Get £1,500 tax-free just for taking on an apprentice! Eligibility rules apply, see inside for details...

ADDING ANOTHER DIMENSION TO YOUR BUSINESS•

02 Call 01234 291747

APPRENTICESHIPS?

ENERGISE YOUR WORKPLACE WITH FRESH NEW TALENT Did you know that over 150,000 employers now offer apprenticeships across 170 different industries1? From childcare and carpentry to hairdressing and engineering, more and more businesses are discovering the rewards and reaping the benefits of taking a hard-working and enthusiastic apprentice under their wing.

Don’t just take our word for it – an outstanding 96% of employers report benefits to their business, having taken on an apprentice1. You can find the range of benefits on page 5, but to give you just a taste apprenticeships help to create a more motivated workforce and fill essential skill gaps, resulting in significant increases to your bottom line.

HOW IT COULD WORK FOR YOUApprenticeships can suit different needs. You might want to:

1. Recruit new employees through an apprenticeship programme.

2. Train existing employees who change to a different job role.

In both cases, apprentices make an active choice to pursue a career in their chosen industry, and they bring with them many advantages to your business. But it’s not all about internal gain, research carried out by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) shows that over 80% of people are more likely to use businesses that offer Apprenticeships to young people1. Take on an apprentice and you will make a difference to society, enhancing your local community and improving the workforces of tomorrow.

WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAYBedford College is the largest apprenticeship provider in Bedfordshire. With over 20 years’ experience uniting thousands of apprentices and employers, you can trust us to assist you every step of the way; from the recruitment process right to the end of the apprenticeship itself.

Government funding is available, which means there may be little or no cost involved, other than paying your apprentice’s salary. And because we know how valuable your time is, there isn’t mountains of paperwork involved either.

Turn to page 7 to discover how our unique apprenticeship training development model enables us to help you and your business right from the moment of enquiry to the end of the apprenticeship.

1 www.apprenticeships.org.uk

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS AN APPRENTICESHIP? Put simply, it’s a type of training programme where your employees study part-time alongside their employment. Apprenticeships are designed to develop practical skills through on-the-job experience and nationally recognised industry qualifications.

Visit www.bedford.ac.uk/apprenticeships

Contents

02Introducing

apprenticeships

04Your questions

answered

05Extraordinary

business benefits

06Who do we work with?

07Apprenticeships

step-by-step

08Finance explained

10Apprenticeships

we offer

11Other Services

BEDFORD COLLEGE’S OWN APPRENTICES – HOW IT WORKS FOR US

❝The College spends so much time helping employers to take on apprentices, and so it is important that we lead by example”– the words of Business Development Team Manager at Bedford College, Gina Bubbins.

Paige decided she wanted to be ‘earning while learning’ after completing her A-Levels. Paige was taken on as part of the Business Development Team at Bedford College and is now learning about sales and securing customer relationships.

Gina says: “Since taking on Paige, certain areas have seen an increase in productivity; she settled in quickly and worked hard from day one. Apprentices come into a company with such commitment and enthusiasm that they never fail to make a positive impact.

❝

1 www.apprenticeships.org.uk03

Employers believe that newly qualified apprentices are 15%

more employable than graduates with other

qualifications 1.

04 Call 01234 291747

YOUR QUEsTioNS...

We’re sure you’ve already got lots of

questions, so read on to discover how the whole process works.

HOW DOES AN APPRENTICESHIP WORK?During the programme, an apprentice earns a wage in employment with your business and develops industry skills through a training programme. As a general rule, they will attend classes with us on a part-time basis, either once a week or in blocks of several weeks at a time.

WHO CAN TAKE ON AN APPRENTICE?Whether your business is a small or large organisation, whether you’re in the public or private sector, the apprenticeship programme is open to you.

WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE?An apprentice must be employed by you for a minimum of 30 hours per week to complete the apprenticeship. Training is delivered ‘on the job’ at your premises and at a Bedford College campus. As with all employees, you are responsible for your apprentice’s wages and paying any applicable tax and national insurance.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?The length of an apprenticeship varies depending upon the prior skills of the apprentice, the qualification being obtained and the industry sector. Generally, apprenticeships take between one and three years to complete.

