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1. A Guide to Apprenticeships at Pathway
For Employer Engagement & Other Staff

2. This presentation is designed to provide you with all the
information you will need to successfully ‘sell’ the
Apprenticeship Scheme to employers.
The Apprenticeship Recruitment Team are committed to providing our
apprentice candidates with the right employment opportunities. We
get to know these young people well and we want the best for them!
Introduction

3. What is an Apprenticeship?
 Apprenticeships are a Government
initiative specifically aimed at
reducing unemployment &
increasing skills within the 16-24
year old age bracket.
 Apprenticeships are available to
over 24s however this is very limited
in numbers and restricted to a few
providers
 The Apprenticeship Scheme has
enormous benefits to both
employers & Apprentices.

4. Apprenticeships: The Basics
 It’s a full time job.
 The Apprentice should do a
minimum of 30 hours per week,
however, there are exceptions to
this.

5.  The National Minimum Wage (NMW) for Apprentices is £2.73 per hour.
 From October 1st 2015 it increases to £3.30 per hour. This applies to 16-18
year old Apprentices and those aged 19 and over in the first year of their
Apprenticeship.
 For all other Apprentices the Apprentice National Minimum wage
appropriate to their age applies.
 The Wage for Apprentices applies to both time spent on the job plus time
spent training.
 The Apprentice will all have the same rights as any other employee of the
company will have, this includes holiday & sick pay.
Apprenticeships: The Basics

6. Employers can take advantage
of the Apprenticeship Scheme
in two ways:
1. By employing a new
Apprentice member of
staff.
2. By enrolling existing staff
members of staff onto the
Apprenticeship Schemes.
Benefits to Employers

7. It will:
 Help a young person gain employment & a nationally recognised
qualification within a supportive & nurturing environment.
 Help small to medium businesses (SMEs) to grow their workforce in a
cost effective way.
 Lead to improved performance across the entire workforce as the
presence of a trainee often encourages existing staff to look at their
own work performance & improve.
USP: There is a Government Funded Apprentice Grant of £1500
available to assist SMEs with the costs associated with taking on an
Apprentice. (This is dealt with in more detail later on).
Benefits to Employers
Employing a new apprentice member of staff

8. Benefits which apply to both taking on a new Apprentice member of
staff & enrolling an existing member of staff onto the apprenticeship
scheme.
 Positive return on investment (ROI): From higher productivity, quality
of work, staff loyalty & retention.
 Increased Competitiveness: Resulting from a well trained, highly
skilled workforce.
 Higher Quality of Work: From day one Apprentices are given the tools
to do their job and their quality of work is monitored & assessed.
Benefits to Employers
Taking on an Apprentice (new or existing member of staff)

9.  Reduced Costs: Usually businesses find costs are reduced by improved
productivity, government funding & less waste.
 Improved Recruitment: Businesses need new blood to ensure they
are able to deliver their strategic business objectives. By offering
Apprenticeships they find it easier to recruit able young people.
 Increased Staff Retention: Apprenticeship programmes reduce external
recruitment costs as a result of high retention rates. This gives businesses
a competitive advantage in a tight labour market by reducing training &
recruitment costs. Apprentices trained within your company will provide
a strong foundation to your staff base & show your commitment to the
future development of your business.
Benefits to Employers
Taking on an Apprentice (new or existing member of staff) Continued

10. Once an employer has thought about the benefits that an Apprentice
could bring to their workforce, it is important to ensure that they are
fully aware of the responsibilities of employing an Apprentice.
This stage is vital as getting young people into sustained
Apprenticeships which last the whole term of the programme.
Employers must be aware that by taking on an Apprentice
they are committing to the following:
Employers Responsibilities

11. The employer must pay the Apprentice at least the National Minimum Wage
(NMW) for Apprentices is £2.73 per hour.
From October 1st 2015 it increases to £3.30 per hour. This applies to 16-18 year old
Apprentices and those aged 19 and over in the first year of their Apprenticeship.
For all other Apprentices the Apprentice National Minimum wage appropriate to
their age applies.
The Wage for Apprentices applies to both time spent on the job plus time spent
training.
For Apprentices aged 19 and over, this rate applies to the first
12 months; after the Apprentice has completed 12 months,
the employer must pay the National Minimum Wage for
the Apprentices age group.
Employers Responsibilities
Apprenticeship Wage

