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Find out latest news on apprenticeships

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Latest further education and skills news: breaking news, in-depth investigations and expert opinion on colleges, apprenticeships and FE in England

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Guidance document

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Introduction

Currently around 1% of apprenticeships are privately funded. This is often due to the learner not meeting the eligibility requirements in the funding rules (if, for example, they are from a devolved nation). However, it is expected that the volume of privately funded learners may increase from January 2026, following the change to the funding of Level 7 apprenticeship provision (see Apprenticeship funding rules).

This information has been produced for providers who intend to deliver privately funded apprenticeships (so where no government apprenticeship funding is being accessed). This first version explains the current arrangements for privately funded learners.

To mitigate the risk that a growth in privately funded apprenticeship programmes from January 2026 may lead to inconsistent quality, we will be introducing additional provider requirements and compliance checks early next year. We will update this guidance accordingly before any new requirements and checks are introduced.

Statutory requirements for apprenticeships

Under the Apprenticeship, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 ( ASCLA) it is an offence for a person who is providing or offering a course or training, that is to be undertaken in England, to describe the course or training as an apprenticeship if it is not a statutory apprenticeship. This measure is designed to protect the integrity of, and prevent misuse of, the term 'apprenticeship' and to safeguard learners, employers, and providers.

Providers must not advertise, promote or describe any course or training as an apprenticeship unless the person doing the course or training is employed and works for reward under an English apprenticeship agreement (or is part of an arrangement which falls into one of the Alternative English apprenticeship categories specified in the Regulations). In addition, the programme must meet the following minimum statutory requirements:

it must align to an approved apprenticeship standard (approved for delivery on the Skills England website)

it must contain off-the-job training (OTJT) which meets the requirements of the approved standard for the occupation. This must be delivered within normal working hours

it must specify a practical period of training which meets at least the statutory minimum duration (8 months for new starts from August 2025)

it must include an independent end-point assessment or equivalent assessment aligned to the standard

Local Authorities, acting as weights and measures authorities, have a statutory duty to enforce these provisions.

Certification

An apprentice can only be certificated for their apprenticeship programme if the statutory requirements outlined above have been met and the apprenticeship training, and the end-point assessment, have been completed.

For all apprenticeships, including privately funded, an Individual Learning Record (ILR) needs to be submitted by the training provider for the apprentice to receive their apprenticeship certificate. Training Providers must submit a record for the learner on their ILR return to DfE (using code 99 - unfunded learner); this record must be accurately maintained in line with the ILR specification (this includes timeliness of data). Additional guidance on Certificates for privately funded learners is available.

To claim the apprenticeship certificate the end-point assessment provider must apply for the certificate on Apprenticeship Assessment Service and follow the instructions for a 'privately funded learner'.

Delivering Privately Funded Apprenticeships

Contractual arrangements

Before they deliver a privately funded apprenticeship, the training provider must:

Maths and English

As with funded apprentices, the English and maths exit requirements are optional for apprentices who are aged 19+ at the start of their apprenticeship training, unless the standard specifies differently.

Incentives and additional payments

As no government funding for training and assessment is being accessed, the learner, employer or provider is not eligible for incentives or additional support. This includes the additional £1,000 additional payment for younger learners, the care leaver bursary and learning support payments.

Using the apprentice rate of the National Minimum Wage

If the individual is working under a valid English apprenticeship agreement (or falls into one of the Alternative English apprenticeship categories) they are legally considered an apprentice. As such, the employer can use the apprentice rate of the National Minimum Wage, or higher if they wish.

Using the National Insurance exemption for younger apprentices

HMRC have confirmed that privately funded apprenticeships are eligible for the Class 1 National Insurance exemption, provided that:

the person is under the age of 25

the person is employed under an apprenticeship that falls within Regulation 154A(2) SSCR 2001, as set out in the National Insurance Manual at NIM01307

the person is being trained pursuant to an apprenticeship agreement which is either government funded or is set out in a written agreement between that person, the employer, and the training provider. The written agreement must include the type of apprenticeship standard being followed, the start date of the apprenticeship and the expected completion date of the apprenticeship

The exemption only applies to apprenticeships approved for delivery on the Skills England website, where the programme meets the definition set out in ASCLA.

Privately funded programmes and VAT

DfE does not give specific VAT advice and providers and employers should always seek their own advice. However, the following may be useful:

VAT Notice 701/30 outlines how VAT applies to education, research, vocational training, examination services and goods and services connected with these activities

where an apprenticeship is part funded by the government, the privately funded part may be subject to VAT, depending on who is delivering the training and whether this party has an 'eligible body' status

where an employer chooses to work with a provider that does not have eligible body status and the provider subsequently charges VAT on training that is for a business purpose, the employer would normally be able to reclaim this as input tax, subject to the normal rules. See VIT12100 - VAT Input Tax basics: the basic right to deduct principles and VIT21000 - Is it input tax: the link to supplies

Financial contributions by an apprentice

On a government funded programme the apprentice is prohibited from contributing financially to the eligible costs of training, on-programme or end-point assessment. This is not the case with a privately funded apprenticeship.

Non-compliance

Where providers do not comply with, or engage with, the statutory and contractual arrangements set out above they risk losing access to funded delivery and risk removal from the Apprenticeship provider and assessment register.

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Privately funded apprenticeships: rules and guidance

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Currently around 1% of apprenticeships are privately funded. This is often due to the learner not meeting the eligibility requirements in the funding rules (if, for example, they are from a devolved nation). However, it is expected that the volume of privately funded learners may increase from January 2026, following the change to the funding of Level 7 apprenticeship provision (see Apprenticeship funding rules).

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Meet the Apprentices: Podcasts & Case Studies

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Meet the Apprentices: Podcasts & Case Studies

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National Apprenticeship Week: Podcast with Mark and Rachel from Lancs & South Cumbria ICB. Apprentices on the L7 Senior Leaders programme talk to Jacqui Gladwin & Ruth Carman about their experiences.

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The NW NHSE service may close when NHSE closes. See impact assessment and recommendations sent to Regional Executive Team

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NW Levy Transfer Service Impact Report 2026 Final JG 

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Sir Keir Starmer has published this Written Statement below just now

I am making this statement to bring to the House’s attention the following Machinery of Government change.

I am today confirming that responsibility for apprenticeships, adult further education, skills, training and careers, and Skills England, will move from the Department for Education to the Department for Work and Pensions.

Responsibility for higher education, and further education, skills, training and careers for those aged 19 years and under will remain with the Department for Education.

Baroness Smith of Malvern, the Minister for Skills, will serve jointly across the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education.

This change is effective today, 16 September 2025.

(The government team looking after the AAN will make this move and there are no immediate changes to the AAN work. We will share future comms as usual).

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L7 Mitigation Funding for 5 Health Standards

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L7 Mitigation Funding for 5 Health Standards

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Please contact us to find out more: jacqui.gladwin1@nhs.net or michael.mcnamee@nhs.net

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NHS England (NHSE) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) have announced a secured commitment to continue funding Level 7 apprenticeships until 2029 in five professions critical to delivering the Government's 10 Year Health Plan.

Further information, including an invitation to an NHSE employer briefing being held on Wednesday 13 August 2025, will be shared with employers by NHSE regional apprenticeship leads.

From April 2026 funding will be available, subject to eligibility criteria, for the following apprenticeships:

Advanced clinical practitioner

Specialist community public health nurse (SCPHN)

District nurse (Community Specialist Practice Qualification)

Clinical associate in psychology (CAP)

Population health intelligence specialist (PHIS)

This initiative supports the wider apprenticeship agenda, strengthens workforce capacity in community settings, and contributes to social mobility and widening access goals.

Funding will be allocated through the Education and Training Activity Programme (ETAP) as a training grant. Employers will submit an expression of interest (EOI) to access funding, which will be distributed nationally based on workforce need, training provider capacity, and strategic priorities.

The fund will be available to a range of employer organisations:

National organisations

Integrated care boards

Primary care and independent providers

Integrated health and social care organisations

Third sector and charitable providers

Other organisations contracted to deliver NHS or public health services

Additional information on funding is expected in September 2025. NHS Employers will share further details on the EOI process and timelines when available.