ARE THERE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF QUALIFICATION?We offer apprenticeship programmes at three levels: Intermediate (Level 2) and Advanced (Level 3 and 4). Turn to page 10 for the full list.

WHEN CAN AN APPRENTICE START THEIR PROGRAMME?Apprenticeships aren’t restricted to the traditional academic year – you can recruit an apprentice at any time. We will also help you to advertise the vacancy, which will help to lower your recruitment costs.

WHAT IS THE COST TO MY BUSINESS? If you take on a 16-18 year old apprentice, all that you will pay for during the apprenticeship is their salary – the government will fund their training. If you take on someone aged 19 or over, as well as paying their salary you will need to make a contribution towards the cost of their training each year (the government will part-fund their training). Turn to page 8 for all the financial information you will need.

05Visit www.bedford.ac.uk/apprenticeships2 www.apprenticeships.org.uk 3 Research conducted in February 2008 by Populus on behalf of the LSC to launch the first National Apprenticeship Week

–SEE THEM FOR

YOURSELF WELCOMING AN APPRENTICE INTO YOUR TEAM IS NOT ONLY REWARDING, BUT OFFERS A RANGE OF FULLY MEASURABLE BUSINESS BENEFITS.

A loyal and motivated workforce – around two thirds of employers2 report benefits, such as apprentices bringing new, interesting ideas to the company and better morale among staff. Apprentices are eager to repay the investment a business has made in their future, leading to reduced staff turnover. Remember, an apprentice is with you because they want to be – they have made both an active choice to learn on the job and a commitment to a specific career.

Filling your skills gaps – apprenticeships deliver skills designed around your business needs. They also help you develop the specialist skills you need to keep pace with the latest technology and working practices in your sector. In fact, 83% of employers rely on their apprenticeships programme to find the skilled workers needed to keep up to date with advances in their industry2.

Covering the costs – training apprentices is more cost effective than hiring skilled staff, leading to lower overall training and recruitment costs. 53% of businesses report lower recruitment costs and 59% lower overall training costs during apprenticeship programmes3.

A more productive workplace – 72% of businesses report improved productivity having taken on an apprentice2, increasing the competitiveness of your business to improve your bottom line. The average person completing an apprenticeship increases productivity by £214 a week, made up by increased profits, lower prices and better products2.

Grow with your employees – 64% of newly-qualified apprentices stay with their employer to pursue a career2, which not only means you won’t be incurring the cost of re-recruiting, you are effectively investing in the future of your company.

Want to see the figures for yourself ?Check out what an apprenticeship could be worth to your business with the online ROI calculator at www.apprenticeships.org.uk/employers

06 Call 01234 291747

❝I was given the chance to complete an apprenticeship many years ago and I feel it’s important to give something back and give youngsters the opportunity to start a good career, I’ve always rated the instructors at Bedford College. Their knowledge, experience and the way that they teach the pupils is first class.

❝Barry WellsBarry Wells Plumbing and Heating

❝This is a long term investment and, moving forward, we know that working with Bedford College to train young people from scratch will give us more flexibility in the future and a competitive edge, as we will have multi-skilled engineers with experience and understanding of the whole business.

❝Andy Osborn (Training Manager)The Automated Technology Group (ATG)

Bedfordshire & Luton Fire & Rescue Service

Bosch Rexroth

Charles Wells

Fletchers Hair Studio

General Motors

Guardian Environmental Services

Harpers Nursery

Lockheed Martin

Mark Rutherford School

Mercedes Benz

Millbrook Proving Ground

Priory Marina Beefeater

The Automated Technology Group

The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives

Woburn Golf Club

Who do we work with?

Here are just a few of the businesses in Bedfordshire and beyond that we’ve helped to recruit and train apprentices over the past few years...

GETTING IN TOUCH:When you first contact Bedford College

you will be allocated an Account Manager. This person will help you during every stage of the apprenticeship and be

your first point of contact.

Our apprenticeship training

development model

1

2

3

4

56

7

TIME TO CHAT: Your Account Manager will visit your premises to discuss apprenticeship

opportunities in more detail and help you discover what will work best for

your business.

RECRUIT: Start the selection process to find

the most suitable candidate.

ALL SYSTEMS GO: Welcome your new apprentice and

start the apprenticeship programme.