12. Wherever possible, the employer should be paying more than this.
Ways to sell a higher rate is to talk about ensuring that the Apprentice
feels like a valued member of the team & that they don’t get tempted
elsewhere during the programme.
If the employer is reticent about paying a higher rate from the start,
suggest incremental increases as the apprentice develops into their
new role. Another suggestion is to include a performance related
bonus structure.
Employers Responsibilities

13. Training, Induction & Mentoring
 By taking on an Apprentice, the employer is committing to
providing the Apprentice with a full induction.
 Whilst Pathway is providing the qualification & an Assessor will
visit the Apprentice in the work place at least once per month,
the employer has a responsibility to ensure the apprentice
receives a full & constant training & mentoring programme.
 The Apprentice will not be the finished article at the start of
their programme & they should be prepared to invest
considerable time in on-the- job training!
 The employer must be prepared to accommodate the Assessor’s
visits to the workplace & allow some time for the Apprentice to
complete work towards their qualification during work time.

14. • The Apprenticeship programme lasts for a
minimum of 12 months & 1 day.
• The ultimate length of the programme
depends on a variety factors, including
the programme being delivered, the
Apprentice’s prior learning and
attainment & the Apprentice’s progress
through the course.
• If the employer is unable to commit to
this, then they are unsuitable for the
Apprenticeship Scheme.
Training, Induction & Mentoring
Length of programme

15. Once the employer has decided that taking
everything into account, they would like to go
ahead and take on an apprentice you will need to
complete the Organisational Training Needs
Analysis and Health and Safety Assessment
Record.
(These are discussed in more detail later on in the presentation. )
The Employer wants to
take on an Apprentice

16. Once the ONA & Health & Safety Assessment has been completed and you
have passed the vacancy/employer across to Pathway the following process
will be followed:
1. A member of the Apprenticeship recruitment team will get in touch with
the employer to introduce themselves as their point of contact.
2. They will confirm all of the vacancy details and discuss the finer details of
their requirement, such as the type of cultural and organisational fit the
employer is looking for.
Next Steps

17. 3. We will complete a vacancy template form & post the vacancy onto a
number of websites including:
 Pathway’s in-house Apprenticeship Recruitment website:
www.apprenticeshiprecruitment.co.uk.
 The National Apprenticeship Service website.
 Other Online Sources
4. We will then put the vacancy out to a number of external referral
partners.
Next Steps

18. 5. We will then put together a shortlist of candidates currently available
based on the employers requirements. (We aim to send where
possible a minimum of 4 CVs for each vacancy within 72 hours fully
advertising the vacancy)
6. Once the employer has selected the candidates they would like to
interview, we will then organise interviews, carrying out mock
interviews with any candidates who are inexperienced or feel they
need additional support with their interview technique.
7. Once the employer has carried out the interviews & selected a
suitable candidate, we will arrange start dates & enrolment.
Next Steps

19. Employers can often come across as enthusiastic about the
Apprenticeship programme, but then start reeling off a long
list of essential skills & experience that they are looking for.
The employer is employing an Apprentice.
The Apprentice candidates we put forward to them MAY have
some relevant work experience, but most will be matched
to the employer based on personality, aptitude & enthusiasm.
The employer NEEDS to be flexible & open minded!
Managing the
Employers Expectations

20. Many employers, when they hear about the Apprenticeship scheme ask
about why a young person would wish to do the Apprenticeship Scheme
for a reduced rate of pay.
Here are the basic benefits to Apprentices:
 Apprenticeships give Learners the chance to work & study at the same
time, meaning they benefit from gaining qualifications & experience
whilst getting paid.
 An Apprenticeship entitles young people to develop skills directly
relevant to their chosen career & get a real feel for the world of work.
Benefits to Apprentices

