The apprenticeship levy, which came into effect in April 2017, which meant businesses with a payroll costs in excess of £3 million a year must pay 0.5% of their payroll bill in the form of the levy minus a £15,000 allowance to HMRC. Businesses with payroll bills below that figure only have to contribute 10% of the cost of an apprenticeship.
New apprenticeship standards place more responsibility on the employer with engagement a key element of the framework. In the past qualifying the apprentice fell squarely on the shoulders of training providers, now employers need to be involved in the process and take a more pronounced and audited mentoring role.
To find out more about the training see our course enquires section.
Apprenticeships are changing from the SASE framework (Specification of Apprenticeship Standards in England) to new, employer-led, apprenticeship standards. These put employers in the driving seat as they help design the apprenticeships and manage the contracts with training providers.
As standards become available there can be a cross-over period where some training providers deliver these and some deliver the old SASE frameworks. The SASE frameworks are being discontinued and we expect they’ll be phased out completely by 2020.
Apprentices must learn and provide evidence of skills, knowledge and behaviours set down in the apprenticeship standard. They are set by employers, known as trailblazers, when the standard is first put together. The standard is made up of on-programmer learning and end-point-assessment.
We can offer advice on a tailor made programme so it is fit for purpose and adds value day one. Our team is here to help, email us for more information.
Take a listen to what Antony Jenkins the Chairman for the Institute for Apprenticeships has to say about the 2017 changes and their new digital support via their website
All apprentices should be supported to improve their Maths and English. Depending on the level of Maths and English they’ve already achieved and the apprenticeship being taken, studying Maths and English could be a requirement of their apprenticeship. Maths and English can be delivered through GCSE or Functional Skills, which again again we can assist and support your programme.