Apprenticeship

1) Apprenticeship will have to be employed for up to 1 year with the same terms & conditions as an employee

or

2) Apprenticeship can be in current employment but must be given a certain number of hours per week for training

3) The minimum wage for a new apprentice is £95 per week

Apprenticeships can help businesses across all sectors by offering a route to utilize new talent. UK businesses consider a shortage of skills and difficulties in recruitment a bigger threat to performance than soaring oil prices or decline in consumer spending, and more than a quarter of these rate this form of vocational training higher than any other qualification.

Apprenticeships ensure that your workforce has the practical skills and qualifications that your business needs to be efficient and competitive now and in the future. A mixture of on-site and off-site study ensures candidates learn the skills that work best for your specific business needs. Over 130,000 companies offer apprentice places because they understand the benefits that apprentices bring to their business – increased productivity, improved competitiveness and a committed and competent work-force.

Improve your bottom line
Apprenticeships deliver real returns to your bottom line. In a recent survey*, the majority of employers said that Apprenticeships helped them to improve productivity and to be more competitive. They also said that training apprentices is more cost effective than hiring skilled staff, leading to a lower overall training and recruitment cost.

* Apprenticeships, survey conducted by Populus on behalf of the Learning and Skills Council, February 2009.

Earlier research, conducted in February 2008 by Populus on behalf of the LSC to launch the first National Apprenticeship Week revealed:

• 77% of employers believe apprenticeships make them more competitive;
• 76% say that apprenticeships provide higher overall productivity;
• 80% feel that apprenticeships reduce staff turnover;
• 83% of employers rely on their apprenticeships programme to provide the skilled workers that they need for the future;
• Two-thirds of respondents believe that their apprenticeship programme helps them fill vacancies more quickly, whilst
• 88% believe that apprenticeships lead to a more motivated and satisfied workforce;
• 59% report that training apprentices is more cost-effective than hiring skilled staff, with 59% believing that apprenticeships lead to lower overall training costs and 53% feeling that they reduce recruitment costs;
• In terms of a return on investment linked to apprenticeships, 41% say that their apprentices make a valuable contribution to the business during their training period, while a further third (33%) report that apprentices add value within their first few weeks (or even from Day One);
• 57% report a high proportion of their apprentices going on to management positions within the company;
• Over three-quarters of respondents expect apprenticeships to play a bigger part in their recruitment policy in the future.

a nationally recognised qualification

• Apprentices will need to be in employment for up to one year with the same terms and conditions as other employees.
• Apprentices will need to have a 4 day working week with 1 day for training.
• The employer will be responsible for paying the salaries of apprentices, a minimum of £95.00 a week is required.
• All training needs and costs will be met at no cost to the employer. Effectively meaning that the employer will get free training for part of his/her workforce.

An Apprenticeship includes the following components:

• A minimum of 16 hours per week of paid employment.
• A knowledge based element.
• A competency based element.
• Transferable or “key skills”.
• A module on employment rights and responsibilities.

1) Key Skills Level

 2) Technical Certificate

 3) An NVQ in for example Customer Service / Business Admin or any relevant NVQ to job role at Level 2 or 3

This course can now be taken for free under the government funded Apprenticship  scheme. Contact BEST Training Solutions to find out more.

BEST Training Solutions Ltd. - accredited IT and computer training courses for a brighter future.

Literally thousands of people have studied with BEST Training Solutions. With computer and IT courses giving you the IT skills to start a new job or to progress your professional career, BEST Training Solutions can help you.

Established over 10 years ago, BEST Training Solutions offers over 200 computer and IT courses from advanced to absolute beginner levels. BEST Training Solutions is accredited and authorised by many national bodies with a full range of courses available for you and your business.

High quality training is the core of their business, meaning BEST Training Solutions is open at hours friendly for you - throughout the week, including evenings.

At BEST Training Solutions, it's important for you to be comfortable with your learning environment. BEST therefore works with students to understand your needs and deliver the right training programme for you.

BEST Training Solutions's accredited courses lead to nationally recognised qualifications which help you to stand out from the crowd when applying for those all important jobs, or further your career prospects by helping you to become effective, productive and confident in your work place.

Studying with BEST Training Solutions will give you the following benefits:

• Peace of mind as all our centres are accredited
• A tailored study programme which takes into account your learning style
• A choice of two learning environments - both fully supported by a tutor
• Attending one of our centres at a time of your choosing
• Distance learning
• Gaining a qualification when you are ready
• Flexibility – start any time and proceed at your own pace
• Affordable training with funding available for suitable applicants

Some of BEST Training Solutions's courses can be taken free via the Train to Gain scheme. Contact BEST Training Solutions to find out more.