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Recruiting Apprentices

Here at the College, we recruit and train apprentices on behalf of 600 employers. We deliver training and education to new apprentice starters or employers’ existing staff.

Introduction

Our recruitment services are FREE to employers and aims to make finding the right apprentice for your business a quick and easy process. Our specialised team take a consultative approach to your company’s needs and have a robust process in place to ensure a suitable match to your individual requirements.

We are committed to providing a high- quality calibre of candidate to advance your business throughout their time with you and beyond. To achieve this, we will ensure all our applicants possess the skills and attributes you need from them, as well as the vocational and academic skill set required to successfully complete their training.

Our business development team will engage with you to gain an in depth understanding of your business functions, growth plans and culture. At this point we will advertise your vacancy online, via social media and to our existing talent pool of candidates. We also offer work trials where necessary to ensure you source the right applicant for your business.

With all applicants we will;

• Examine applications on your behalf.

• Conduct skills tests including English, Maths and diagnostic tests for learning support such as dyslexia.

• Conduct initial telephone and face to face interviews if required.

• Arrange final interviews at a suitable time and location for you.

Recruiting Apprentices

The Process

Apprenticeship Process

You will meet with a Lakes College business development manager who will discuss all your companies training needs and complete a Health and Safety appraisal.
You will decide which of our fantastic training opportunities suits your business needs. Did you know that you can upskill your existing work force it’s not just about recruiting a new Apprentice.
Your dedicated business development manager will send out a Training Agreement authorising us to provide the training along with a proposal, you have the opportunity to read through and sign.
When recruiting an Apprentice, we will advertise the job role for you internally to Lakes College students and using thing the college resources (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). Then you would interview and decide on the right candidate for your business.
Once a confirmed start date has been agreed your business development manager will send your employee (or new apprentice) details to one of our specialist training advisors who will be in contact within 2 weeks to arrange an information and guidance appointment followed by their induction (4 weeks for upskilling existing staff).
A commitment statement will be produced and signed by yourself, your Apprentice and the training advisor. You will then be sent a copy of this for your records. Training will commence including 20% off the job (agreed with our Training Advisors)
Progress reviews will be carried out on a monthly basis. These will be carried out by one of our specialist advisors with you and your Apprentice.
An End Point Assessment (EPA) gateway will be arranged towards the end of the Apprenticeship to ensure that your apprentice is ready for the EPA assessment. Any support needed will be provided to ensure Apprentices achieve successful outcomes.
On successful achievement of the apprenticeship certification will be claimed, an exit interview will be carried out with you and your apprentice. Your specialist training advisor will discuss progression routes for your apprentice.

Contact the Business Development Team at team-sales@lcwc.ac.uk

Funding

Apprentice Levy and Fees

Employers with a wage bill of less than £3 million a year will not need to pay the levy. At least 95% of non-levy-paying employers’ apprenticeship training and assessment costs in England will be paid for by the government. The government will ask these employers to make a 5% cash contribution to the cost, paid directly to the provider, and the government covers the rest (up to the maximum agreed funding band).

If you are a small employer (with fewer than 50 employees) there will be no cost to you for training an apprentice aged 16-18 (or aged 19-24 with an Education Health and Care plan or care leaver). If your business has more than 50 employees, you will pay only 5% of the training costs of each apprentice. Employers of this size pay for all ages, with no fee remission available for 16-18-year olds. Employers of apprentices under the age of 25 do not pay secondary Class 1 (employer) National Insurance contributions for their apprentice.

If you’re an employer with a pay bill over £3 million a year, you must pay the apprenticeship levy. You will report and pay your levy to HMRC through the PAYE process. Levy funds will create opportunities for young people across the country, delivering the skills employers need. The levy will give employers control of their training, agree a total price for each apprenticeship, which includes the costs of training and assessment. All levy employers will have a government digital account for apprentice training.

From April 2021 all non-levy employers will be required by government to register for a digital account. Our dedicated Business Development Managers will guide you through the process whether you are a levy paying or non-levy employer to support you.

Employer Incentives

There is a £1,000 incentive if you recruit a 16-18 year old into a new apprenticeship role. The incentive is available for new apprenticeship posts only. Our dedicated Business Development Managers will guide you through the process.

Contact the Business Development Team at team-sales@lcwc.ac.uk to find out more.

Facilities

We are able to offer numerous facilities to support your apprentice throughout their learning. We have our £7million Construction Skills Centre for all construction related industries, state of the art kitchen facilities for hospitality & catering students, and opportunities within the college itself within Business & Administration & IT.

In September 2021, we will be opening our world class Civils Engineering Training Centre at the college.

Based in a first-class, modern estate, equipped with high quality resources and facilities, the college has developed an excellent and well-earned reputation for providing suitably skilled and qualified staff needed by employers across the locality and region. This focus on workrelated skills and technical training means that the college adapts its offer to the diverse range of employer needs and the anticipated skills’ demand as described in the skills’ plan for Cumbria the wider region.

The college plays an important role in supporting people into work, upskilling and reskilling in preparation for employment, and in ongoing continuing professional development programmes. Increasingly, this role extends to matching potential employees to vacancies and in securing high quality work placements for learners. As a founder member and delivery partner of the National College for Nuclear (NCfN) hosting the dedicated NCfN northern training Hub, the college has embarked upon an ambitious programme of curriculum development and skills’ support for the nuclear industry, extending nationally and internationally