5 Reasons for Clitheroe companies To Hire an Apprentice in 2022

Please note: This page contains some out of date information regarding available incentives.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
Clitheroe

Apprenticeships are on the rise across the United Kingdom. As many as 719,000 employees were undertaking an apprenticeship in England alone between 2019 and 2020, in spite of the uncertainty caused by the pandemic. If you’re wondering whether hiring an NLTG apprentice can benefit your company, we’ve had a hard time narrowing down our list! But here are the top 5 reasons for Clitheroe companies to hire an apprentice in 2022 so that you can get started on the right foot.

New apprentices are wonderfully motivated and can contribute considerably to your business culture by improving morale and job satisfaction at your company. Organisational success is measured by far more than the bottom line, and recruiting new staff who are working for a starter wage means you’re hiring employees who are driven by passion. That’s exactly what fosters a positive, productive, and creative work environment where employees at all levels can thrive.

Second, hiring a new apprentice can be an exceptionally clever investment. Not only is the apprenticeship recruitment process far less time-consuming and costly than the traditional hiring route (think paid ads and rounds of interviews), but apprentices also stick around for the long haul. Known for their ferocious loyalty and dedication, apprentice employers frequently report improvements in their staff turnover and a top internal talent pool to recruit from when it comes to filling skills gaps.

Number 3 on our list of 5 reasons for Clitheroe companies to hire an apprentice in 2022 is productivity – apprentices are employees from their very first day at your firm, and an extra pair of helping hands can do wonders for efficiency. Regardless of what sector your company operates in, or whether you hire a Level 1, 2, 3, or 4 apprentice, your new employee is ready to learn on the job, meaning they can add value and help you drive results from the very start of their apprenticeship.

We can keep the fourth point short and sweet – new apprentices are perfect for any skills gap in your firm! Because you show your employee the ropes and share your unique best practices, your new recruit can learn to excel in all kinds of sector-relevant jobs. Even those that are specific to your company or unique value proposition.

In top place on our list of 5 reasons for Clitheroe companies to hire an apprentice in 2022 is the government’s increased incentive program. Up until the end of January 2022, many Clitheroe businesses can even receive a significant bonus payment for each new apprentice that they hire. The increased incentive scheme, which is offering eligible firms as much as £3,000 in apprenticeship hiring bonuses for each new 16-18-year-old apprentice they hire, enables employers to make strategic business investments in their firm’s future with the payment. This payment is subject to company size and the age of your organisation’s new apprentice but applies to the whole range of sectors from Business Administration and Customer Service to Retail, Glass Occupations, and more.

If this all sounds great to you, make sure you get started right away! We at NLTG can help you source the right talent for your firm, whether you’re in Furniture Occupations, Business Administration, Customer Service, IT and Digital Marketing, Catering and Hospitality, General Manufacturing, Warehouse and Logistics, Glass Occupations, Team Leading and Management or Retail. Started today by raising an apprenticeship vacancy!

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 Clitheroe area for your current employees

No technology stays relevant forever, and the right skillsets for competitive advantage change as fast as your customers’ needs! If you’ve let your staff development slide, now is the time to get back on track. Upskilling your team can have incredibly positive impacts on morale, productivity, job satisfaction, and performance, so giving your staff a chance to brush up on their abilities is an essential thing to do on a regular basis. 

With NLTG’s on-the-job upskilling programs, you can enrol staff into the most practical, relevant training opportunity for your specific Clitheroe firm. They’ll have a much-needed chance to update their skill sets, learn new approaches, and refresh their industry knowledge in the way that suits them best.

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 entail a structured selection of pathways that your team can follow to brush up their skills or pick up new ones that are relevant to their roles. Browse our courses and enrol 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.

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