5 Reasons to Hire an Apprentice in Accrington

Please note: This page contains some out of date information regarding available incentives. Please click on the link below to view the latest updated information regarding increased apprenticeship incentives.

Link: Goverment apprenticeship incentives
Accrington

Hiring an apprentice is the smartest way to recruit new staff in 2021, and hundreds of thousands of UK employers are getting in the game. If you’ve been thinking about growing your team for a while, but haven’t gotten around to it, now is a more strategic time than ever. 

Why? At NLTG, here are our top 5 reasons to hire an apprentice in Accrington now, rather than later. 

The top reason most UK companies choose the apprenticeship hiring route is because it’s cost-effective. Compared to traditional recruitment procedures, which often involve paid advertising, time-intensive interviews, and unreliable background checks, apprenticeship programmes are a breeze. At NLTG, employers can fill skills gaps in their organisations simply by posting a vacancy for the required role. We then connect you with interested apprenticeship candidates who have met our basic competency levels for English and Maths, and who you can vet for the position. 

According to a recent employer survey, companies that hired apprentices cited role specificity as the number one reason for their approach. Unlike taking on an experienced candidate with a certain set of skills, businesses that recruit apprentices are able to determine the exact role they’d like their new teammate to fill. That means employers can guide, mentor, and develop their apprentices to excel in precise roles that are unique to their business, which can be highly valuable in a range of sectors.

The third of our 5 reasons to hire an apprentice in Accrington is that the process of hiring an apprentice is wonderfully motivational for all staff members who get involved. There’s no one set way to develop your new recruit, which means many employers choose an ideal mix of different approaches such as mentorship, work shadowing, and on-the-job training. When your staff get involved, the positive impact can be felt across the firm as higher morale and improved job satisfaction. 

It’s often said that apprentices are loyal. And that’s exactly what our Employer Case Studies show! When you train your new apprentice, you provide valuable skills and work experience that lasts a lifetime, and it’s precisely the reason so many apprentices go on to more senior positions at their hiring firms. That means lower staff turnover!

The most important of our 5 reasons to hire an apprentice in Accrington applies to employers in every sector – when you recruit a new apprentice before the end of January 2022, you’ll receive a financial incentive for your hire. For a limited period only, the government’s £1,000 incentive payment has been increased to £3,000, meaning that your firm receives direct payment for each new 16 to 18-year-old apprentice you take on during this time. This special bonus means you can invest in your firm however you see fit – whether that’s with new equipment, the latest technology, or upskilling for your current staff.

What sector are you operating in, and what skills gap would you like to fill? Check our NLTG’s  Business Administration, Business Improvement Techniques, Catering and Hospitality, Customer Service, Furniture Occupations, , I.T. or Digital Marketing, Manufacturing, Retail, or Warehouse and Logistics apprenticeship programmes, and get started hiring by raising an apprenticeship vacancy today!

Raise a Vacancy

To raise a vacancy call our team on 01254 300779 or click the button below to fill out a quick enquiry form. Our team will then arrange to come out and guide you through the process.

Raise a vacancy

NLTG provide training in the Accrington area for your current employees

Organisational success is all about the people that bring it to life, and that means your staff need the latest skills to help you get ahead. As all industries change at a pace, it’s becoming more critical than ever to have staff who can operate the newest machinery, use the latest tech, and provide customers with up-to-date answers to their questions. If you’re not upskilling your staff, chances are their skills are a little rusty.  

The answer is upskilling – regular training to improve your team’s capabilities and arm them with the latest sector knowledge. With NLTG, you can upskill in a huge range of ways, so that they have exactly what it takes to get your firm ahead.

NLTG’s upskilling courses include our wide selection of apprenticeships, open to employees of all ages, and our suite of e-learning courses, structured to allow your team to learn flexibly either in the workplace or from home. These encompass a carefully structured selection of pathways that help your team update their skills or learn new ones to give you a competitive advantage. Find the right NLTG upskilling course for you by browsing our courses and enroll your staff today!

Frequently Asked Questions

How will employing an apprentice benefit my company?

Employing an Apprentice can bring numerous benefits to your business including:

• increased productivity.

• increased employee satisfaction.

• increased loyalty and commitment.

