An apprentice is the first step to providing your business with a necessary skill that can expand your business. When you’re recruiting your first apprentice, you’ll be looking for an apprentice that can provide value to your business with a combination of vocational training and professional study.

The question is, how can you start the process of recruiting your first apprentice?

Read on to find out…

 

1. What do you need to know before you hire an apprentice?

Before you hire an apprentice, you need to make sure that you understand the parameters for an apprentice. An apprentice must be aged 16 or above and not already be in any other type of full-time education. You can provide them with work experience alongside an educational programme. However, they must work at least 30 hours a week but no more than 40 hours in total. All apprentices should be living in England and spend at least 50% of their working hours in the country during their apprenticeship.

 

2. How do you find an apprentice?

The best way is to use an accredited sports coaching training provider. First Step Training has connections with local schools, colleges and local authorities that can put your apprenticeship in front of the right people. We can also provide you with access to training that can fulfil your future needs.

To find your apprentice, consider:

• Holding open days
• Arranging visits to schools, colleges and universities
• Participating in careers events, like WorldSkills UK Live
• Using social media to share that you are hiring an apprentice
• Creating a government apprenticeship service account and create an ad on their find an apprenticeship website

 

3. How can you use the apprenticeship levy?

The apprenticeship levy can help your business afford apprenticeship training at all levels of your business. The amount you can access is based on whether your business pays the Apprenticeship levy. If your business has an annual pay bill over £3 million, you must pay the levy, which means you can access your funds via the online apprenticeship service website.

You can still access the funds if you have a pay bill under 3 million. You will pay 5% of the cost of the apprenticeship training, and the government pays the remaining 95%. This scheme makes it a cost-effective way to upskill your existing talent or gather new talent, developing and broadening your business.

 

4. What are your responsibilities to your apprentice?

Your responsibilities to your apprentice are a mutually beneficial process. Organising what they will do and what impact they should make is an essential part of your commitments before you recruit your apprentice.

You need to make sure that the impact and expectations you have for your apprentice are written into a genuine job with a contract. Make sure the time they have is realistic for them to complete their apprenticeship.

Provide an agreement for your apprentice and have a contract of services in place with an apprenticeship training provider like First Step Sports, so they get the right support and accreditation.

Like any course, you need to have a process in place to track their progress. An online dashboard can provide you with performance tracking against goals, KPIs and learning aims. This should be coordinated with your training provider so you have an overview of your apprentices’ working patterns.

 

5. How can you use an apprenticeship training provider?

The right training provider will have a programme that is designed to fit your business needs. They should offer training in the areas you need and provide courses at a variety of levels, so you don’t need to move from provider to provider. That means they can help you upskill existing workers as well as offer training to junior staff.

Most importantly, training providers need to not only be accredited but well-versed in the most significant professional accreditors in your sector, such as 1st4Sport. Your provider will instantly adapt to changes in the sector, supporting you through the process and any changes as an employer.

Supporting the learner and the employer is an essential part of their role as training providers. A provider should deliver your vocational needs through flexible delivery methods that create platforms to learn on and off your business site.

Looking to recruit your first apprentice? Contact us, and we can help you attract and keep the right types of people that will make great apprentices and make your business an even better place to be!

Take your first step with First Step Training.