Employers Information
Employers
If you’re an employer looking to take on a new apprentice or upskill a member of your current workforce, City College Nottingham can help. As an employer you’ll receive full advice and support tailored to your business needs, and you may also be entitled to funding with a government grant, depending on the age of the apprentice.
Finding the right apprentice for your company can be a daunting task, but we’re here to help smooth the path and ensure that you employ the motivated, enterprising, work-ready apprentices you want for your business. We have extensive links with a wide range of businesses and industries and our lecturers bring ‘shop floor’ expertise to their teaching.
How it Works
Once we have a clear idea of the type of person you’re looking for, we’ll search our pool of candidates. We’ll also advertise your job description on the College website, the National Apprenticeship Service’s website.
You’ll receive a shortlist of candidates who we feel could be a good match for the role, and for your organisation. We can co-ordinate interviews for you, and offer support to help you choose the best person.
You’ll then employ your chosen apprentice under your usual terms and conditions.
Upskilling Existing Staff Members
What better way to train your existing staff than through an Apprenticeship? Apprenticeships are an easy process to really develop your team members to ensure that you both gain maximum benefits – developing your staff whilst developing your business!
How it Works
Get in touch with our Business Engagement team to talk through the options and ensure that you and your staff are accessing great opportunities!
We’re guessing you have lots of questions. Our FAQs should answer most of them.
Your questions answered
An apprenticeship is a training development programme tied to a job role. It allows the apprentice to gain technical and functional knowledge, and real practical experience, required for their immediate job. On completion of the apprenticeship the apprentice must be able to undertake the full range of duties, in the range of circumstances appropriate to the role, confidently and competently to the standard set by the industry.
Apprenticeships have been designed by industry experts (Sector Skills Councils) to ensure candidates receive relevant practical and knowledge training that is focused on making your new/existing employee as competent as possible within their role in a relatively short amount of time. 96% of employers who have taken on an apprentice have reported benefits to their business. 82% of businesses report improved productivity and employee satisfaction as a result of employing an Apprentice and offering further qualifications to their workforce*.
Apprentices need to have a contract of employment and have the same rights as any other employee. As such they will also need to be paid a wage like other employees. The cost for the Apprenticeship training would usually cost anything from £5000-£15,000. However, the government executive agency (Skills Funding Agency) will fully fund the cost of training a 16-18 year old apprentice, and part fund any apprentices aged 19 or over.
The more you are prepared to pay, the higher the calibre of candidate you will attract and the more likely they will be to stay with you. On average, apprentices earn £170 net pay per week*, however, the Apprentice National Minimum Wage for those on an intermediate or advanced level apprenticeship currently stands at £3.40 per hour for 16 to 18 year olds and those aged 19 and over in the first year of their programme. For apprentices aged 19 or over, who have completed the first year of their programme, the full National Minimum Wage for their age applies. The Apprenticeship National Minimum Wage rate does not apply to Higher Apprenticeships.
Apprentices must be issued with a contract of employment for a minimum of 30 hours per week (including time spent at College). Employers must also be covered by valid Employers Liability insurance. Apprentices cannot be self-employed. Apprentices may not necessarily have the experience or skills required when they first start the programme and will need to be supported in their new role and given the correct responsibilities to complete their programme. They must also be given time to complete their work and to come to the college when required.
Yes. Businesses with less than 50 employees, who are new to Apprenticeships or haven’t enrolled a new recruit or existing employee on an Apprenticeship programme within the last 12 months, can currently apply for a £1,500 grant to help cover the costs of the apprentice (aged 16 to 24), available until 31st July 2017. You can apply for up to 5 grants at a time if you wish to take on more than one apprentice.
Yes, Apprenticeships are a great way to reward existing staff members who would benefit from a structured training programme.
The duration of an apprenticeship depends on several factors including the subject, the level undertaken and the apprentice’s existing skills and qualifications. They can take between one and four years to complete.
This varies depending on the framework, however an apprentice would typically spend one day a week in college and the rest of the time would be spent in the workplace. Some of our frameworks are conducted fully in the workplace.
City College Nottingham’s Apprenticeship Hub offers a full and comprehensive recruitment service free of charge. Your vacancy will advertised on various recruitment sites, including the National Apprenticeship Service, and the College website. The Apprenticeship Hub ensures all potential candidates are fully vetted and shortlisted for you to then decide who you would like to interview.
If you would like to recruit an apprentice please complete our online vacancy form.
Once submitted we will give you a call to go through the next steps you are happy as clear about us advertising your position