For queries, contact NHSE: england.nhsapprenticeships@nhs.net

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NHS England confirms mitigation funding for Level 7 apprenticeships

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NHS England confirms Level 7 apprenticeship funding for key NHS roles until 2029.

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A report on the future employment demand across 10 key sectors and the education pathways for the priority occupations in these sectors.

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Fact or Fiction: What you need to know about apprenticeships.

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25/26 Funding rules

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DfE releases full list of standards that will benefit from four-month breathing period for providers

DfE releases full list of standards that will benefit from four-month breathing period for providers

The government will temporarily slash minimum off-the-job training (OTJ) hours for dozens of apprenticeship standards following concerns that the timing to implement new rules was too short.

Last month, the Department for Education agreed cuts to OTJ hours for 39 standards "of concern".

In version 2 of the 2025-26 apprenticeship funding rules published today, the DfE has added 34 more to the list of standards included in a "transitional period" for off-the-job training, bringing the total to 73 (see full list below).

However, only 60 of the 73 listed show more lenient OTJ hours during the transition period. It appears the other 13 standards have also been listed because the overall OTJ hour baseline has been reduced since the original version.

For example, the level 6 aerospace engineer had a minimum requirement of 1344 hours in May's announcement but this figure has been lowered to 1205 hours from August onwards.

FE Week is seeking clarity from DfE but did not receive a response at the time of going to press.

In May, DfE said it would introduce minimum off-the-job training (OTJ) hours for each apprenticeship standard for the first time.

It means that training providers no longer have to calculate how much minimum OTJ training each apprentice requires depending on the length of their apprenticeship - which must be at least 20 per cent of their working hours.

But providers complained that there was not enough time to talk to employers on the change nor to tweak their specific delivery models and curriculum.

As a compromise, the minimum OTJ training hours for new starts between August and December this year have now been lowered for all providers wanting to deliver 73 apprenticeship standards.

The move aims to allow training providers "headroom" to engage with employers and change delivery models.

The changes are effective from August this year, in accordance with the 2025-26 funding rules.

Three standards published in last month's list are no longer in the revised list due to no change in the set minimum hours. These are the level 3 funeral director, fundraiser and team leader standards.

DfE has reduced the minimum hours for new starts from January for fifteen standards in its version two of the rules.

For example, the level 3 early years educator standard, which has a temporary 326 OTJ hours set, will increase to 370 hours from January as opposed to the original 396 hours.

The rest will shift back to the original hours required from January.

Providers risk DfE clawback if they do not meet the minimum requirement of OTJ training.

Minimum hours for the first seven foundation apprenticeships have also been published today. They are all set at 187 hours each.

RPL changes

DfE also clarified its stance on recognition of prior learning policy (RPL).

Providers must use their own planned OTJ hours as a starting point for calculating RPL, "provided their planned hours are equal to or more than the published OTJT minimum requirement for the standard".

"This figure can only be reduced if there is evidence of relevant prior learning," the rules said.

The guidance added that no apprenticeship programme must fall below 187 hours of delivery or 8 months in duration.

Full list of 73 apprenticeships with OTJ 'transition' period

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Dozens of apprenticeships granted 'transitional period' for OTJ hours

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The government has temporarily slashed minimum off-the-job training (OTJ) hours for dozens of apprenticeship standards following concerns that the timing to implement new rules was too short.

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Encouraging young people to pursue a career in health

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Contact for help or support with anything apprenticeship including trailblazers, levy transfers etc.

North West Relationship Manager: Michael McNamee

E. michael.mcnamee@nhs.net

North West WP Careers & Apprenticeships Team
Jacqui Gladwin: Senior Manager
E. Jacqui.Gladwin1@nhs.net

M. 07824301673

Contact Levy Box for info on levy transfers: england.levytransfer.nw@nhs.net

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ENIC Checks: Maths & English equivalence for overseas qualifications

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ENIC Checks: Maths & English equivalence for overseas qualifications

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Contact jacqui.gladwin1@nhs.net

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Liverpool Locality Training Hub is designed to meet the educational needs of the multi-disciplinary primary care workforce across the 10 Liverpool PCNs. We coordinate student nurse placements, support practice colleagues with workforce planning and oversee non-medical student capacity across the Liverpool area.

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Greater Manchester Primary Care Provider Board (GM PCB) brings together community pharmacy, dentistry, general practice and optometry.

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Lancashire and South Cumbria Training Hub

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OUR VISION By delivering excellence in education, training, placement provision and supporting career progression through educational, training and workforce opportunities we strive to support the delivery of a highly skilled, satisfied public and patient focused workforce across the North West OUR VALUES InclusivityWork collaboratively and…

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To be funded for under 21s no decision re exemptions as of May 21st

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Phillipson to exempt young people from level 7 apprenticeships funding axe

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Education secretary makes ‘important concession’ amid backlash from other government departments

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What you need to know?

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Apprenticeship achievement rates 2023-24: what you need to know

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Most large providers improve, while some achievement gaps between learner groups got wider

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English and maths apprenticeship reforms: 24-25 funding rules updated

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Exit requirement ditched for apprentices aged 19+ on the day of their start

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Incorporates report on changes to levy to become wider remit than just apprenticeships

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Skills England is a new arms-length body that will bring together key partners to meet the skills needs of the next decade.

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ATC Apprenticeship Awards winners 2025 revealed

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Twenty organisations now award-winners for exceptional work in training apprentices

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ESFA Update further education: 26 February 2025

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Report by MMU Business Development Unit

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Discover the impact of our degree apprenticeships for apprentices, employers and the wider economy.

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The rules for apprenticeship unit funding.

The draft 2026 funding rules are for information only.

If you have any feedback on the 2026 apprenticeship funding rules, email fundingrules.comments@education.gov.uk by Tuesday 31 March 2026.

We will review all feedback and publish updated guidance in April 2026. The updated guidance will apply to apprenticeship units starting from April 2026 to 31 July 2026.

We will also publish a further version for apprenticeship units starting from 1 August 2026.

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Apprenticeship unit funding rules, 2026 to 2027

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The rules for apprenticeship unit funding.

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Replacement for some of the HASO content. Search standards etc.

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Skills England works with partners to create better skills for better jobs, enabling growth and opportunity. Skills England is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Education .

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Up to 10,000 more apprentices will be able to qualify per year as the government cuts red tape to boost economic growth by giving employers more flexibility over maths and English requirements.

Rules slowing down the training of workers in key industries like construction will also be changed as the government reveals plans to turbocharge growth industries with reduced bureaucracy for apprenticeships and new leadership also appointed for Skills England.

Leading employers have been calling for these changes. Businesses will now be able to decide whether adult learners over the age of 19 when they start their apprenticeship course will need to complete a level 2 English and maths qualification (equivalent to GCSE) in order to pass it. This means more learners can qualify in high demand sectors such as healthcare, social care and construction, helping to drive growth and meet government targets in key areas such as housebuilding.

This could mean as many as 10,000 more apprentices per year will be able to complete their apprenticeship, unlocking opportunity in communities all over the country and breaking the link between background and success. It does not mean that apprentices won't be assessed on core English and maths skills relevant to their occupation, but it does mean that apprentices will be able to focus more on their paid work.

The minimum duration of an apprenticeship will be reduced to eight months, down from the current minimum of 12 months.

Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson said:

Growing the economy and opportunity for all are fundamental Missions of our Plan for Change, and we are determined to support apprentices throughout this National Apprenticeship Week and beyond.

Businesses have been calling out for change to the apprenticeship system and these reforms show that we are listening. Our new offer of shorter apprenticeships and less red tape strikes the right balance between speed and quality, helping achieve our number one mission to grow the economy.

Skills England will be a major driver in addressing the skills gaps needed to support employers up and down the country and I look forward to working with the new leadership.

Craig Beaumont, Executive Director, Federation of Small Businesses said:

It's encouraging to see Government shorten the length of apprenticeships, and give employers the right to decide whether Level 2 English and Maths is needed. These flexibilities should help SME employers fill skills gaps faster.

These announcements come as the Education Secretary kicked off National Apprenticeship Week yesterday, which celebrates the achievements of apprentices around the country and the positive impact they make to communities, businesses, and the wider economy.

