Employers Guide to Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships offer a robust approach to work-based learning by ensuring that learners gain practical skills, experience and knowledge to meet organisational needs now and in the future, through offering both on and off the job learning. Employers can offer apprenticeships to new entrants or use them to grow talent from among current employees.

Apprentices tend to be keen, flexible, motivated and loyal to the organisation that has invested in them. They have typically chosen a vocational approach to developing their career in your business. Apprenticeships aid employee retention as their commitment and motivation will include completing the qualification. Employers who have an established apprenticeship programme reported that productivity in their workplace improved by 76%. 

  • What subjects/industries do apprenticeships cover?

    Apprenticeships have come a long way from their traditional routes and are offered from Level 2 up to Degree and Master's Degree. Any organisation can benefit from the Apprenticeship Programmes, which include subjects such as:

    • Accounting
    • Business Administration
    • Customer Service
    • Carpentry and Joinery
    • Early Years Education
    • Engineering
    • Electrical Installation
    • Leadership and Management
    • Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair
    • Plumbing and Domestic Heating
    • and more

    Discover our 22/23 Apprenticeship Brochure here

  • Who is eligible for an apprenticeship?

    Apprenticeships can be used to retrain or upskill your existing staff of any age (over 16) and are a great way of attracting new talent.

    Apprentices:

    • can be any age as long as they are over 16.
    • should be employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week.

  • How are apprenticeships delivered?

    Delivery of an apprenticeship is through both on-and-off-the-job learning and assessment. Apprentices must spend at least 20% of their time on off-the-job training. This may be delivered at the College or within the workplace and varies between programmes. We will discuss this with you during the setting-up of the programme.

    Some apprenticeships such as Engineering, Electrical, Motor Vehicle and Accountancy require attendance at Newbury College for one day per week.

    You will be assigned a Development Coach (Assessor) who will meet with you and your apprentice regularly to undertake assessments in the workplace.

  • What are the costs and benefits?

    The government outlines the national minimum wage for apprentices, which applies to time spent working plus time spent training as part of the Apprenticeship. Employers are free to pay above this figure; most do in the West Berkshire area.

    Some of the points to consider when recruiting an apprentice:

    • Employers are not required to pay National Insurance Contributions for apprentices under the age of 25 on earnings below the higher tax rate of £827 a week (£43,000 a year).
    • If you are training a 16-18-year-old you will receive a payment of £1'000.
    • If you have a paybill of over £3m per year you can use your Apprenticeship Levy (which your company has been contributing into since April 2017) to pay for your apprentices' training.
    • If you are a non-levy-paying employer you now only have to pay for 5% of your apprentices' training with the government contributing 95% of the training costs.
    • Apprentices can be employed on a permanent or fixed-term contract basis. The contract should allow the apprentice sufficient time to complete their qualification.
    • The terms and conditions of employment can be unique to the apprentice(s).

  • How do I recruit an apprentice?

    We are here to help you at every step. If you are considering recruiting an Apprentice or offering the opportunity to an existing member of staff we will work with you to identify the most appropriate apprenticeship and recruit the best candidate.

    We will support your recruitment campaign to help generate applications by:

    • utilising the Digital Apprenticeship Service to manage or support your recruitment activity within the government's Find an Apprenticeship website.
    • managing applications on your behalf or directing them to your vacancies or careers portals.
    • promotion across our social media channels as vacancies go live.
    • promotion to our database of registered apprenticeship applicants searching for suitable roles.
    • promotion to our campus of suitable learners.

    If you’d like to speak to a member of the Business Development Team to discuss your apprenticeship opportunity, email  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or please call 01635 845229. You can speed up the process by Completing a Vacancy Profile, and a team member will be in touch.