DERBY COLLEGE APPRENTICESHIPS GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS

Employers say that qualified apprentices are 15% more employable than those with other qualificationsDfE Apprenticeship Core Brief, November 2016

Apprenticeships: an investment in the future

Benefits for your businessWith apprenticeships you can:

Improve your organisation’s productivity and performance through better trained staff

Solve your staff recruitment and retention problems in an affordable way

Recruittoyourownjobspecifications

Shape and mould a person to your own business requirements

Benefitfromflexibletrainingwhichdovetailswithyour working schedules and business needs

Support from Derby CollegeAs your apprenticeship training partner, we will:

Help you match the right candidate to the right job

Assist in developing an individual learning plan for your apprentice

Arrange assessment of your apprentice’s competence in the workplace

Monitor your apprentice’s progress, providing support where necessary

Offer regular and comprehensive feedback

Provide you with a named College contact

Apprentices can deliver real, measurable benefits – filling your skills gaps while boosting your organisation’s efficiency and competiveness. They are a cost-effective way to invest in your future managers, increase business growth and attract new talent. Apprentices are widely regarded as eager, reliable and loyal – and you can train them to suit your own workplace procedures and systems.

Why work with Derby College?

A tradition of excellenceOne of the largest colleges in the country, we are committed to helping employers invest in a more professional, skilled and sustainable workforce for the future. We pride ourselves on delivering effective skills solutions for employers – and apprenticeships form an important part of that work.

Wehaveawealthofexpertiseinhelpingtorecruitandtrainapprentices for vital roles across diverse industry sectors. In 2015-16 alone, we supported around 2,200 apprentices – and their employers – to achieve their goals.

High-quality programmesWe’ve been ranked ‘good’ by Ofsted, with ‘outstanding’ features which include our strong employer partnerships. Our latest inspection in March 2016 concluded that our apprenticeships were well planned to meet the needs of employers in the region.

Inspectors praised the way we help apprentices progress to sustained employment, promotion and higher levels of responsibility in the workplace. They said: “Apprentices develop good vocational skills which improve their employability and which contribute to the success of their employers’ businesses.”

Industry-standard facilitiesIf your apprentice’s training programme involves attending Derby College, they will discover state-of-the-art specialist facilities in which to hone their skills. Our resources are industry standard and our staff have relevant professional experience.Wewillhelpensureyourapprenticekeepsupto date with latest techniques, trends and technologies.

Support for a wide range of sectorsDerby College supports apprenticeships in the following sectors:

Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care

Business, Administration and Law

Construction, Planning and the Built Environment

Education and Training

Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies

Health, Public Services and Care

Information and Communication Technology

Leisure, Travel and Tourism

Retail and Commercial Enterprise

Derby College is one of the best further education colleges in the country for plastering and we are delighted to be working with the tutors to provide apprenticeships like Brad’s. Major companies in our industry also tell us how highly they rate the training at Derby College, which is great to know.Steve Coward, Finishes Manager at The Horbury Group. Horbury has recruited Brad Peters as a plastering apprentice and now plans to add more trade apprentices to its team via Derby College. The company offers apprentices the chance to progress in the business once qualified,includingintoprofessionalrolessuchas contracts manager and quantity surveyor.

Apprenticeships boost productivity to businesses by an average of £214 per weekDfE Apprenticeship Core Brief, November 2016

Being able to train apprentices in what we need works well for our business – and it’s good for the apprentices too as there aren’t many people like us offering hands-on jobs in animal care.Tim Doyle, co-owner of Poochie Play Centre. When the dog day care and hydrotherapy centre was looking for premises, it deliberately sought to be within easy reach of the Animal CarecoursesatDerbyCollege’sBroomfieldHallcampus.The partnership has opened doors to apprenticeships in hydrotherapy, dog grooming and management.

95% of our apprentices said they were satisfied with the quality of the course they undertookSource – 19+ Apprenticeships

Where to start

Recruiting and selectingTherecruitmentandselectionprocessshouldhelpyoufindapprentices who are best suited to the work and training you can offer. We will provide all the help and advice you need during the recruitment process. But remember: as theemployer,thefinaldecisionregardingselectionwillbeyours.