The plans also follow the Prime Minister's announcement in September, when he pledged to reform the new growth and skills offer to ensure young people are better supported.

Three trailblazer apprenticeships in key shortage occupations will look to pioneer the new shorter apprenticeship approach, with apprentices in green energy, healthcare and film/TV production set to be able to take on these new courses.

Changes to the minimum length of an apprenticeship will be introduced from August 2025 subject to the legislative timetable, with changes to English and maths requirements coming into effect immediately. This will be hugely beneficial to employers in sectors like construction which have an urgent need for qualified workers, helping to meet the government's mission to build 1.5 million homes by the end of this parliament.

The Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has also announced that Phil Smith CBE will chair Skills England, the new nationwide body for skills, with Sir David Bell serving as Vice Chair. Tessa Griffiths and Sarah Maclean will jointly serve as CEO, while Gemma Marsh will serve as Deputy CEO.

Phil Smith is the former chair and CEO of international tech and telecoms giant Cisco. He brings extensive industry experience in digital, tech and innovation leadership and his appointment signals the seriousness of the government's plan for growth, unlocked via a national vision for skills.

Sir David Bell has four decades of experience in the education and skills sector and is currently Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Sunderland

Phil Smith CBE said:

I know from my time in industry how valuable direct engagement from employers can be in shaping government policy.

We need a dynamic skills system that can drive economic growth, and I'm excited to be involved in shaping Skills England as part of that.

Sir David Bell said:

I look forward to working with Phil Smith, other colleagues in Skills England, and the Department for Education to help deliver economic growth and meet the nation's skills needs.

I know from my experience in public policy and higher education that providing the skilled workforce which Britain requires depends on industry, government and education organisations working together. I am very confident therefore that Skills England will provide the strategic oversight to make that happen.

Skills England will bring together key partners to meet the skills needs of the next decade across all regions of England. More than 700 stakeholders have already been engaged through roundtables, webinars and engagement events.

It will work with employers, national, regional and local government, providers, and unions to identify skills shortages and provide strong strategic direction for the skills system.

One of Skills England's first orders of business will be to identify which apprenticeships would be best served by the shorter duration approach. Skills England will prioritise key shortage occupations as per the industrial strategy, helping to boost growth under our Plan for Change.

Euan Blair MBE, founder and CEO, Multiverse said:

This important announcement will do so much to widen and expand access to apprenticeships and should be welcomed as a move to put our skills system at the heart of the growth Mission. For years this requirement has created an artificial barrier between apprenticeships and those who could benefit from them, including young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and older workers whose roles are at risk of job displacement, while often diluting the quality and purpose of an apprenticeship. Apprenticeships are about giving as many people as possible the ability to improve their career prospects and contribute meaningfully to their employers: this move helps to underline that focus.

Sharon Blyfield, Head of Early Careers at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB, said:

At Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, we believe that the inclusion of functional skills as an exit for apprenticeships have often hindered many people from reaching their full potential. The announced changes will help make apprenticeships a more viable option to more people, not only new recruits but also for our current employees who missed out on these skills during their school years. These changes will enable them to successfully complete their apprenticeships without added barriers, which is brilliant news.

Alex Hall-Chen Principal Policy Advisor, Sustainability, Skills, and Employment said:

Apprenticeships are a vital tool in tackling the UK's persistent skills shortages, and this announcement is a welcome step in removing unnecessary barriers to increasing apprenticeship numbers.

Research with IoD members clearly showed that giving employers flexibility when it comes to English and Maths qualifications for adult apprentices has the potential to unlock more apprenticeship opportunities.

Employers are well-placed to judge whether English and Maths qualifications are the most appropriate route to evidence or develop the literacy and numeracy skills needed for success in the given career path.

Chris Bailey, Starbucks UK Early Careers Manager said:

Starbucks UK welcomes the announcement around relaxing the requirements of functional skills for learners 19yrs+. Removing this significant barrier will support our commitment to enrolling more apprentices, particularly those who may have previously faced challenges with functional skills assessments. By embracing this change we can empower more of our Partners to gain valuable recognised qualifications, develop their skills, and progress within Starbucks and their careers.

Lisa Pinfield, Group Director of Performance & Development, Capita said:

Making Functional Skills requirements more flexible for apprenticeships will open doors for more adult learners, especially those from diverse backgrounds. By removing unnecessary barriers, employers can welcome a wider pool of talented apprentices who bring valuable skills and experience. This change will help businesses grow, support social mobility, and give more people the chance to succeed through apprenticeships.

Jo Rackham, Executive Director of People of the John Lewis Partnership, said:

Apprenticeships help us build and retain the skills we need to deliver brilliant service to our customers and power our growth. They've helped 5,000 employees, or as we're called Partners, progress in their careers since 2017.

We welcome the relaxation in functional skills requirements. It's an important step towards the reform needed to help more people access apprenticeships. Gaining GCSE Maths and English qualifications can be a significant barrier to starting or completing one and we believe it will help more disadvantaged people, including those who leave the care system or those with learning disabilities, make a career for themselves.

Matthew Percival, Future of Work and Skills Director, CBI said:

Apprenticeships have an important role to play in building the skills for growth. Greater flexibility on minimum length and on English and Maths requirements will help businesses to offer more workers the opportunity to add to their skills.

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10,000 more apprentices as Government slashes red tape to boost growth

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Shorter and flexible apprenticeships and new English and maths requirements to boost skills and support employers

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For financial year 24/25

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DFE report underpinning plans to reduce numbers who are NEET

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Useful resource to promote career pathways via apprenticeships

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Find out news and events for FE

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Latest further education and skills news: breaking news, in-depth investigations and expert opinion on colleges, apprenticeships and FE in England

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This release shows provisional data on apprenticeships in England for the first quarter of the 2024/25 academic year covering the period August 2024 to October 2024, based on data returned by providers in December 2024.

Please note that the ‘Explore data and files used in this release’ section contains the underlying files and featured tables that underpin this release. You can also view featured tables or create your own table using the ‘create your own tables’ functionality.

Changes for 2024/25

There is no longer a statutory target for public sector apprenticeships. Given the burden placed on public sector organisations to submit their employee and apprenticeship data to the Department, feedback from providers was sought to establish the relevance of these statistics going forwards. The feedback confirmed that there would be no detriment to end reporting on public sector apprenticeships after the November update and that data collection from 2024-25 onwards can stop. Therefore, the department will cease to publish further Public Sector Apprenticeship statistics.

The next update will be in March 2025 and will cover the period from August 2024 to January 2025. In accordance with previous announcements we are no longer producing the small interim monthly updates.

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Prime Minister overhauls apprenticeships to support opportunity

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Reforms to apprenticeship system in England announced, alongside publication of first Skills England report highlighting nationwide skills gaps.

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Find out what occupations are covered by apprenticeships and how the career pathways align

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What are the occupational maps?

The occupational maps help anyone who has an interest, or is working, in technical education. This includes:

Helping people understand the options to train and progress in their careers

Showing how occupations at different levels link together

Providing workforce and career planning information, including likely salaries

IfATE works with employers to develop and approve:

The maps show how these fit together. They are important because they help everyone, no matter where they come from. Read more

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Occupational Maps: Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education

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The occupational maps show the relationships that exist between education, qualifications, apprenticeships and occupations in England. You can explore occupations with details of relevant apprenticeships and other technical education qualifications (T Levels, HTQs), and possible career progression.

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Salisbury Procurement Framework

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Outlines future plans for growth including increase of apprenticeships

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Watch the NCFE 2023 Apprentice of the Year Christopher Ademola talk about social care

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Watch the NCFE 2023 Apprentice of the Year Christopher Ademola talk about social care

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Fantastic interview: find out more about being an apprentice

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Statistics: further education and skills

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Statistics on participation and learner outcomes in the further education (FE) and skills sector, including apprenticeships, reported from January 2014 to date.

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Apprenticeships: How they can add value to your organisation

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Apprenticeships: How they can add value to your organisation

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1. News and events

2. Blogs and articles

3. Why apprenticeships can be a positive addition to your recruitment strategy

25 Aug 2021

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Recruitment

Workforce development

As part of our #RecruitmentReady spotlight we spoke with one care provider about how they've used apprenticeship programmes and the benefits it's had for their organisation and their recruitment strategy.

