Building bright futures
An apprenticeship is a real job combined with training and assessment. It is a way for individuals to gain practical skills in the workplace and earn while they learn. For an employer, hiring apprentices is an effective way to cultivate a highly skilled, motivated and qualified workforce.
Why hire an apprentice?
There are multiple benefits that come with hiring an apprentice. Here are just a few of the great ways an apprentice can benefit your business:
Apprentices can adapt to meet specific business needs
A core benefit of hiring an apprentice is that they can be developed to support your business where you most need it. Apprentices can either be school leavers who will quickly be able to learn new skills, or existing employees who wish to develop their skills further. Investing in your team will provide a return on investment, increased productivity, and motivation. Remember an apprenticeship is not just for a 16–18 year old school leaver, it’s for everyone!
Apprenticeships are a cost-effective way to grow your business
When employing an apprentice you will have to pay, as a minimum, the national minimum wage for an apprentice. Many employers use this as a starting point when taking on an apprentice. The current rate can be found here.
There are Government grants, and incentives available to support you with recruiting and training apprentices. To learn more about what is currently available visit the GOV.UK website or click here.
Apprentices can inject fresh ideas and enthusiasm to your team
Through the apprenticeship each apprentice is taught the industry standard related to their apprenticeship, they will bring new ideas to their role and develop their skills alongside their colleagues. The apprenticeship programme has been running successfully for many years with 70% of employers retaining apprentices as permanent staff (GOV.UK).
What areas can we employ an apprentice in?
There are hundreds of apprenticeship standards to choose from at various levels. Simply choose the standard that matches your job role.
The apprenticeship levels available are listed below. If your apprentice starts their journey at the intermediate level, they have the opportunity to progress up to a degree level apprenticeship, dependant on the role and the progression opportunities available within your organisation.
| Name | Level | Equivalent Educational Level |
| Intermediate | 2 | 5 GCSE passes |
| Advanced | 3 | 2 A-Level passes |
| Higher | 4,5,6 and 7 | Foundation degree and above |
| Degree | 6 and 7 | Bachelor’s or Master’s degree |
PTP Training Ltd offer a wide range of apprenticeships from Level 2 to Level 7 in fields such as Business and Administration, Management, Engineering, Lean Operations, Manufacturing, Early Years Care, Dentistry, Accounts and much more. If you can’t find the apprenticeship you are looking for, we can refer you to one of our partners.
Apprenticeship Service Account
Employers are required to create an Apprenticeship Service Account if they wish to recruit an apprentice. You will also use the account to claim funding and incentives. Creating an account is simple and the process will take approximately 10 minutes.
Follow the instructions below to create your account:
- Visit the GOV.UK
- Complete the company details including PAYE
- Accept the Employer Agreement
To support you with this process please visit the links below:
What is the apprenticeship service?*
Registering an account on the apprenticeship service*
How do I hire an apprentice?
Performance Through People can make the process simple and straightforward. We can provide support to help navigate and set up your apprenticeship service account. Our experienced and friendly staff will provide all the support you need. To find out how, visit the recruitment section.
If you are ready to hire an apprentice, please click here* to complete the vacancy application form. Once completed please send it to ptp-recruits@ptp-training.co.uk. For further information please call 03332 408302
What are my responsibilities as an employer?
As an employer you will have responsibilities you must adhere to when hiring an apprentice. These ensure the apprentice, employer and training provider gain as much value out of the apprenticeship as possible.
As an employer you must:
- Ensure the apprenticeship is a genuine job with a contract of employment that lasts a minimum of 1 year.
- Have an apprenticeship agreement and commitment statement with the apprentice that is provided by PTP Training Ltd.
- Pay at least the minimum apprenticeship wage of £4.81/hour (GOV.UK).
- Ensure the apprenticeship aligns with the requirements of the job role. Our team will work with you to help design the training programme.
- Work with Performance Through People to schedule off and on the job training to meet the needs of the apprenticeship standard. To learn more about off-the-job training click here.
- Ensure the apprentice is given paid holiday entitlement and statutory sick pay.
Please contact us for more information.
Let's chat!
If you have any enquiries about our training programmes, apprenticeship opportunities, recruitment options, or if you need assistance with anything else, please fill out the form and we will reply promptly!