FEEDBACK: As part of the ongoing support you will receive from Bedford College, we will give you regular feedback on your employee’s performance,

so we can work together to achieve the best results.

COMING TO AN END:Depending on the length of

apprenticeship programme, you will be notified when the training is complete. We will assist you in evaluating the business impact of the programme and identify

future needs.

Visit www.bedford.ac.uk/apprenticeships

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES: • Help you to decide which apprenticeship programme is right for your business

• Explain the way that apprenticeships might work for you

• Identify if funding is available

• Help you to recruit an apprentice or support your existing staff into apprenticeships

• Agree a training plan with you and your apprentice

• Deliver the training and provide on-going support to you and your apprentice, with regular feedback

Once you have decided to take on an apprentice, there are some simple steps that both you and we will follow to ensure everything runs smoothly.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES:• Interview and select the apprentice

• Issue a contract of employment

• Provide a safe and secure working environment

• Provide supervision and mentoring

• Commit to providing time off for learning

• Provide sufficient breadth of experience to cover the apprenticeship framework

SPREAD THE WORD: We will advertise the vacancy on the Bedford College and National Apprenticeships

Service websites, throughout local schools, job centres and

the College.

07

08 Call 01234 291747

Apprenticeship fundingTHE JOBIf you employ an apprentice you will need to pay them at least £2.73 per hour4 (the National Minimum Wage for apprentices), although you are free to pay more, and many employers choose to do so – the average salary for an apprentice is around £170 per week5.

THE TRAININGDepending on the age of the apprentice, you may have to pay a contribution towards their training.

The governments Skills Funding Agency (SFA) makes the following contributions towards training costs. Payments are made directly to Bedford College, as the learning provider who offers the training:

• For those aged 16-18 the contribution will be 100% of the cost – you will only need to pay for your apprentice’s salary.

• For those aged 19 and over the contribution will be up to 50% of the cost – you will need to pay a small contribution towards the training, in addition to your apprentice’s salary.

4 From 1st October 2014 5 www.apprenticeships.org.uk

Regional finalist of the Megger National Apprentice Electrician of the Year 2014 Peter Hall, with his support team Bedford College CEO Ian Pryce CBE, Director of Teaching & Learning/Deputy Principal Dave Pridmore, Executive Director of Construction & Building Services Tony Joyce, and the winning electrical installation training team.

09Visit www.bedford.ac.uk/apprenticeships

Apprenticeship funding

AGE 16 to 24 aims to support businesses – not otherwise in a position to do so – to recruit individuals aged 16 to 24 into employment though the apprenticeship programme.

Apprenticeship Grant for Employers of 16 to 24 year olds (AGE 16 to 24)

The AGE 16 to 24 is designed to encourage employers to offer apprenticeships to young people through a tax-free wage grant worth £1,500. If you qualify, you will receive the grant on top of the contribution already being made by the SFA (see above) – which means taking on an apprentice could make even more financial sense for your business.

WILL MY BUSINESS QUALIFY?If your business has up to 1,000 employees and you’re looking to recruit your first apprentice (or have not employed an apprentice within the last 12 months), you could qualify for the grant. Remember, the apprentice you are recruiting must be aged 16 to 24.

More information and details of how to apply are available from our Business Development team or our website: www.bedford.ac.uk/apprenticeships

Need more info? For more information on all of the funding options available for apprenticeships, visit www.bedford.ac.uk/apprenticeships

10 Call 01234 291747

Apprenticeships

TITLELEVEL OFFERED

Intermediate (Level 2) Advanced (Level 3)

Accountancy • •

Agriculture • •

Bench Joinery • •

Building Services Engineering •

Brickwork • •

Business & Administration • •

Carpentry • •

Childcare, Learning & Development • •

Civil Engineering •

Conservation & Environment •

Construction Maintenance Operations •

Construction – Technical & Professional •

Customer Service •

Engineering •

Engineering Manufacture •

Engineering Manufacture (Craft & Technician) •

Electrical/Electronic Engineering •

Electrical Installation •

Hairdressing • •

Health & Social Care • •

Horticulture • •

Hospitality & Catering • •

Improving Operational Performance •

IT Application Specialist • •

IT Professional • •

Mechanical Engineering •

Motor Vehicle Body Repair & Paint • •

Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair • •

Painting & Decorating • •

Plumbing • •

Teaching Assistant • •

Trees & Timber •

Warehousing & Storage •

Bedford College offers Level 2, Level 3 and

Level 4 Apprenticeships in a wide range of

disciplines. Check out the Apprenticeships page on the College

website for information on a specific discipline.