Apprenticeships are a great way to recruit new staff, while also providing opportunities for people who are just beginning their journeys in the care sector. Apprenticeships can also be used as a tool to upskill existing staff into new roles to develop and grow your team from the inside rather than recruiting externally.

We spoke to Sunlight Care Group to gain insight into how they've embraced apprenticeships, and how it's worked for them during a pandemic to recruit new staff and upskill their existing staff into new roles.

Sunlight Care Group

Sunlight Care Group work towards a future where all minds are supported and empowered, whatever the challenges. The people they support are at the heart of everything they do. But, after talking to Steven Paul-Wingate Davis, Registered Manager, and Ali Sharif, Operations Director, it's clear that Sunlight's workforce is also front and centre when it comes to enabling everyone to achieve their aspirations.

Apprenticeships and the pandemic

Through prompt and savvy investment in a variety of apprenticeship programmes early in the pandemic, Sunlight Care was able to upskill right across its workforce by developing their staff to undertake new roles as part of an apprenticeship, as well as hiring new apprentices.

Utilising the adult care worker apprenticeship, they recruited new workers by promoting a career in care and investing in their new recruits' futures.

They also utilised the lead adult care worker and healthcare assistant practitioner apprenticeships to provide their established workforce with opportunities to develop themselves and redefine their roles. They told us that this "higher skills set has been critical" in supporting their customers and other professionals.

At Sunlight Care, the healthcare assistant practitioner apprentices have developed and played a key role in supporting district nurses and reducing hospital admissions during the pandemic. They've carried out healthcare tasks, mental health interventions, insulin administration and wound care, as well as demonstrating courage and confidence in managing complex situations with occupational therapists, nurses, and GPs.

Enthusiastic apprentices

Steven told us that apprentices who are new to the organisation and those who are working in new roles are keen to learn and develop their skills. He said:

"When people see they can do more, they want to do more."

During the pandemic, the upskilling of the existing workforce through apprenticeship programmes as well as the onboarding of new apprentices allowed learners to provide additional care and support to the people they were supporting and feel they were "really contributing to society", Steven says.

The team at Sunlight Care have found apprentices to be motivated, invested in their role and ambitious about progression. Of the 20 new assistant practitioners at Sunlight Care, a quarter have already taken on additional responsibilities, such as supporting Care Certificate learners or delivering training.

Others have progressed into senior management roles or leading on medication compliance; two have even had university offers.

Whilst Steven and Ali will be sad to see these apprentices move on, they're passionate about "working with [learners] to assess their needs and move them forwards."

Championing apprenticeships

Steven feels that apprenticeships, "provide a world of opportunities in a sector where people don't always have them or celebrate them."

Apprenticeships form an important part on Sunlight's recruitment strategy; 50% of Sunlight Care's workforce are apprentices, and to date their retention rate is extremely high, at 95%.

Steven and Ali feel their employer-led, hands-on approach has a lot to do with this, enabling learners to be fully supported, guided, and offered opportunities to progress.

Apprenticeships also offer Sunlight Care excellent value for money. As a non-levy payer, they contribute 5% of the overall cost which Steven and Ali see as extremely cost-effective for such a robust, adaptable programme.

In terms of return on investment, aside from a motivated, skilled workforce able to better support their customers and community, the higher level of skill across their workforce has allowed Sunlight to rapidly expand its services. They now deliver almost 10 times more support hours than they did prior to implementing an apprenticeship scheme.

Achieving off-the-job training

Sunlight Care's commitment to individual development has meant that achieving the 20% off-the-job training component of the apprenticeships hasn't presented a challenge.

They have a creative, engaging, and comprehensive learning and development pathway, which means that learners achieve their off-the-job training with ease. Learning is seen as a crucial part of all workers' roles, and they have the support of their manager to achieve this.

Adult care worker and lead adult care worker apprentices are issued with a workbook to help them structure their learning, collect evidence, and reflect on their practice.

End Point Assessment

All apprentices complete an End Point Assessment (EPA) at the end of their apprenticeships programme and receive a final grade based on this. EPA activities vary across different apprenticeship standards, but might include a combination of: multiple choice tests, observations, professional discussions, or reflective practice.

Sunlight Care sees the EPA as a crucial element in an apprentices' journey - providing a sense of pride and ensuring the apprentice finishes what they started.

As well as giving the programme more credibility, EPA ensures that the apprenticeship is "a quality programme and has a level of rigour" above and beyond achieving a standalone qualification.

Discover apprenticeships

Funding is available for organisations wishing to recruit apprentices. However, the level of contribution will depend on whether your organisation is a levy, or non-levy payer. You can find more information about funding on our website.
If you're interested in finding out more about welcoming apprentices into your organisation, we have everything you need on our website Take a look at our apprenticeship section.
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Why apprenticeships can be a positive addition to your recruitment strategy

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News and events Blogs and articles Why apprenticeships can be a positive addition to your recruitment strategy 25 Aug 2021 Browser does not support script. Recruitment Workforce development As part of our #RecruitmentReady spotlight we spoke with one care provider about how they've used apprenticeship programmes and the benefits it's had for their organisation and their recruitment strategy.

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Apprentices can be employed from 16 upwards. Pay and conditions is depenent on age.

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

This guidance is for employers in England. There's a different way to employ an:

Apprentices can be new or current employees.

You must pay the apprentice at least the minimum wage.

Apprenticeships must last at least a year. They can last up to 5 years depending on the level the apprentice is studying.

Your responsibilities

You're responsible for making sure your apprentice:

works with experienced staff

learns job-specific skills

gets time off during their working week for apprenticeship training

Hiring an apprentice

There are several steps to taking on an apprentice.

1. Choose an apprenticeship for your business or organisation.

2. Find an organisation that offers training for the apprenticeship you've chosen.

3. Check what training funding you can get.

4. Create an account - you need this to manage funding and recruit apprentices.

5. Advertise your apprenticeship - find out how to create an advert or give your training provider permission to do this for you.

6. Make an apprenticeship agreement and training plan with your chosen apprentice.

If you do not want to hire and train the apprentice yourself, you can use a flexi-job apprenticeship agency. The apprentice will be employed by the agency but will work in your organisation.

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How to employ an apprentice, what's expected of you and what funding you can get.

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NHSE Tool

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Find out about ROI in apprenticeships and other skills based programmes

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Contact SBS for information on the framework and providers on it

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The Apprenticeship Training Services Framework Agreement provides access to services from a broad range of apprenticeship training providers.

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Summary of research papers on apprenticeships

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National Foundation for Educational Research

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Find out more about NFER’s recent research into apprenticeships.

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Use the search function to find an apprenticeship and provider

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Find apprenticeship training if you're an employer

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Skip to main content We use some essential cookies to make this website work. We'd like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

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Impact of apprenticeships on social mobility highlights the need to improve diversity in opportunities going forward. The impact the levy has had on reducing opportunities across disadvantged groups

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HASO document suggesting off the job activities duriing CV disruption. See website for additonal details

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General information on apprenticeships

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Interactive Primary Care Apprenticeship Resource

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Interactive Primary Care Apprenticeship Resource

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Apprenticeship standards have been moved so click on individual job families to search for each standard showcased

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Apprenticeship Guide

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Apprenticeship and traineeship programmes can be a cost-effective way to create a skilled, diverse, flexible and motivated workforce and can help employees keep pace with developments in technology and working practices within healthcare. These programmes can also help improve the diversity of your workforce and open up employment opportunities to young people from your local community.

Our NHS apprenticeship and traineeship web pages will help you keep up to date with recent policy changes, best practice and provide key resources to help you grow and develop the workforce you need for the future.

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Apprenticeship and traineeship programmes can be a cost-effective way to create a skilled, diverse, flexible and motivated workforce and can help employees keep pace with developments in technology and working practices within healthcare. These programmes can also help improve the diversity of your workforce and open up employment opportunities to young people from your local community.

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We've developed a series of webinars for adult social care providers focussing on embracing apprenticeships.

