertake. However, where the individual’s circumstances or the nature of the employment makes this possible, an absolute minimum of 16 hours per week can be worked. In such cases the duration of the apprenticeship should be extended;
· Apprentices must spend at least 20% of their working time on off-the-job training. You will be required to evidence the time spent on such training. The apprentice must be allowed to complete their apprenticeship within their working hours;
· Apprentices must receive regular supervision and support throughout their apprenticeship;
· Apprentices must receive the same benefits as other employees;
· There is an expectation that apprentices will remain with the Council on completion of their apprenticeship. Therefore, if you wish to recruit an apprentice to a fixed-term post, advice must be sought from Strategic HR, via the ESC Service Desk, before the post is advertised. Where it is not possible for the apprentice to remain in their current post at the end of the apprenticeship, they must be supported to seek alternative opportunities (see Arrangement for the End of the Apprenticeship below).
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Apprentice Pay Rates
The following pay rates will apply depending on the age of the apprentice:
Age / Pay RateUnder 19 or those in the first year of their apprenticeship / National Minimum Wage rate for 18-20 year olds (not the apprentice NMW rate)
19 or over and completed the first year of their apprenticeship / National Minimum Wage rate that applies to their age or the evaluated grade for the post
If an apprenticeship relates to a level 4 qualification or above, advice should be sought from Strategic HR regarding the appropriate rate of pay before advertising the post.
Managers are responsible for ensuring that the correct rate of pay is included in the apprentice’s provisional offer of employment letter. Information on specific amounts is available from the ESC Service Desk. Where an apprentice has completed the first year of their apprenticeship and is eligible for a salary increase, managers should ensure that they submit a variation to contract e-form to request the change.
Where an existing employee wishes to undertake a qualification under an apprenticeship as part of their continuing professional development, they will remain in their substantive post and continue to be paid the evaluated grade for that job.
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How to Recruit an Apprentice
1. Identify a post that would be suitable for an apprentice and ensure that the job profile is up-to-date. If any changes are required seek confirmation from Strategic HR that these do not affect the post’s grade.
2. Obtain provisional permission to recruit an apprentice. Formal approval will need to be completed via the Engage system as part of the advertising process (see below).
3. Contact your Learning and Development Advisor who will identify the most appropriate apprenticeship standard for the position, check that the relevant funds are in the Council’s digital account, and source a training provider who is registered with the Digital Apprenticeship Service.
4. Input the vacancy details into the Engage recruitment system and obtain permission to recruit, via the system, from the manager responsible for the salary cost code and the relevant Assistant Director. Guidance on how to do this is available by clicking here. You will need to identify the post as an apprentice position and attach a copy of the job profile. The vacancy will be advertised on the Council’s website for one month.
5. Contact the training provider once the advert is live so that the details can also be advertised on the National Apprenticeship website (www.apprenticeships.org.uk).
6. Follow the shortlisting and selection processes set out in the Recruitment and Selection Guidance. During the shortlisting stage, check the applicants’ qualifications to ensure that they are eligible to apply for the apprenticeship (see Key Requirements of an Apprenticeship above). Further advice is available is from your Learning and Development Advisor.
7. In certain circumstances, the training provider may undertake a further assessment. If applicable, you will be asked to select a maximum of three appointable candidates who will be required to undertake this assessment. The results of this assessment will then be forwarded to you for a decision to be made on the successful candidate.
8. The training provider will check the successful candidate’s eligibility to undertake the apprenticeship. Once this confirmation has been received, you should contact the candidate to provisionally offer them the apprentice position and progress the appointment via the Engage system. Guidance on how to do this is available by clicking here. All pre-employment checks must be completed and copies of the relevant documents loaded into the Engage system before a contract can be issued or any payments made to the apprentice.
9. The Employee Service Centre will issue the individual with an apprentice contract. A copy of which will be sent to you for information.
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Induction
You must ensure that the apprentice is fully inducted in line with the Council’s induction process and that ongoing support is provided to them throughout their apprenticeship. Details of the Council’s induction requirements can be found on the Learning Hub.
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Probation
All apprentices who are new to the Council will be subject to the Probation Procedure.
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Early Termination of an Apprenticeship
Where an apprentice fails to meet the Council’s standards of conduct and/or performance, or fails to make suitable progress towards achieving the targets set out in their training action plan, their appointment may be terminated in line with the Council’s policies and procedures (i.e. probation, capability, disciplinary, and attendance management policies).
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Arrangements for the End of the Apprenticeship
If an individual successfully achieves their apprenticeship, the following will apply:
· Where the post is still available and on a permanent basis, the apprentice should be confirmed into the post (if they wish to remain). You should complete the variation to contract e-form so that the Employee Service Centre can issue written confirmation;
· Where the post is still available but only on a fixed-term basis, the apprentice should be allowed to continue in the post (if they wish to). You should complete the variation to contract e-form so that the Employee Service Centre can issue written confirmation. At the end of the fixed-term contract, the employee should be granted redeployment status and supported to seek alternative opportunities. Please refer to the Redeployment Policy and Procedure for further information;
· Where the post is no longer available, the apprentice must be given redeployment status and supported to seek alternative opportunities. Please refer to the Redeployment Policy and Procedure for further information. In these circumstances, you are advised to contact Strategic HR to discuss the matter before informing the employee.
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How to Enrol an Existing Employee onto an Apprenticeship Scheme
1. Contact your Learning and Development Advisor to discuss the development need and whether an apprenticeship would be an appropriate option. The Learning and Development Advisor will identify the most appropriate apprenticeship standard, check that the relevant funds are in the Council’s digital account, and source a training provider who is registered with the Digital Apprenticeship Service.
2. There will be no change to the employee’s terms and conditions of employment however they would be expected to spend 20% of their working time undertaking off-the-job training (i.e. learning outside of the normal day-to-day working which leads to the achievement of an apprenticeship). This can include:
· The teaching of theory, lectures, online learning;
· Practical training: shadowing, mentoring, industry visits;
· Learning support and time spent writing assessments/assignments.
It does not include any English or maths training (up to level 2) which is funded separately, progress reviews or on-programme assessments, or training which takes place outside of the apprentice’s paid working hours. Time spent on these activities is in addition to the 20% off-the-job training time stated above.
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1
Guidance for Managers on the Recruitment and Employment of Apprentices
Version: 2017-4
Agreed at: CNCC
Date agreed: 27/09/17
Date of review: 27/09/20
8
Guidance for Managers on the Recruitment and Employment of Apprentices
Version: 2017-4
Agreed at: CNCC
Date agreed: 27/09/17
Date of review: 27/09/20