Apprenticeships in Wales – Where Do I Start?

The Welsh Apprenticeship Programme was built in 2017 in partnership with Welsh businesses and is driven by the needs of the Welsh communities and economy.

If you are new to apprenticeships, you have to register your interest via the Expression of Interest Form and you will be contacted by an Employer Engagement Advisor.

There are also more resources available to you regarding becoming an apprenticeship provider/employer via Training Provider or the Employer Toolkit.

Like in England, anyone over the age of 16 can apply for an apprenticeship but under the Welsh Apprenticeship Programme, you can achieve any of the following levels:

1. Foundation (equivalent to 5 GCSEs or NVQ Level 2)
2. Apprenticeship (NVQ Level 3 or 2 A-Levels)
3. Higher Apprenticeships (HND/HNC or Foundation Degree)
4. Degree Apprenticeships
5. Welsh Language and Bilingual Apprenticeships

The degree level apprenticeship is a combination of higher level learning and employment so that employers can develop their workforce and help them gain a degree whilst they are building their careers.

Recruiting an Apprentice

1. As an employer you should consider the framework that is most suitable for your apprentice by searching the Apprenticeship Certification Wales (ACW) at www.acwcerts.co.uk  by subject or sector.

• You will need to find an approved training provider that offers an Apprenticeship framework to suit your business. The training providers across Wales will deliver high quality work-based learning programmes and they’ll handle your apprentices’ training, qualification and assessment.

• You can advertise your Apprenticeship vacancy through the Apprenticeship Matching Service on www.careerswales.com. Employers are also able to review applications, sift for short-listing and invite candidates for interview using this service.

• Once you have found an apprentice, you will need to negotiate a salary that will reflect the skills and experience of the individual. You may also be required to contribute towards some of the training costs.

Funding

Similarly to the English Apprenticeships, the funding you will receive depends on if you pay the Levy or not.

The only other costs involved with the apprenticeship is the apprentices’ wage as the cost of their training is covered mostly by the Welsh Government.

Discover the process of hiring an apprentice near you

Hiring an apprentice in England

Hiring an apprentice in Scotland

If you have any queries on hiring an apprentice, please contact the Alcumus HR Consultancy team on 01484 439930 or [email protected].