Myths busted
Apprenticeships are only for school leavers:
There is no age limit for apprentices, however you do need to be at least 16 to enrol. You may need to be over 18 for some apprenticeships due to health and safety reasons, so always check the requirements before applying. Apprenticeships can also be a great opportunity for a career change later in life.
Apprentices don’t get paid a lot:
The minimum wage for apprentices is currently £6.55, however your employer can decide to pay you more than the minimum. Some apprenticeships have a starting salary upwards of 20k, so it’s important to keep an eye out for the best opportunity to suit your situation.
Apprentices have to pay towards their training:
Incorrect! An apprentice cannot legally financially contribute to their apprenticeship training. The training costs are either paid by the government or your employer (depending on the circumstances at the time of enrolment).
Employer FAQs
How many hours a week can my apprentice work?
Apprentices must be employed for no less than 30 hours per week. For apprentices under 18, they are not allowed to work more than 40 hours per week. For apprentices over the age
of 18, they can work up to a maximum of 48 hours per week.
What happens if I can’t afford to pay towards the training costs for my apprentice?
For employers who may struggle to pay the 5% co-investment fee towards their apprentice’s training, there is the option of receiving levy funds from another employer. The levy paying
company may choose to utilise their funds to support another business, and the employer receiving the funds will not be required to pay them back at any point.
Do I have to recruit an apprentice myself?
East Coast College offer a free advertising support service to help you recruit an apprentice. We work with the employer to create a vacancy template that will eventually be posted on
the Find an Apprenticeship website, the college’s website/social media pages, as well as shared with current students.
What is Off-The-Job & On-The-Job training?
Off-the-job (OTJ) training is any training relating to the chosen apprenticeship standard that is obtained away from the workplace – This could be day release for college attendance. On- the-Job training is training the apprentice receives whilst at work – For example, shadowing a work colleague. An apprentice must spend an average of 6 hours per week obtaining OTJ training.
Useful Links
Apprenticeships Norfolk – https://apprenticeshipsnorfolk.org/
Apprenticeships Suffolk – https://apprenticeshipssuffolk.org/
Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) – https://www.acas.org.uk/
Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) – https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/
GOV.UK – https://www.gov.uk/employing-an-apprentice
Apprenticeships UK – https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/