21. 1. Intermediate Level
Apprenticeships Level 2:
Equivalent to five GCSEs.
2. Advanced Level
Apprenticeships:
Equivalent to Two A levels.
3. Higher Apprenticeships:
Equivalent to Foundation
Degree Level.
Types of Apprenticeships

22. An Apprenticeship framework consists of three main elements
(in addition to working):
1. The NVQ/QCF
This is the practical and knowledge elements of your Apprenticeship.
This is assessed through observations & discussion.
2. Functional Skills
Functional Skills covers Maths, English & in some cases ICT.
(If the Apprentice didn’t achieve Maths & English at GCSE Grade A-C).
3. Employment Rights and Responsibilities (ERR)
Develops the underrstanding of the rights and responsibilities related
to the sector and job role.
What do the Apprenticeships Involve

23. •Customer Service
•Business Administration
•Teaching Assistants
•Child Care
•Warehousing
•Health & Social Care
•Team Leading
Types of Apprenticeships
Pathway Offer

24. Pathway’s Apprentice
Recruitment Process

25. “The Apprenticeship Recruitment team is PASSIONATE about
placing young people with the right employment opportunity.”
Pathway’s USPs: We proactively recruit potential Apprentices,
carry out assessments, interview them & prepare them (as much
as possible) for work in advance of finding a placement for them.
At any one time we have a bank of around one hundred immediately
available Apprentice candidates across the West Midlands.
We hold ID, a completed application form, copies of certificates
and a good quality CV for each candidate. This means that we are
able to cover off vacancies with CVs within 72 hours (in some cases).
The Apprenticeship
Recruitment Team

26. Immediately Available
Candidate Bulletins
The Apprenticeship Recruitment Team will
be sending out a weekly bulletin
containing the details of our candidates.
We will sending out a separate bulletin for
each sector area.

27. These are whole day events where we:
 Carry out a team building session, giving us the opportunity
to see how the candidates interact with each other.
 Carry out initial assessments in English, Maths & ICT.
 Carry out a one to one interview, where we discuss what
sort of Apprenticeship they are looking for.
 Encourage each candidate to be proactive in finding their
own placement & request that they each bring along the
details of 5 companies that they would be interested in
working for.
Apprenticeship
Recruitment Days

28. Employer Information

29. Marketing Materials
If an employer is interested in taking on an Apprentice,
a basic employer information brochure has been prepared,
along with information about Pathway College &
a range of course outline brochures that is available to you
in PDF format for you to email to employers.
These brochures cover all of the basics to try & assist an
employer in making an informed decision as to whether the
Apprenticeship scheme is right for them.

30. This is called AGE (Apprenticeship Grant for Employers) & is available
to small business (less than 50 employees) to assist
them with taking on an Apprentice.
The grant is £1500 in total, payable after the Apprentice has
completed 13 weeks. However, the SFA have been taking another
13 weeks to process the grants meaning that some grants are
not being paid out until 26 weeks or more!
Please make employers aware of these delays.
Apprenticeship
Employer Grant

31.  Where applicable the employer can have the grant for up to 5
apprentices.
 The employer must not have had an apprentice within the last 12
months.
WARNING! The SFA are cautious when processing these grants and
have been known to decline applications.
So please do not tell employers that this is guaranteed!
Full AGE grant guidance can be made available on request.
Apprenticeship
Employer Grant

32. For employer referrals or for any
other general information:
Apprenticeship Recruitment Team Key-Contact:
Martin.Chandler@pathwaygroup.co.uk
The Team

33. Safeguarding

34. Safeguarding legislation & government
guidance says that safeguarding means:
 Protecting children from maltreatment
 Preventing impairment of children’s
health or development
 Ensuring that children are growing up
in circumstances consistent with the
provision of safe & effective care.
 Safeguarding also applies to vulnerable
adults, such as the elderly & those
with learning difficulties or disabilities.
What Is Safeguarding

35. The Background
of Safeguarding
Safeguarding as a concept came to the forefront following the
passing of the Children’s Act in 1984.
The Children’s Act 2004 introduced the “Every Child Matters”
initiative which states that:
“For children & young people there are five outcomes that are
key to well-being in childhood and later life which are: being
healthy, staying safe, enjoying & achieving, making a positive
contribution & achieving economic well-being. These five
constitute the focus of government attention for all pupils.”

