Employer Frequently Asked Questions
Checkout our Employer FAQ’s below
What is the minimum hourly wage that you can pay an apprentice?
The minimum hourly apprenticeship wage changes every year on the 1st of April. The current minimum hourly apprenticeship wage is £7.55 but most employers will pay more than this amount.
What is the minimum number of hours that an apprentice must work per week?
An apprentice must be employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week.
Does an apprentice need to have a contract of employment?
An apprentice must have a contract of employment to work, the same as any other employee.
What is a non-levy employer?
A non-levy employer is an organisation/employer with an annual wage bill of less than £3 million that is not required to pay the Apprenticeship Levy, a tax on employers to fund apprenticeships. Instead, they are eligible for government funding to cover 95% of the training and the employer is required to pay a small contribution of 5%.
What is a levy employer?
A levy employer is an employer with an annual payroll exceeding £3 million, who are required to pay a 0.5% levy on their total payroll bill to fund apprenticeship training.
The employer can use their levy to pay for apprenticeship training and if their levy runs out, they will then revert to the same rules (above) as a non-levy employer.
What employer incentives are currently available if you recruit an apprentice?
An employer will receive a £1,000 incentive for hiring a new apprentice who is 16 – 18 years old.
The first £500 will be paid once the apprentice has been on programme for 3 months and the remaining £500 once the apprentice has been on programme for 12 months.
The government will fully fund apprenticeship training costs, for apprentices who are aged between 16 and 21 years old when they start their apprenticeship training.
What is the care bursary?
The care bursary is £3,000 for young people in care or who are care leavers and are aged 16 – 24 years old when they start their apprenticeship and have previously been in local authority care (and have proof of this).
The bursary will be paid in 3 instalments, £1,000 per instalment. The payments will be made at 60 days in learning, 120 days in learning and 300 days in learning.
What happens if my apprentice leaves their apprenticeship?
If your apprentice leaves their apprenticeship, they can move their apprenticeship to another job/employer if their new position meets the criteria for their course.
If your apprentice leaves their apprenticeship and their job role the employer will not incur any costs when they leave.
What is the minimum course length for an apprenticeship?
The minimum duration of an apprenticeship is 366 days plus the end point assessment (the EPA duration is normally 3 months).
What is OTJ job training and how many hours do I need to give my apprentice each week?
Off the job training hours are the hours (paid during working time) that you are required to allocate your apprentice to complete their apprenticeship course work and to learn new skills. Off the job training hours total 6 hours per week.
Once they have been recruited, when will they start their apprenticeship?
Once you have recruited your apprentice, we will allow your apprentice a month to settle into their job role and then we will enrol them onto their apprenticeship course.
What is an End Point Assessment (EPA)?
The end point assessment takes place at the end of your apprentice’s course, once the Skills Coach and you the employer confirm that you are happy that they have completed all elements of the course. The assessment is conducted by the awarding organisation who run the course, and they check the knowledge and skills that you have learned in their job role and on their course. The assessment can be a knowledge test, observation, presentation, professional discussion and these vary from course to course.
Can you do an apprenticeship if you have a degree?
You can complete an apprenticeship if you have already completed a degree, if the apprenticeship is not in the same subject area as the degree (you need to be learning new skills and knowledge) on an apprenticeship.
Does my apprentice have to complete English and Maths as part of their apprenticeship?
If your apprentices are 16-18 years old when they start their apprenticeship and are not exempt from Maths and English i.e., they have not already achieved the necessary grades (GCSE, Functional Skills or Key Skills) they will then need to complete functional skills.
If they are 19+ when they start their apprenticeship you will need agree with your apprentices if you want them to complete Maths and English as part of their course and their job role.
If they are 19+ when they start their apprenticeship you will need agree with your apprentices if you want them to complete Maths and English as part of their course and their job role.
Does my apprentice have to complete English and Maths as part of their apprenticeship?
If your apprentices are 16-18 years old when they start their apprenticeship and are not exempt from Maths and English i.e., they have not already achieved the necessary grades (GCSE, Functional Skills or Key Skills) they will then need to complete functional skills.
If they are 19+ when they start their apprenticeship you will need agree with your apprentices if you want them to complete Maths and English as part of their course and their job role.
If they are 19+ when they start their apprenticeship you will need agree with your apprentices if you want them to complete Maths and English as part of their course and their job role.
What are my responsibilities for training and supervision, as part of the apprenticeship?
All apprentices must be appointed a mentor, and all apprentices must be supervised during their apprenticeship training.
The apprentice should be fully trained in their job role, which will run in parallel, to them learning new knowledge and skills from their Tutor on their apprenticeship course.
If Next Step Apprenticeships recruit your apprentice for you, are there any recruitment fees payable?
There are no recruitment fees payable, as we offer this as a complimentary service.
If your apprentice is withdrawn from their apprenticeship but continues to work for their employer (and Next Step Apprenticeships recruited this member of staff) a 15% recruitment fee based on their annual salary will be payable to Next Step Apprenticeships.
Can I upskill a current member of my team onto an apprenticeship?
Yes, an apprenticeship is the perfect way to train your team and allow them to develop new skills and progress. Their job role needs to align to the course that you/they wish to do and they can start the course at any time.