• reduced staff turnover.

  • Apprentices will be trained to understand how your industry works, helping to ensure your future workforce is exactly the way you want it to be. They can generate new ideas and creativity to expand your business and are a cost-effective way of achieving a return on investment.

What training do I need to provide?

You will need to train a new apprentice in their job role and provide them with a mentor, as you would with any new member of staff.  The apprentice however, may need a little more support, especially if they have not worked in your industry before or are learning a new role.

We will visit your premises every 4 to 6 weeks to help with the training and guide your apprentice through their programme.

How much does it cost to employ an apprentice?

Apprentices are employees of your company and you are responsible for paying your apprentice’s wage.  You must pay at least the Apprenticeship minimum wage and can find out more by clicking here.  The Apprenticeship minimum wage relates to apprentices aged 16 to 18, or aged 19 and above in the first year of their Apprenticeship.

For apprentices aged under 25, you may not need to pay National Insurance contributions during their training.  Find out more by clicking here.

What days and hours do apprentices work?

Apprentices are employees of your company, with the same rights and responsibilities as any other employee.

As such, you will decide the days and hours you would like apprentices to work (which must be at least 30 hours per week), their rest breaks and paid holiday entitlement etc, in line with Employment Law and the Working Hours Directive.

If you employ an apprentice aged under 18, the law states that they must not work more than 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week.  They are also entitled to paid holidays and rest breaks of at least 30 minutes if their shift lasts more than four and half hours.

How are disciplinary procedures handled?

They are handled like any other employee’s, but NLTG are on hand to provide help and support if you feel it is necessary.

What funding and grants are available?

If your apprentice is aged:

• 16-18; or

• 19-24 and is a care leaver or has a Local Authority Education, Health & Care Plan

… you’ll receive a £1,000 incentive payment for each apprentice.

Payments will be made in two equal instalments; the first once the apprentice has been on programme for 3 months and the second after the apprentice has been on programme for 12 months.  (It may take up to 9 weeks after the incentive payment dates for funds to be processed and transferred).

Grants may also be available but the availability and requirements for these change on a regular basis so you are best speaking to us for up-to-date information.

Depending upon the size of your company, different funding arrangements are in place for Apprenticeship training.  For full details, please click here.

What is the recruitment process / how do I raise a vacancy?

Once you’re happy you know all you need to know about recruiting an Apprentice, you’ll need to raise an Apprenticeship vacancy with us. You can do this by contacting our Employer Engagement Team (email: eet@nltg.co.uk , tel: 01254 300779) or by clicking the ‘Have a Question’ tab to the right and completing the online enquiry form. Once we have all the vacancy details we’ll publish it on our website and other partner’s websites to attract applicants.

We also offer a free 16-18 year old Recruitment Service.  We’ll look at all our current 16-18 year old applicants seeking the type of job you have advertised and check if they meet your requirements. We’ll give you a call with any applicant details and see if you would like to interview them.  If so, we’ll contact the applicant on your behalf to advise them of interview details. We’ll give you a call after interview to gain feedback and see if you would like to employ the applicant. If yes, we’ll inform the applicant of their start date, if not we’ll inform the applicant they were unsuccessful and repeat the process until you find the right candidate.

Don’t forget if you have any exiting employees, including graduates, who you wish to train through an Apprenticeship, simply contact our Employer Engagement Team.

What is required of me?

If you employ an apprentice or choose to up-skill your workforce via Apprenticeships, there are some things you need to have in place. NLTG will support you through this process, with advice on the specific requirements, such as Health & Safety.

To find out more, please download our Employer Handbook.

As an employer you will need to ensure your apprentices:

• are employed in a real job that gives them the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills they need to pass their assessment.
• are paid at least the minimum wage and have a contract of employment.
• work towards an approved Apprenticeship Standard.  Their training must last at least 12 months.
• are paid for time spent training or studying for their Apprenticeship, whether at work or at a training provider.
• have the same conditions as other employees working at similar grades or in similar roles. This includes: paid holidays; sick pay; any benefits you offer such as childcare voucher schemes; any support you offer such as coaching or mentoring.

Speak to an advisor today

for help and guidance about what options are available to you

Call us today

01254 395355

or enquire online

send us a message