Apprenticeships coming soon...

• Equine Management Level 2 and Level 3• Accounting Higher Apprenticeship Level 4

11Visit www.bedford.ac.uk/apprenticeships

If Apprenticeships are not quite what you are looking for, our Employer Training Services team can introduce you to a range of alternative and tailored training solutions, designed to improve performance and productivity.

In one year alone, 79% of employers that used Bedford College for their training needs reported improved business performance and 83% reported improved product and/or service quality6. Once again, our unique training development model comes into play, as we help you to identify the issues you want to address, develop appropriate training solutions to meet your objectives and measure the impact this training has on your organisation.

6 Results from the 2011/2012 Employer Survey conducted by Bedford College in April 2012

WORK EXPERIENCE We regularly have students looking for individual work experience placements of varying lengths. If you can offer one or two weeks’ of work experience to a hard-working and dedicated Bedford College student, please do get in touch.

TRAINEESHIPSTraineeships are a new training programme that has been developed in response to employer feedback. Some businesses, like yours, have reported problems in hiring young candidates because they don’t have the necessary skills or experience you’re looking for. Designed for 16 to 24 year olds, traineeships give you the opportunity to:

• trial young talent in your organisation

• shape a trainee’s experience before potentially taking them on as a new employee

• help create a pipeline of experienced young people for your business.

There is no cost involved in taking on a trainee, but you must offer a high quality work experience placement that guarantees them an exit interview on completion of the programme, as well as a reference they can take forward to future employment applications. Or, if the placement is particularly successful, you may be able to offer them a job interview for a suitable role, or an apprenticeship.

Weeks

1 an

d 2...

The t

raine

e atte

nds B

edfor

d Coll

ege

and p

repare

s for

their w

ork pl

acem

ent

by un

derta

king e

mploya

bility

stud

y

and E

nglish

and m

aths (

if app

licable

).

Weeks

7-16

...

The t

raine

e atte

nds B

edfor

d Coll

ege

for on

e day

per w

eek,

conti

nuing

with th

eir En

glish

and m

aths

traini

ng, a

nd ta

kes p

art in

their

work

placem

ent w

ith an

emplo

yer, l

ike

you,

for 20

hours

per w

eek.

Weeks

5 an

d 6...

The t

raine

e atte

nds B

edfor

d Coll

ege a

nd

conti

nues

prepa

ration

for th

eir w

ork

placem

ent b

y und

ertak

ing em

ploya

bility

study

and E

nglish

and m

aths (

if app

licable

).

Weeks

3 an

d 4...

The t

raine

e atte

nds B

edfor

d Coll

ege f

or

one d

ay pe

r wee

k, co

ntinu

ing w

ith th

eir

Engli

sh an

d math

s trai

ning,

and t

akes

part

in the

ir work

plac

emen

t with

an em

ploye

r,

like y

ou, fo

r 20 h

ours

per w

eek.

OUR BRAND NEW JOB SHOPThe Job Shop at Bedford College is a new service dedicated to finding suitable candidates for job roles locally.

When you next find yourself searching for ideal candidates to apply for a vacancy within your business, we will be able to help. Our skilled staff look at the job role, decide the type of candidate it would best suit and then promote the vacancy across the College and its other businesses, reaching past and existing students to find the ideal match and unite employers, like you, with the best possible candidates.

THE TRAINEESHIPS PROGRAMME LASTS UP TO 16 WEEKS IN TOTAL...

STARTWEEK 1

FINISHWEEK 16

Get in touch with Bedford College, your local training provider.

We will be delighted to visit your company and discuss our apprenticeship service. To arrange a free, no obligation visit, call our Employer Training Services team on 01234 291747.

Visit www.bedford.ac.uk/apprenticeships to find out more about apprenticeships at any time and wherever you are.

Next steps:

Bedford CollegeCauldwell Street Campus Bedford MK42 9AH

Tel: 01234 291747Email: training@bedford.ac.ukWeb: www.bedford.ac.uk/employers