36. The Lord Laming Enquiry of 2003 came about as a result of
the tragic death of Victoria Climbe which highlighted
‘The need for specific people to take
responsibility for the welfare of children.’
Lord Laming also headed a review of child protection
practices following the ‘Baby P’ case of 2009.
The Background
of Safeguarding

37. … Because any Apprentices under the age of 18 are classified
as children and therefore the Safeguarding Legislation
directly applies.
However, for all Apprentices who fall within the 19-24 age
bracket you may think, as these Apprentices fall into the
adult age bracket, safeguarding does not apply...
HOWEVER, at Pathway we take the duty of care to all of
the learners undertaking a programme with Pathway
very seriously, regardless of their age.
Why is Safeguarding
Relevant to Apprenticeships

38. All organisations that provide services to children & vulnerable
adults must have a designated person responsible for safeguarding.
This rule came as a direct result of the 2003 Lord Laming enquiry.
Martin Chandler is the designated safeguarding officers for Pathway.
All safeguarding concerns MUST be reported to Martin
in order for the appropriate action to be taken.
Martin Chandler: Operations Manager
martin.chandler@pathwaygroup.co.uk or 07807 540 922
Why is Safeguarding
Relevant to Apprenticeships

39. There is a free online training course available via:
Foundation Learning Online)
http://www.foundationonline.org.uk/
Free Online
Safeguarding Training

40. Health & Safety
& Organisational
Needs Analysis

41. Health & Safety
& Organisational
Needs Analysis
 Pathway carry out a Health & Safety & Organisational Training Needs
Analysis (ONA) for each employer that have staff under taking
programmes of learning with Pathway.
 These are carried out at the start of the programme of learning & are
fluid documents that are regularly updated.

42.  An Organisational Training Needs Analysis (ONA) is a review of
learning & development requirements for staff within an organisation.
 It considers the skills, knowledge & behaviours that staff need,
& how to develop them effectively.
Organisational Training
Needs Analysis (ONA)

43. There are completed ONA for you to use as a model.
This is an important document for you to use as you record any
training & recruitment needs the employer currently has.
This is an invaluable tool for us, back at the office to put
together a recruitment & training package for the employer.
While you are with the employer finalising vacancies, the ONA
is a useful aide memoir to ensure you cover everything you
need to with the employer.
Organisational Training
Needs Analysis (ONA)

44. The Health & Safety Assessment is required by law.
It is an important document as the Health & Safety of
Pathway’s Learners is paramount.
The Health and Safety assessment form is a tool for us to be able
to assess whether the employer has the suitable
Health & Safety procedures in place.
If you assess that there is insufficient Health & Safety
procedures in place to ensure the welfare of employees
an action plan is put in place to remedy this.
Health & Safety Assessment

45. All employers should have appropriate Employer’s Liability
Insurance & other appropriate insurances in place.
This information is to be recorded onto the Health and Safety
Assessment Record.
The Health and Safety Assessment Record takes the format
of what is known as the ‘Standard 9’
The form is fairly intuitive to complete. In order to complete the
form, go through the questions with the employer and ask them
to show you copies of their procedures, records and policies relating
to Health & Safety to satisfy your self that they appropriate
measures are in place to ensure learner welfare.
Completion of the
Health & Safety Assessment

46. Many of the aspects of the ‘Standard 9’
Health & Safety Assessment record are relevant only to
employers with more than five employees.
Where this is the case it is clearly stated on the form.
If the employer in unable to satisfy all of the criteria laid out in
the assessment record, this does not mean we cannot work with them.
We ARE able to provide the employer with Health & Safety
support, templates & procedures to put into place prior
to the Apprentice starting.
Completion of the
Health & Safety Assessment

47. Finally…
Pathway is committed & passionate about helping young
people into sustainable apprenticeship opportunities which
will help them to fulfil their potential.
Your role is key in this aim, if you ever have any doubts about
an employer or feel you need more information PLEASE ASK!