With input from the Department for Education, employers, learning providers, and learners, these apprenticeship webinars will look at the latest changes to apprenticeships and give you valuable insight into effectively utilising apprenticeships within your organisation at all levels, and within a number of different disciplines.

Apprenticeship update in collaboration with the Department of Education (DfE)

The Department of Education took the lead in this webinar which provided employers with the latest apprenticeship updates and how they may impact on the Care sector. We were also joined by employers who shared their experience of apprenticeships, how they make them work within their organisations and the impact they can have.

Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship, Health and Care Management (CMI) in collaboration with Arden University

How can you or someone in your organisation progress beyond level 5? We are often told there is a gap in this area so we invited Arden University (a Skills for Care endorsed provider) to talk about their new Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship, Health and Care Management (CMI). This session covered the apprenticeship itself, how it's funded and how you could progress even further following its completion.

Level 5 Leader in Adult Care Apprenticeship and its potential impact on your organisation

In this webinar led by Access Skills Ltd (a Skills for Care endorsed provider), we explore real examples of the impact that undertaking and completing the Level 5 Leader in Adult Care Apprenticeship can have on an organisation.

Nursing apprenticeships

The Nursing Associate is still a relatively new occupation introduced into the health and care workforce to bridge the gap between health and care assistants and registered nurses. It's a stand-alone role that will also provide a progression route into the Registered Nurse Degree apprenticeship. In this webinar we explore the role of the Nursing Associate apprenticeship and the Nursing Degree apprenticeship within your organisation. Could this be an opportunity for current health and social care staff to develop their skills and knowledge and how can you facilitate that?

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We've developed a series of webinars for adult social care providers focussing on embracing apprenticeships. With input from the Department for Education, employers, learning providers, and learners, these apprenticeship webinars will look at the latest changes to apprenticeships and give you valuable insight into effectively utilising apprenticeships within your organisation at all levels, and within a number of different disciplines.

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Apprenticeship and cadets scheme resources and case studies

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apprenticeships offer structured training with an employer and lead to nationally recognised qualifications

they provide a route into hundreds of different careers, including many in organisations providing NHS healthcare

apprenticeships can take anything from one to four years to complete

they are open to anyone from the age of 16

apart from learning in the workplace, you may go on day or block release to a training centre or college

you work towards a competence qualification (based on what you can do in the workplace) and a knowledge qualification, or a qualification combining both elements

you will develop your skills, including English and maths

if you are aged 16 to 18 or 19+ and in your first year of an apprenticeship, you should receive at least the National Minimum Wage for apprentices (£3.50 an hour (as at April 2017). Otherwise you are entitled to the National Minimum Wage rate for your age. Many employers pay well over the minimum

Apprenticeships are available at four levels:

Intermediate apprenticeships - follow work-based learning towards level 2 - equivalent to 5 GCSEs A* - C

Advanced apprenticeship - follow work-based learning towards level 3 - equivalent to 2 A-levels

Higher apprenticeships - follow work-based learning towards levels 4,5,6 & 7 - equivalent to a foundation degree and above

Degree apprenticeships - follow work-based learning towards levels 6 & 7 - equivalent to a full bachelor's or master's degree

Entry requirements

Employers will want to make sure that you can cope with the level of the work involved. So the entry requirements will depend on the employer and the type and level of apprenticeship. For instance, for direct entry to an Advanced Level Apprenticeship, you may need four or five GCSEs at grades A-C or equivalent (note a new grading scheme will be introduced for GCSEs from 2017), sometimes including particular subjects. You may be expected to take an entry test. To start a higher apprenticeship you are likely to need a qualification at level 3 or sufficient experience.

Types of apprenticeships

There are hundreds of different jobs covered by apprenticeships. Examples of apprenticeships in health, public services and care include:

Other apprenticeships offered by organisations that provide NHS healthcare are suitable for work with other types of employers too, such as those in construction, facilities, business administration, logistics and management. There are many more.
Look at the Explore roles pages to find out whether apprenticeships are available for any career areas that interest you.
Find out more and apply

There's often tough competition for apprenticeship places. In your application and interview you need to show that you are committed, aware of your responsibilities and able to cope with the work and study. Our career planning section has lots of information on applications, interviews etc.

After completing an apprenticeship, you may be offered a permanent job.

There has never been a better time to start an apprenticeship. Applying is easy. Visit the Gov.uk website for more general information and to register, search and apply for opportunities. Apprenticeship vacancies may also be found on the NHS Jobs website. You can also take a look at the 'Choose an Apprenticeship' Video produced by the National Skills Academy for Health.

Next steps after an apprenticeship

After completing an apprenticeship, you may be offered a permanent job. Most successful apprentices stay in employment, often with the same employer. Check whether you are likely to be offered work at the end of your programme.

Ask whether there are opportunities for promotion when you have completed your apprenticeship and whether you will be able to continue with your studies. You can often progress from one level of apprenticeship to another. Some apprenticeships provide you with the qualifications you need to go to university.

You can also get free and impartial careers advice from the National Careers Service. Search online for 'National Careers Service' or call an adviser on 0800 100 900.

Traineeships Expand / Collapse

Traineeships help unlock your great potential. They give you training to prepare you for the world of work, maths and English skills and the work experience needed to get an apprenticeship or other job.

What are they?

traineeships are education and training programmes combined with work experience

traineeships aim to give you the skills and experience to help you find an apprenticeship or job

they are tailored to meet your needs

there are three core elements: a work placement, training in how to prepare for work, and support with your English and maths if you need it

traineeships can last from six weeks to six months

Are you suitable?

You may be able to take a traineeship if you are:

unemployed (or work less than 16 hours a week)

have little work experience

are aged 16-18 and don't have a level-3 qualification, or if you are aged 19-23 and don't have a level-2 qualification

Further information

Traineeship opportunities are advertised regularly on the Gov.uk website.

Cadet schemes Expand / Collapse

Cadet schemes are a great way to learn and gain experience at the same time.

In a few areas of the country, cadet schemes provide an entry route into careers in health. Programmes and entry requirements vary widely but cadet schemes are usually offered in partnership with a local further education college.

Where available, cadet schemes involve supervised experience in a variety of settings and lead to level-2 or -3 qualifications.

Cadet schemes can help you decide on a career route to follow and can lead to work in a number of different areas, including nursing or support-level roles with or without patient contact.

It is important to note that most cadet schemes have been replaced by apprenticeship schemes, but contact the organisations providing NHS healthcare in your area to see if they offer cadet schemes.

Read how Luke Watson is getting on in his cadet scheme here .

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Apprenticeships, traineeships and cadet schemes

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apprenticeships offer structured training with an employer and lead to nationally recognised qualifications they provide a route into hundreds of different careers, including many in organisations providing NHS healthcare apprenticeships can take anything from one to four years to complete they are open to anyone from the age of 16

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For information and support on learning in social care

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Lancashire and South Cumbria Training Hub

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Lancashire and South Cumbria Social Care Training Hub The Social Care Training Hub has been developed to support the broad range of CQC registered Adult Social Care providers in Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Partnership (ICP).We recognise that the training and development of the…

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Guide on how to register and set up a digital apprenticeship account

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All apprenticeships are arranged through the apprenticeship service. To use the apprenticeship service employers need to create an account.

Before setting up your apprenticeship service account

You'll need:

a GOV.UK One Login account linked to an email address you use for work - you can create this at the same time as creating your apprenticeship service account

the Government Gateway login for your organisation (or you can use the accounts office reference number and employer PAYE scheme reference number if your annual pay bill is less than £3 million)

authority to add PAYE schemes to the account

authority to accept the employer agreement on behalf of your organisation

We'll ask you to:

create an account

add a PAYE scheme on behalf of your organisation

accept the employer agreement with the Department for Education (DfE)

How to get a PAYE scheme reference number

If you are a small employer who does not pay the apprenticeship levy, you will need your PAYE scheme reference number, also known as an employer reference number ( ERN), and your account office reference number ( AORN).

If your business has no employees, then you may not have a PAYE scheme reference number. You will need to register as an employer with HMRC to receive your PAYE scheme reference number.

