Apprenticeship FAQs from employers

Your apprentice is your employee. They gain their apprenticeship qualification through ‘off the job’ study at the University of West London, which equates to at least 20% of their working week.

Learn more on our ‘Information for employers’ pages.

Training staff through an apprenticeship will:

• Help your business develop its own talent; '70% of employers surveyed said apprenticeships improved quality and service' (Department for Business, Skills and innovation, Dec 2015).
• Support employees to develop skills and knowledge that are directly relevant to their jobs.
• Motivate employees and new talent to develop their skills and obtain a qualification or degree.
• Use government funding to prepare staff for a significant future within a business by gaining internationally recognised qualifications.
• Develop high calibre staff who can add value through mentoring other staff members.
• Enhance retention of a skilled workforce.

Learn more about the benefits of apprenticeships for employers.

A higher apprenticeship leads to a Level 4 or Level 5 qualification, for example a foundation degree (but can continue beyond this, into levels 6 or 7).

A degree apprenticeship leads to the award of a full honours degree or master’s degree qualification.

Higher apprenticeships can incorporate qualification levels 4, 5, 6 and 7, whereas degree apprenticeships include only levels 6 and 7.

For context, there are nine qualification levels in the UK. 

• Level 1 is equivalent to grades GCSE grades D, E, F, G (now categorised as 3, 2, 1)
• Level 2 is equivalent to grades A*-C at GCSE (now categorised as 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4)
• Level 3 is equivalent to A Levels.
• Level 5 is equivalent to a foundation degree or higher national diploma.
• Level 6 is equivalent to a degree with honours or a degree apprenticeship
• Level 7 is equivalent to a master’s degree or PGCE
• Level 8 is equivalent to a PhD.

3-4 years minimum, although the length of time can vary depending on the course and prior qualifications of the apprentice.

The minimum length of most higher apprenticeships 18 months to 2 years depending on the apprentice's prior qualifications, and must not be less than 377 days (between the start and end dates).

The apprentice works for you as your employee and has all the benefits as a fully paid up member of your staff. Most of our employers offer degree apprenticeship students £15,000 - £24,000 per annum.

View the government guidance on apprenticeship pay for more information. The cost of the course and training are fully covered either by the apprenticeship levy (for levy paying employers) or co-funded by the government (for non-levy paying employers).

There is no maximum age for an apprentice.

Yes, by taking on an apprentice you are hiring an employee.

An Apprenticeship Agreement is signed by the employer and apprentice. It is different from the apprentice’s contract of employment, the Commitment Statement and the Written Agreement. Learn more about the Apprenticeship Agreement and download a template on the government website.

If you, as an employer, choose us as the training provider for your apprentice, the University will provide two further documents:

• The Written Agreement, which is the service-level agreement between the employer and the training provider
• The Commitment Statement, which outlines the training plan for the apprentice, and is a tri-party agreement between the employer, the training provider and the apprentice.

We’ll work with you to advertise your vacancy on the National Apprenticeship Service website and post your position on our ‘Apprenticeship vacancies’ page.

We will also provide a link that you can add to your own organisation’s website to direct applicants to the NAS. 

You may also wish to use commercial job agencies or advertise on local jobsites, newspapers or your own website, for example.

You may have seen the expression ‘subject to funding band maximums’ in information about funding for degree apprenticeships. This refers to the 15 funding bands into which all approved apprenticeships in England fall. 

Note however that the government has announced that the number will double to 30 funding bands from August 2018.

The upper-limit of these bands ranges from £1,500 to £27,000, and will remain so after August 2018. This number represents the maximum amount the government will commit to pay for an apprenticeship.

The fees for all of UWL’s higher and degree apprenticeships fall within their assigned funding bands.

Learn more about funding bands on our Apprenticeship funding page or, for official guidance, see this page on the government website.

We have over ten years’ experience in delivery high quality apprenticeships and are rated as 'Outstanding' by Ofsted.

• We’ll work you as an employer to help you plan according to your workforce needs.
• We will support you through the recruitment and selection of apprentices.
• Your apprentice will have a dedicated Apprenticeship Support Link Tutor (ASLT) as well as a personal tutor on their course.
• We’ll provide you with an apprenticeship agreement and apprenticeship commitment statement.
• Our apprenticeship support link tutor will visit your apprentice regularly at the workplace and liaise with their workplace apprenticeship mentor.

Learn more about why you should choose UWL as your apprenticeship training provider.