The government offers an unbiased service accessible to all potential apprentices and employers alike. It includes an online Apprenticeship Vacancy service where employers can advertise their vacancies and where young people can search and apply for opportunities.

Derby College’s roleWe can:

Help advertise your vacancy on the national website

Advise you on selection methods and assist with interviews if required

Carry out an initial assessment of prospective apprentices to determine their current literacy and numeracy skills

Your role as the employerYou should:

Advise us about the types of positions you are seeking tofillandthecharacteristicswhichpotential apprentices require

Interview a number of applicants and keep us informed about the outcomes

Take action to consider applicants from under- represented groups

Give applicants accurate information about the work whichtheyareexpectedtoundertake

Treat all candidates fairly and consistently during the selection process

Adviseusofanyexistingemployeeswhomyouwishto train as apprentices

Your commitmentAt the time of this guide going to print, employers are required to offer a contract of employment for a minimum of 12 months or the length of the apprenticeship, whichever is greater.

We recommend that you pay the wage suggested by the governmentfortheapprentice’sspecificagerange.

Growing the business through the apprenticeship route will regenerate our workforce, bring some fresh blood into the business and address future skills

shortages.Len Palmer, Operations Director at Lander

Automotive, which has teamed up with Derby College and Sigma Group on a workforce solution creating

180 new apprenticeship jobs.

How we can help

A partnership that worksDerby College will:

Keep in regular touch with the apprentices and your organisation

Encourage and motivate apprentices during their training programme

Helpapprenticestounderstandthelong-termbenefits oftrainingandqualifications

You and your organisation should: Help apprentices develop their knowledge and

skills by providing a wide range of learning and training opportunities

Give apprentices time at work to develop their portfolios

Encourage apprentices to attend and show real interest in their off-the-job training

Help apprentices put into practice what they have learnt during off-the-job training sessions

Let us know how the apprentice is progressing in the workplace

Attend apprenticeship progress reviews

Advise us on workplace training and assessment opportunities that may occur in the period leading up to thenextreview

Bealerttoanyproblemsordifficultieswhichmaybe facing apprentices and share your concerns with us

Helpapprenticestofindsuitablealternativesifthey decide that they are on the wrong training programme or doing the wrong job

Promoting progressionAn apprentice’s progression is crucial for both the individual and their organisation. Under Skills Funding Agency guidelines, we must review each apprentice to check that they are getting the most out of their training programme. It is therefore important to monitor their progress at regular intervals to ensure anysupportneedsareidentified.Thisprocesswillbeundertaken in the workplace to ensure minimum disruptions to your normal working activities.

Apprenticeships and their equivalent educational levels

NAME LEVEL EQUIVALENT EDUCATIONAL LEVEL

Intermediate 2 Five GCSE passes at grades A* to C (9-4)

Advanced 3 Two A-level passes

Higher 4, 5, 6 and 7 Foundation Degree and above

Degree 6 and 7 Bachelors or Masters Degree

Taking on apprentices has been a good business move. We have a good working relationship with Derby College and have been able to adapt the techniques taught on their barbering course to suit the needs of our shops.Casey Foster Miles, a manager at Deakin & Whitemalegrooming.Thefirmtookonbarberingapprentice Brad Knight at its new barber shop in Ilkeston, and said his presence helped to bring a younger clientele through the door. It has since committed to recruiting further apprentices.

99% of our apprenticeship employers were satisfied with the service they had received Source 16 - 18 Apprenticeships

The idea of taking on apprentices is to bring a long-term, skilled workforce to the company, training people who will hopefully want to stay with us until they retire.Adrian Baker, Director of Baker Engineering which employeditsfirstapprentice,PavitarGill,throughapartnership with Derby College. Pavitar embarked on an Engineering course at the College while being trained on manual and CNC machines as part of his apprenticeship.

100% of employers said that they would recommend Derby College to other employersSource - Employer Survey

The Apprenticeship Levy

Understanding the levyThe new Apprenticeship Levy requires all employers operating in the UK which have an annual payroll bill in excessof£3milliontomakeaninvestmentbytrainingapprentices.

This will bring our country into line with other modern economies, where the co-funding of apprenticeships by the interested parties – the employer and the government – is already the standard model.