Setting up your PAYE scheme reference number

If you have recently received a PAYE scheme reference number, you need to complete some steps before setting up your apprenticeship service account:

submit at least one payroll return to HMRC using their basic PAYE tool - this can be a blank employer payment summary (EPS) if you are not yet employing someone

notify HMRC that you will be taking on an apprentice under your business's PAYE and submit the data

Registering on the apprenticeship service

Once you are ready to register, you can create an account to manage apprenticeships.

Using your account

As an employer, you'll be able to:

As an employer who pays the apprenticeship levy, you'll be able to:

As an employer that does not pay the apprenticeship levy you'll be able to reserve apprenticeship funding.

Apprenticeship account roles and permissions

You need to think about who you want to have access to your apprenticeship service account. You can control what each person can do.

You can give staff members permission to:

approve apprenticeship data

approve costs for training which are agreed with the training provider

reconcile payments to training providers

sign the agreement with DfE

You should give at least one other team member full access. This means that if the account owner is on holiday or leaves the organisation, someone else can sign an agreement or make changes.

How funding works if you pay the apprenticeship levy

If you pay the apprenticeship levy, you will need to work with your:

payroll department to understand how much apprenticeship levy you are due to pay each month and submit to HMRC through the PAYE process

finance department for strategic decisions on how you will spend your levy funds

HR or training department to discuss your apprenticeship strategy

The amount of funding entering your account each month is calculated by:

the levy you declare to HMRC through the PAYE process

multiplied by the proportion of your pay bill paid to your workforce who live in England

plus a 10% government top-up on this amount

How funding works if you do not pay the apprenticeship levy

Smaller employers who do not pay the apprenticeship levy share the cost of training and assessing their apprentices with the government. This is called 'co-investment'.

For new apprenticeships starting on or after 1 April 2019 you pay 5% towards the cost of apprenticeship training. The government will pay the rest (95%) up to the funding band maximum.

All apprenticeships that started before 1 April 2019 will continue at the previous co-investment rate of 10%.

You can pay the difference from your own budget if the price of training is more than the funding band maximum.

As a smaller employer, you will need to reserve funds in the 'finance' section of your apprenticeship service account before starting an apprentice. You can also give your training provider permission to reserve funds on your behalf.

You will need to know:

Before the apprentice starts their training, you can change the apprenticeship start date and training course.

When you can use reserved funds

The reservation period for employers who do not pay the apprenticeship levy is 3 months. This means funds can be reserved for 3 months before the apprenticeship is planned to start.

From 3 April 2023, small employers who do not pay the levy will no longer be limited to a maximum of 10 new apprenticeship starts - they will be able to recruit as many high-quality apprentices as their business needs.

We will continue to monitor the number of reservations to help us manage the Government's overall spend on apprenticeships.

Funds transferred from employers who pay the levy to other employers through the apprenticeship service are not included when counting the number of reservations.

You could be eligible for additional payments for apprenticeships depending on both you and your apprentice's circumstances.

Get help

For further information:

You can also call 08000 150 600 or email helpdesk@manage-apprenticeships.service.gov.uk. Our opening times are 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday. During our opening times, we will reply to emails within 4 hours.

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How to register and use the apprenticeship service as an employer

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Guidance on how to use the apprenticeship service to access funds to pay for apprenticeship training.

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Example Policy

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New Options for Apprenticeships via UCAS

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New Options for Apprenticeships via UCAS

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Young people will be able to use UCAS - the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service in the UK - to search and apply for apprenticeships, alongside degrees, under new plans announced yesterday by the Education Secretary and UCAS.

Image courtesy Department for Education

From this autumn, UCAS will expand their service so that young people can see more personalised options, including apprenticeships. From 2024, students will then be able to apply for apprenticeships through UCAS alongside an undergraduate degree application.

Almost half of people that register on UCAS say they would consider an apprenticeship, but currently there are not enough vacancies being advertised through the service to meet growing demand.

The plans will help put technical and vocational education on an equal footing with traditional academic routes. By opening up the service to apprenticeship opportunities, thousands more young people will benefit from a wider choice of high-quality options. Employers will also benefit from better access to talent on UCAS and the ability to manage their apprentice recruitment process.

Announcing the plans during National Apprenticeship Week, the Education Secretary Gillian Keegan pledged to go further still, and develop a one-stop-shop where young people can compare the full range of occupations, training and education opportunities available to them.

Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan said: "My apprenticeship was my golden ticket. It gave me a unique insight into how a business operated, from the shop floor to the boardroom.

"I learnt the skills that businesses truly value and it launched my career in international business.

"This National Apprenticeship week I hope more people learn about the incredible opportunities available in everything from engineering to accountancy, healthcare to gaming software development. Whatever career goals you aspire to, they can be achieved through an apprenticeship, up to masters degree level."

Clare Marchant, Chief Executive of UCAS said: "Presenting students with all their choices in one place will not only transform the apprenticeship offering but create real parity by putting these options side-by-side with undergraduate courses.

"As an independent charity working across the UK and globally, students are at the heart of everything we do at UCAS, and with almost half of all UCAS users interested in apprenticeships, equating to hundreds of thousands of potential apprentices, we can help meet this growing demand by showcasing all post-secondary opportunities.

"Today's announcement by the Department for Education shows the commitment to deliver a clear, accessible and joined-up service that will help students discover, decide and apply in one place, enabling them to achieve their future careers aspirations."

Over 1.5m students already use the UCAS Hub to access information on different education and training routes. From 2023, students will be able to explore apprenticeship opportunities alongside undergraduate courses within the Hub, allowing them to discover and decide between their options in the same place for the first time. It will also show students the different routes into a single career destination, meaning if a student is interested in, for example, engineering, they will see the undergraduate and apprenticeship routes displayed side-by-side.

From autumn 2024, students will then be able to apply for apprenticeships within the UCAS Hub and employers will be able to manage applications for their apprenticeship vacancies through UCAS too.

So that as many apprenticeship vacancies are advertised through the Hub as possible, the Government will collaborate with UCAS to share vacancy information collated through its Find an Apprenticeship Service, which already collates and advertises thousands of opportunities.

The government's ambition is to develop a seamless 'one-stop shop' where a young person can explore all the high-quality options and learn about the skills and knowledge they need to develop to succeed in their chosen career, whether it is a level 2 apprenticeship, a T Level, a degree, a Skills Bootcamp, a higher technical qualification or a degree apprenticeship. The Government has asked the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) to use their work to map technical career routes to support this.

Richard Hamer, Director of Education and Skills, BAE Systems plc said: "BAE Systems is committed to supporting apprenticeships and young people so we are delighted to hear there will be better matching between the UCAS Hub Users and apprenticeship vacancies. This will help support both young people looking for apprenticeship opportunities and us, as employers, identifying diverse talent for our apprenticeship programmes."

Vanessa Wilson, CEO University Alliance said: "As the body representing leading professional and technical universities across the UK, we welcome moves to better support students into degree apprenticeships. Delivering skilled and job ready graduates is in the DNA of alliance universities and we positively embrace any opportunity to provide students at all levels and ages with routes into education and training.

"It is important that a wide range of opportunities appropriate to individual learning preference is available to all, and that these deliver the best outcomes for the learner as well as employers and society.

"As the gold standard course and provider platform for generations, UCAS are the natural choice to deliver information, advice and opportunities in the apprenticeship space. Alliance universities stand ready to deliver these training opportunities."

Jane Hickie, Chief Executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers said: "Accessing information about apprenticeships can be confusing and complicated at times. That's why we're delighted to see that UCAS will expand their apprenticeship service to match potential apprentices with vacancies. This could be a gamechanger and alongside an enhanced talent finder function for employers, is much needed. It also shows how apprenticeships are a really valuable option for learners and employers alike.

"We would urge employers and training providers to work closely with UCAS to showcase the opportunities they have for potential learners to ensure this improved service becomes a real success."

John Cope, executive director at UCAS and leading board member for IfATE, said: "This new, ground-breaking partnership between UCAS, Government and IfATE will see undergraduate degrees and apprenticeships sit side-by-side for the first time, boosting apprenticeship and supporting our economy to grow.

"At UCAS, we know over 50% of those who set up their account with us are interested in doing an apprenticeship, while data from IfATE shows 84% of those who become and apprentice feel they made the right choice. This new partnership will boost numbers and make sure more people are making the right choice for them as they plot their career plan."

