Traditionally, Apprenticeships have only been available to young people under 24. However, recent changes in government funding means that Newcastle College can offer Apprenticeships to anyone aged over 16 years.
All training costs for 16 – 18 year olds are covered by government funding, for those aged over 18 years a contribution towards their training costs will be required.
From the 1st October 2011 a National Minimum Wage (NMW) for apprentices has been introduced for young people aged 16-18 and those aged over 19 in the first year of their Apprenticeship.
The new rate is £2.60 per hour. The new NMW applies to time working plus time spent training as this is also part of the Apprenticeship. Anyone not covered by the age category above will be entitled to the NMW appropriate to their age. More information can be found at www.direct.gov.uk/nmw.
An Apprenticeship can take between 12 – 24 months to complete depending on the subject and the level of study. Each apprentice and employer has a dedicated Assessor who will help your staff member map out their learning goals and support them to achievement.
Yes as long as you meet the regulation health and safety criteria and can offer your apprentice a safe place to work in.
Graduates can be placed through an Apprenticeship but are not eligible for funding. This means that you as the employer will be responsible for the training costs. The only exception is if the individual has participated in New Deal. In these instances the Apprenticeship will qualify for funding.
You must give your apprentice an induction into their role and provide on-the-job training. You are also responsible for paying your apprentice a salary. An apprentice will be classed as an employee, so you must treat them in the same way as other permanent employees.
Yes, we will assign an assessor to your apprentice and they will support you both throughout the entire process, from sign-up and regulation checks, to helping the learner achieve their deadlines and successfully complete their Apprenticeship programme.