The Apprenticeship Levy will directly fund apprenticeship training programmes, with the aim of increasing the number of people in apprenticeships to 3 million by 2020. It means employerscantakecontrolof–andbenefitfrom–afurther£3billionthatwillbeaddedtotheapprenticeshippotoverthecourseofthenextfiveyears.

With the new levy coming into effect in April 2017, this is what you and your organisation need to know:

Yourwagebillneedstobeinexcessof£3millionto trigger payment.

The levy rate is 0.5%. Payment is based on your employee earnings (gross) and will be calculated from thesamefigureusedforClass1NICs(bonuspayments included).

For the under 25 age group, you will no longer have to pay NICs.

Calculating what you have to payYou will pay the levy on your entire pay bill at a rate of 0.5%. However, you will have a levy allowance to offset againstthis.Thelevyallowanceisworth£15,000foreachtaxyear.Thismeansthelevyisonlypayableonpaybillsover£3million(because0.5%x£3million=£15,000).

LEVY PAYMENT EXAMPLE LEVY PAYING EMPLOYER NON-LEVY PAYING EMPLOYER

Number of employees 250 100

Average gross salary per employee £20,000 £20,000

Pay bill (number of employees’ x average 250 x £20,000 = £5,000,000 100 x £20,000 = £2,000,000 gross salary per employee)

Levy sum (0.5% x pay bill) £25,000 £0

Less levy allowance of £15,000 -£15,000 N/A

Levy payment by employer £10,000 £0

The Apprenticeship Levy

Maximising your returns The opportunity to reclaim your levy costs is not to be missed. As long as you are delivering recognised apprenticeship training, you can take advantage of the offer. It comes with the promise that you could get more out than you put in.

The Apprenticeship Service will ensure that the funding process is not open to abuse, so you can be sure that themoneyyoupayasaresultofthelevywillbenefitorganisations committed to apprenticeships.

Support from Derby College Wewillsupportemployerstomaximisetheirreturnoninvestment. Our dedicated Business Consultants can provideyouandyourorganisationwiththeexpertisetoguide you effortlessly through the new system.

We offer:

Advice and guidance on the levy

Training needs analysis

Workforce planning and support

Recruitment service for new apprentices

Upskillingandreskillingofexistingstaff

Useful linksFor more information on how the levy works:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/ apprenticeship-levy-how-it-will-work

For more information from Derby College:

www.derby-college.ac.uk/employers/apprenticeship-levy

or

www.levy-apprenticeship.co.uk

We are incredibly impressed with our apprentices. They have developed

immensely and are making a valuable contribution to our business. Derby

College offers the flexibility and high quality service to meet our

requirements and a modern learning environment which greatly enhances the

apprenticeship programme.Annabelle Barwick, Project Manager at Derby Homes

Digital marketing is a new role for our business and Max’s enthusiasm and skills are the ideal fit for us. I am committed to growing the business through apprenticeship programmes which are the ideal way of recruiting new people who we can train in our core beliefs and ethos.David Torrington, Managing Director of Sky Recruitment Solutions. The Derby recruitment consultancyhasappointedMaxPittasadigitalmarketingapprentice.Maxisresponsibleforraisingtheprofileofthecompanythroughdigital media platforms, with the ultimate aim of progressing into a sales and business development role there.

93% of employers agreed that they would be keeping their apprentice in employment on COMPLETION Source - Employer Survey

I really like to bring apprentices through at the beginning of their careers and help mould the way they work into what Alter Rock needs. In later life, I hope they’ll look back and think they gained some good vales here.Garry Jackson, Founder of Alter Rock indoor climbing gym and activity centre. His apprentices undertake a wide range of customer service roles – from meeting and greeting to overseeing climbing groups.

Apprenticeships are available in 1,500 job roles, covering more than 170 industriesDfE Apprenticeship Core Brief, November 2016

There were more than 250,000 employer workplaces with an apprentice in 2014/15DfE Apprenticeship Core Brief, November 2016

Telephone: 01332 387421 Email: BusinessEnquiries@derby-college.ac.ukWeb: www.derby-college.ac.uk/apprenticeships

www.facebook.com/ApprenticeshipsDerby DC_Apprentice

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