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Apprenticeships to be boosted by broadened UCAS

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Young people will be able to use UCAS - the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service in the UK - to search and apply for apprenticeships, alongside degrees, under new plans announced yesterday by the Education Secretary and UCAS. Image courtesy Department for Education From this autumn, UCAS will expand their service so that young people can see more personalised options, including apprenticeships.

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As the national body for Careers Education this National Apprenticeship Week we are celebrating and promoting the positive contribution that apprenticeships and other technical pathways make to young people themselves and to wider society.

Forging skills for life - as technical pathways and wider careers education do - is valuable for two main reasons.

Firstly, and more obviously, is in ensuring that young people are equipped to maximise their potential and take their best next step. This is transformative.

Secondly, and sometimes less understood, is the value to businesses and ultimately wider society that result from young people developing these skills through the education, experiences and the pathways they follow. It ensures we are liberating and making the most of the talents in all our communities. Equipping young people with Skills for Life and removing the friction that can prevent them from pursuing some pathways is central to our mission.

We are fortunate that we know a lot about how young people view their skills. Through our Future Skills Questionnaire last year, we surveyed 35,000 secondary school learners and we learnt a lot. By Year 13 almost three quarters of young people reported confidence in their ability across the eight essential skills (as mapped onto the steps of the Skills Builder universal framework).

Overall, students rated their skills most strongly in the areas of teamwork, staying positive and listening. This is a good news story and should provide employers with confidence that these enabling workplace skills they value are valued and recognised by young people too.

What is clear though is that employers need to match this by offering the work opportunities and careers experiences young people need to help them reinforce and develop these skills further. Many, such as those in the food and consumer goods industry through IGD, already are.

In addition to collectively ensuring that technical pathways including apprenticeships are available, we need to ensure they are visible and understood. Here again we have good news. 81% of year 11 students have an understanding of apprenticeships - nearly as high as that of A Levels. This represents real progress.

The next step is to deepen this understanding and improve the visibility of specific technical pathways. We know this works. Apprenticeship uptake for school leavers in 2018 was 16% higher in schools that provided information to most or all students, compared with the schools that did so for a small minority. This is where the updated provider access legislation for schools will be so important and why we at the Careers & Enterprise Company are working hard with our partners to make sure providers and schools can meet the new requirements.

We have created one place which will direct schools and providers to support and guidance which will help them deliver these encounters. There, providers can also find a form which will allow them to raise concerns where they feel a school is not meeting a specific aspect of the new requirements.

We know lots of great practice exists already, but the challenge is now to make the exceptional the new normal. Where we can collectively light up the availability, visibility and understanding of apprenticeships and all technical pathways, we catalyse transformative change for young people themselves but also wider society.

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Apprenticeships are transformative for young people and wider society

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Forging skills for life - as technical pathways and wider careers education do - is valuable for two main reasons. Firstly, and more obviously, is in ensuring that young people are equipped to maximise their potential and take their best next step. This is transformative.

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Policy for Apprenticeships

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The rules employers and training providers must follow to get funding for training and assessing apprentices in England.

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Useful resource for Primary Care Employers

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Plan, Recruit, Train, Retain

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Last updated: October 25, 2023

Apprenticeship Standards Series

The Apprenticeship Standards Factsheets show the variety of apprenticeships available in occupations such as Nursing, Ambulance Services, Allied Health Professions, Radiography and Healthcare Science. Click on the below links to find out more about a particular area. Our Pathways Tool also shows the variety of apprenticeships available in each of these areas. You may also find IfATE's Occupational Maps useful.

Last updated: July 12, 2023

Apprenticeships and Sustainability

In October 2020 the NHS became the world's first health service to commit to becoming carbon net zero. This section details where you can find resources and guidance on the progress made so far and how employers can contribute.

You can find updates, guidance and more on the Greener NHS site. There are several case studies here that will show you the amazing progress being made.

Read the Delivering a Net Zero National Health Service (July 2022) report. This report provides a detailed account of the NHS' modelling and analytics underpinning the latest NHS carbon footprint, trajectories to net zero and the interventions required to achieve that ambition.

Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE):

IfATE's Sustainability at the Institute section details their:
Greener AHP
Visit the Green Allied Health Profession hub to access guidance, examples of what others are doing and suggestions of how AHPs can contribute to environmentally sustainable practices.

Learn more about how to make a positive impact towards net zero.

Last updated: December 21, 2022

Case Studies

Last updated: November 9, 2023

Care Experienced Apprenticeship Recruitment

This section highlights resources for employers to help identify best practice when recruiting and supporting care experienced young people through an apprenticeship.

With the care leaver's bursary due to be increased to £3,000 from 1st August 2023 there has never been a better time to support care experienced young people into NHS careers and apprenticeships.

Access gov.uk's -Support for Care Experienced Apprentices - Apprentice Support Centre (apprenticeships.gov.uk) which includes information on the Apprenticeships Care Leaver Bursary, including eligibility, how to claim and how and when payments will be made.

Webinars

NHS England held a Recruiting & Retaining Care Experienced Young People webinar in June 2023 and the slides are available for this webinar:

Following on from this webinar another one is scheduled on Thursday 16th November 2023 - Recruiting & Retaining Care Experienced Young People - an NHS Employer Engagement Webinar Part 2

The Moving on Up Group held its inaugural wider group meeting on 1 st August 2023. You can access a recording of this meeting here. Over 300 organisations have registered for the Moving on Up Group. Visit the Moving on Up website. Learn more about this project and access resources.

Case Study:

Useful resources:

Last updated: August 18, 2023

Career Starter Apprenticeships

The Department for Education (DfE), in partnership with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE), have launched a new initiative, Career Starter Apprenticeships. This initiative aims to raise young people's awareness of apprenticeship opportunities.

Many apprenticeships are a great opportunity for those looking for their first role after leaving full-time education. Learn more about some of the career starter apprenticeships by clicking on the links below. These packs include case studies, details about day-to-day activities, salaries and durations.

Visit gov.uk's Career Starter page for further information.

You can also check out some of the Career Starter case studies:

You can check out our FAQ section if you have queries about apprenticeships.

You can also visit our Job Families Section. This section lets you view Apprenticeship Standards in the context of the job families to which they belong such as Nursing or Healthcare Science. You can use this section to view a variety of apprenticeships, guidance and case studies.

You can visit the Get the Jump. This site gives details on T Levels, apprenticeships, traineeships, and Higher Technical Qualifications.

Last updated: December 4, 2023

Care Certificate

Care Certificate Celebration Day:

The Care Certificate Celebration Day is taking place on 5th December 2023.

There will be a webinar again this year on 5th December 2023, from 10:00 - 11:30, with various speakers covering themes such as:

New to Care, onboarding

Support Worker reflections of completing the Care Certificate

Continuing best practice

You can sign up for this webinar here.
Click on the below links to access some of the resources from last year's event:

About the Care Certificate Celebration Day

As part of this event, NHS England shared how far the Care Certificate has come, how it provides a foundation for new Support Workers in Health and.....

1. Raises the profile of Support Workers - This event included hearing reflections from Support Workers on what achieving the Care Certificate means to them at the start of their career journey

2. Raises the profile of the Care Certificate programme - It also included reflecting on its development and how it future proofs the future workforce

3. Raises the profile of Support Worker training and education - Additionally, it included organisational reflections from Care Certificate Leads and Educators- what they have achieved and how they maintain quality and relevant training for new recruits

About the Care Certificate:

Designed with the unregistered workforce in mind, the Care Certificate gives everyone the confidence that Health and Care professionals have the same introductory skills, knowledge and behaviours to provide compassionate, safe and high-quality care and support.

The Care Certificate materials can be found on the Skills for Health website. All of the supporting materials such as the workbook, assessor documents, code of conduct, and self-assessment tools as well as the standards themselves can be found here.

The below animation explains what the Care Certificate is, who it is for and why it is so important.

