This document provides guidance for training organizations to prepare for new UK apprenticeship funding and standards. It outlines 5 key areas to focus on: 1) Review existing training programs and identify how apprenticeships can be incorporated; 2) Assess cost implications of the apprenticeship levy; 3) Evaluate current staff and ensure the right people are in place to support apprentices; 4) Integrate apprenticeship recruitment into overall hiring strategy; 5) Choose the right apprenticeship assessment organizations. The apprenticeship levy presents both an opportunity and challenges for training providers to enhance their offerings and ensure their staff have the skills to work with employers on apprenticeships.

2. New Year
• New Funding
• New Year
• New ways of working
• New Plans
• New Strategy

3. Many Training Organisations have not asked the
question am I ready to make Money?
• Why? They are busy getting on the Register.
• They are reading lots of Guidance, but do they
have the right team in place?
• Do the Team know what is going on, do they
have the skills? To negotiate the price with an
employer on the new standards?
• Do the delivery team understand fully the
changes.

4. Lets look at some things
• With the government’s drive for growth
in Apprenticeships and with the support
that businesses will get from the
forthcoming Apprenticeship Levy.
Apprenticeships are becoming even
more central to skills and succession
planning for all businesses.

5. 1. Review your existing Learning &
Development programmes
• Take a look at your current training offer.
• Do you need to update your website.
• Can any of your courses be enhanced or replaced
by an existing (or new) Apprenticeship
programme, bearing in mind that the breadth of
available frameworks and standards is very wide
(and growing week on week). Apprenticeships are
now available from Level 2 (GCSE), through to
Level 7 (Masters Degree), so you can plan for new
entrants and existing managers’ CPD, good to get
a OTNA tool.

6. 2. Look at and assess the cost implications
• Look how to sell for business if in-scope for
the Levy or not, the chances are there will be
a cost attached to Apprenticeship
development. Using the Governments’ Levy
“ready-reckoner”, work out the potential
financial impact of your company or so you
know how to do this with other companies.
Map this against your existing training budget.
You may be pleasantly surprised! You may
Not!

7. 3. Look at your existing team
• Assess your current workforce. If you’re liable to gain funds
£15,000.00, can you afford new starters, or will you need to use
the Levy for upskilling existing staff? Skills development needs
should have been identified at each employees’ most recent
appraisal. Ask the question, is the CPD required for a person
covered by an Apprenticeship framework or standard?
• Also, look at the team dynamic – do you have the right people in
place to guide and mentor an apprentice through their
programme? Remember, the impact on time and resource is
amplified, the smaller the organisation – hence the Gov’t
incentives and support offered to SMEs. Do they have the
knowledge for New Standards. Do you have effective Employer
Engagement team and do you need to start re - training them.

8. 4. Integrate apprentice recruitment into your
overall HR/recruitment strategy
• When dealing with Employers, review job descriptions, can these roles be
covered/replaced by Apprenticeships?
• New starters will need training anyway, so is an apprentice a viable alternative?
• Get Traineeship as a form of extended recruitment process, as work experience is the
core element of such a programme.
• Apprentices can add real value and energy to an organisation. If you put in as much
effort into the recruitment of an apprentice as you do for a middle manager or
experienced technician, you will reap the rewards! You need to ensure you find the
right person – not just a "cheap option" contracted for the duration of their
programme: but one that will become a long-term valuable member of a company
make sure your team know how to do this.
• Remember the employer can stop the money if not pleased.
• Look at selling added value your values and culture?
• Show how you will do this to individual company’s needs?
• Think about what your added value is? How you will show an Added Value ?
• Remember Negotiation on price will play a part, who will do this in your company with
the employers are they an effective communicator?

9. 5. Chose the right end-point assessment organisation
to get the employer to work with
• Make sure you know who to use and indeed
make them aware you would like to know who
to contact and how their system works get
them to know you.
• Up your profile to the training world.
• Look at your marketing.

10. Opportunity
• When the Levy comes into force it will affect all businesses,
public and private, regardless of size. However, with a 0.5%
Levy and the Government’s £15,000 allowance, only those
with annual wage bills over £3 million will be required to
contribute into the “pot”.
• SMEs will not be required to contribute (as long as their
apprentice is under 19 when they start), but can still make
use of a publicly subsidised apprenticeship programme. For
apprentices over 19, SME Employers are required to pay a
10% contribution towards the costs of training and
assessment – significantly down from the current
expectation of 50%. Clearly, this presents a great
opportunity to invest in getting your team ready to deliver.