Employers - Frequently Asked Questions
There are many benefits to you as an employer; the main one is that you will develop competent motivated and committed employees. This in turn can only improve the levels of customer service delivered by your employees to your customers. The plus side is that where employees feel that their employer is investing in them through training, it has been proven that staff turnover is reduced and therefore recruitment costs and the training of new staff is also reduced considerably, therefore saving your business money. What have you got to lose?
An Apprenticeship is a work-based training programme, which empowers your employee, to do their job and at the same time achieve a nationally recognised qualification at the end of it. As well as teaching practical skills and the underpinning knowledge to go with those skills, it also develops an understanding of the law, which applies to employers and employees. Most importantly, you do not lose your employee from the workplace, there is no day release or college attendance required.
To get full government funding for an employee to work towards an Apprenticeship, the employee must:
• be working more than 15 hours per week
• have been living in England for the past 3 years
• have a NI number
• not a graduate or taking part in full-time education
Anyone within the workforce of any age is eligible to work towards gaining an NVQ. The main priority is ensuring that the job role they are in allows them to achieve the qualification. A member of our staff will check eligibility once a learner has agreed to undertake an NVQ.
Train to Gain is also a Work-based training programme but aimed at the 25+ age group. The programme allows the learner to work towards a level 2 or level 3 NVQ (subject to their job role responsibilities). Learners, who already hold an NVQ at level 2 or above, or its equivalent, are not eligible for the programme. A member of our staff will check eligibility once the learner has expressed an interest of undertaking the programme.
You will have to ensure that all legal requirements in terms of Health and Safety, Equal Opportunities and working hours are met. Be available for feedback sessions after assessments and also be available for at least 30 minutes to complete a review every 12 weeks.
There is no set time to complete an Apprenticeship or an NVQ as they vary widely in content and size. The length of time taken will depend on the ability of the individual apprentice and the employer's requirements. An Apprenticeship will usually take anything from 9 to 24 months. NVQ’s might take less, but some Apprenticeships can take longer, so a large degree of commitment on your part is necessary to see it through.
The training co-ordinator will visit the learner on agreed dates that last for approx 1-2 hours. You will need to sign an agreement to say that you agree that the learner can be released from their duties during these assessments.
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