Last updated: October 4, 2023

6 Tips

Last updated: March 30, 2023

Infographics

Last updated: November 23, 2023

General

Last updated: November 3, 2023

Printables

Last updated: October 16, 2023

Resource packs

Last updated: May 25, 2023

The toolkit

The Apprenticeship Implementation Toolkit is for people who are new to implementing apprenticeships and want to find out more about things like funding, pay, procurement and pathways.
Access the Toolkit here

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Last updated: October 25, 2023 The Apprenticeship Standards Factsheets show the variety of apprenticeships available in occupations such as Nursing, Ambulance Services, Allied Health Professions, Radiography and Healthcare Science. Click on the below links to find out more about a particular area. Our Pathways Tool also shows the variety of apprenticeships available in each of these areas.

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Benefits to employer and learner

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Government paper

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For information and support on learning in social care

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Greater Manchester Social Care Academy - Home

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A virtual learning and careers hub for Greater Manchester’s thriving professional adult social care community.

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Information and resources for social care

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Skills for Care helps create a well-led, skilled and valued adult social care workforce. Our practical tools and support help organisations and individual employers in England recruit, develop and lead their staff, retaining them from entry level right through to senior leadership and management roles.

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Resource to support employment and engagement

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Webinar

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Working with under-18s: hints and tips for supporting industry placements

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Webinar recording from the 'Working with under-18s' webinar, delivered by Jacqui Gladwin on 10/01/24. This webinar was hosted by Claire Reynolds on behalf of the ICS Industry Placement Network.

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The occupations for which apprenticeships and technical education are available.

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Equivalent to 3 A levels

T Levels are an alternative to A levels, apprenticeships and other 16 to 19 courses. Equivalent in size to 3 A levels, a T Level focuses on vocational skills and can help students into skilled employment, higher study or apprenticeships.

A 45-day Industry Placement

Each T Level includes an in-depth industry placement that lasts at least 45 days. Students get valuable experience in the workplace; employers get early sight of the new talent in their industry.

80% Classroom, 20% Work

T Level students spend 80% of the course in their learning environment, gaining the skills that employers need. The other 20% is a meaningful industry placement, where they put these skills into action.

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HSE Guidance on employing or working with young people

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As an employer you have the same health and safety responsibilities for your workers whether they work at home or in a workplace.

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T Level Placements: An Example of Good Practice

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T Level Placements: An Example of Good Practice

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Webinar

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Clinical Placements: An example of best practice (Webinar Recording)

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Webinar recording from the 'Clinical placements - an example of best practice' webinar, which took place on 08/11/2023. 

Presented by Kate Giles, Senior Midwife and Practice Development Midwife at the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Kate’s current role involves working to plan and facilitate the Trust’s multidisciplinary maternity and neonatal team’s education governed by local and national learning and national reports. Kate’s role is also to look at new and innovative ways to invest in and develop the maternity team within the Trust; this includes looking at new career development workstreams to build the maternity workforce. 

Kate pioneered the introduction of T Level industry placements into the Women & Children’s Division of the Great Western Trust accepting students from the initial 2021/22 cohort of her local FE provider. She will talk us through the placement models chosen and why, and information provided to the students as well as the successes and challenges. Importantly, as Kate supports a new cohort of students in the 2022/23 academic year group, she will share with us the changes she has made to act on feedback from her team and students. 


This webinar is part of a 'Lunch & Learn' series for the ICS Industry Placement Network.

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Information for Mentors of T Level and Vocational Students

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Information for Mentors of T Level and Vocational Students

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Gatsby Guide: Useful CPD

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Support for Industry Placement Mentors | Gatsby

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Welcome to the Support for Industry Placement Mentors microsite. It contains support and guidance for anyone who is interested in how to mentor students on a T-level industry placement.

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Placement information will be updated for 25/26

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Apprenticeship information for schools, parents and young people

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Step Into The NHS :: Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships provide routes into a variety of careers in the NHS and are an excellent opportunity to earn, gain work experience and achieve nationally recognised qualifications at the same time.

What is available?

Apprenticeships are offered by individual NHS employers (such as trusts) as well as other non-NHS employers and organisations in many different areas of work. Below are some examples of apprenticeships that are relevant to the NHS.

Business administration and human resources

Clinical support

Communications and marketing

Construction/estates services

Dental nursing

Digital marketing

Electrical and engineering

Financial services

Health and social care

Healthcare science (various areas including medical physics, cardiac physiology and clinical engineering)

IT

Library, information and archive services

Management

Nursing

Pharmacy support

There are four levels of apprenticeships available:

What happens at the end of the apprenticeship?

You may be offered permanent employment at the end of the apprenticeship period. You can also search for job vacancies on the NHS Jobs website. Some apprenticeships also allow you to gain UCAS points and can lead onto a university course. You should always check with the organisation that provides your apprenticeship for details.

What if I don't feel ready for an apprenticeship?

If you are not quite ready for an apprenticeship, a traineeship might be for you. A traineeship is designed for young people who want to get a job and the skills and experience to boost their career prospects. It will provide up to 6 months of work experience, work preparation training, and English and maths support (if needed) to secure an apprenticeship or other employment.

Further information

For more information about apprenticeships and traineeships in England, visit gov.uk. To search for vacancies in your local area, visit the Find an apprenticeship website and the NHS Jobs website.

You can also visit our sister site, Health Careers, for more detailed information on apprenticeships and hear from people who have undertaken them.

Find out more about the 350+ careers in the NHS

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Step Into The NHS :: Apprenticeships Apprenticeships provide routes into a variety of careers in the NHS and are an excellent opportunity to earn, gain work experience and achieve nationally recognised qualifications at the same time. Apprenticeships are offered by individual NHS employers (such as trusts) as well as other non-NHS employers and organisations in many different areas of work.

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Example Risk Assessment for T Level Placement or under 18s

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Example Risk Assessment for T Level Placement or under 18s

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5. Apprentices

As an employer, in most cases, you have the same health and safety responsibilities for apprentices of all ages. For apprentices who are under 18, you have the same responsibilities as for other young workers.

The responsibilities of a training provider, unless it is an Apprenticeship Training Agency, are the same as those of a work placement organiser.

England and Wales

Apprenticeship training agency

Where apprenticeship training agency (ATA) services are used to source, arrange and find a host for an apprenticeship, the agency is the apprentice's employer. The ATA and the host organisation should work together to ensure risks are effectively controlled.

There is advice on how organisations should cooperate to ensure the same level of health and safety protection as for other workers in our guidance on gig economy, agency and temporary workers.

Training providers

Training providers include all those who arrange or fill apprentice vacancies. This includes third-party sub-contractors and those who are only involved in organising the off-the-job training element of the apprenticeship.

Employers have the primary responsibility for the health and safety of the apprentice and should be managing any significant risks. Training providers should take reasonable steps to satisfy themselves that the employer is doing this.

This doesn't mean second guessing an employer's risk assessment or risk control measures. You are not required to carry out your own workplace assessment.

Providers can rely on past experience, for example, if the employer is familiar to them and they have a good track record on health and safety. Keep checks in proportion to the environment.

Scotland

Modern Apprenticeships in Scotland

All apprentices in modern apprenticeships are employed. Where a third party is involved in organising or funding the off-the-job training element of the apprenticeship, they are primarily responsible for the health and safety of the apprentice while they are doing the training and should manage any significant risks. You should satisfy yourself that the third party is doing this.

Foundation Apprenticeships in Scotland

Where a school student takes up a foundation apprenticeship and spends some time with an organisation providing vocational work experience, the employer is primarily responsible for the health and safety of the student.

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As an employer, when you employ young people under the age of 18, you have the same responsibilities for their health, safety and welfare as you do for other workers

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We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We'd like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

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Providers selected to deliver T Levels and providers planning to deliver the T Level Transition Programme

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Providers who have been selected to deliver T Levels in academic years 2020 to 2021, 2021 to 2022 and 2022 to 2023 and providers planning to deliver the T Level Transition Programme in 2020 to 2021 and 2021 to 2022 academic years.

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Template agreement

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We can support non levy paying employers who want to support apprentices within their organisations by sourcing a 100% levy transfer. Please contact levytransfer.nw@hee.nhs.u

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Please complete if applying for a levy transfer

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DRAFT Digital Profession Apprenticeship Toolkit v1.0 _1_