All You Need To Know About Becoming An Apprentice
As experienced apprenticeship providers in the healthcare, social care and business sectors, Dynamic Training breakdown the apprenticeship process for interested employees.
Empower Your Career With An Apprenticeship
If you are looking to enter the world of work, an apprenticeship offers you a fantastic opportunity. Apprenticeships are real jobs that enable you to earn while you learn, gain confidence and real life experience in the workplace. You are employed as an apprentice (for a fixed term), combining on the job training and studying to gain new knowledge, skills and behaviours.
Employers can also utilise apprenticeships to up-skill or retrain their existing workforce. In order to undertake an apprenticeship as an existing member of staff, you have to be in a job role that allows you to gain the new knowledge, skills and behaviours set within the apprenticeship standard.
There are apprenticeship opportunities open to you if you are already in the workplace looking to upskill or retrain. Apprenticeships can offer the opportunity you seek to achieve this. As there is no upper age limit, apprenticeships are a great way for working professionals to achieve career progression or career changers to learn a new profession.
The Key Benefits Of Apprenticeship Programmes
- Earn a salary while you learn
- On the job training, to develop your career and increase your earning potential
- Development of transferable skills including English and maths
- No debts, the government and your employer pay your fees
- No upper age limit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Apprenticeships
Click on a question below to answer some of the frequently questions we get asked about apprenticeships, being an apprentice and the practicalities of the apprenticeship process.
Apprenticeships are open to anyone aged 16 or over, entitled to live in England and who are no longer in full time education.
Whether they are starting their working career or are already in the workplace looking to upskill or retrain, apprenticeships can provide an opportunity to increase skills and knowledge.
As there is no upper age limit, apprenticeships can be a great way for working professionals to help achieve career progression or for career changers to learn a new profession.
With an apprenticeship, employees have a fantastic opportunity to learn, gaining industry desired skills and knowledge and behaviours in the workplace.
Apprentices can be employed as a new apprentice on a fixed term contract or you they can be an existing member of staff who would like to upskill or retrain.
Once an apprentice starts their programme, they are allocated a Skills & Development Coach from Dynamic Training, who will support them for the duration of their training and ensure they are ready for end point assessment.
Additionally, employers are expected to provide apprentices with a workplace mentor who is normally a senior member of staff, but who is not the apprentices' direct manager.
Working hours vary depending on the employer, however the minimum duration of an apprenticeship (12 months) is based on an apprentice working 30 paid hours per week. For apprentices working less hours, the apprenticeship duration must be extended.
You can find out more about off-the-job training from the below page which fully breaks down how many hours an apprenticeship requires.
For existing staff members, their existing rate of pay will not be affected.
For new entrant employed as an apprentice, The National Living Wage now applies to those aged 23 and over.
Apprentices are entitled to the National Minimum Wage, the current minimum rate for an apprentice is £5.28 per hour (as of April 2023). This rate applies to apprentice's aged 16 to 18 and those aged 19 or over who are in their first year of their apprenticeships.
If they are over 19 and have completed the first 12 months of their apprenticeship programme, they will be entitled to the current National Minimum Wage rate.
Apprentices must be paid for normal hours of work and any training that is part of the apprenticeship.
|
Year |
23 and over |
21 to 22 |
18 to 20 |
Under 18 |
Apprentice |
|
April 2023 |
£10.42 |
£10.18 |
£7.49 |
£5.28 |
£5.28 |
Example A
An apprentice aged 22 in the first year of their apprenticeship is entitled to a minimum hourly rate of £5.28.
Apprentices are entitled to the minimum wage for their age if they:
- are aged 19 or over and have completed the first year of their apprenticeship
Example B
An apprentice aged 22 who has completed the first year of their apprenticeship is entitled to a minimum hourly rate of £10.18.
Dynamic Training partners with employers to assist in the recruitment of apprentices and our current apprenticeship vacancies are listed on our website under apprenticeship vacancies.
Alternatively, you are able to search and apply for all apprenticeship vacancies using the National Apprenticeship Service website
Already Working: If you are looking to complete your apprenticeship with your current employer, first talk to your line manager about the opportunity to start an apprenticeship. We will gladly then talk to your employer about the options available to get you started.
Below is the latest tarrif points calculation. For a full breakdown and explanation of UCAS points, we recommend viewing the UCAS website.
| Duration | SCQF Credits | Size Band | Grade | Grade Band | Tariff points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 months | 150+ | 14 | P | 8 | 112 |
| 24 months | 100-149 | 12 | P | 8 | 96 |
| 18 months | 72-99 | 8 | P | 8 | 64 |
| 12 months | <71 | 6 | P | 8 | 48 |
Next Steps - Exploring Apprenticeships
Learn more about the apprenticeship process, what the requirements are and if an apprenticeship is right for you.
Dynamic Training has an expert team of trainers delivering high-quality apprenticeships across the health, social care and business sectors, making sure you get the best out of your workforce.
Dynamic Training cares deeply about creating an inclusive and accessible enviroment for our learners. We have a proud record of getting the best out of every learner and adjusting our training to suit them.
Learn more about how Dynamic Training has worked to make all of its training as inclusive as possible.
What is Off-The-Job Training in the Apprenticeship process? Lets explain how Apprentices balance their day-to-day activities, and the requirements which organisations have in regards to this.
Dynamic Training is an apprenticeship, adult education, and bespoke training specialist. We work with a diverse customer base across a variety of sectors, with a significant presence within the health and care sector. We have grown from strength to strength, organically, through business-to-business recommendations and the strength of our reputation for providing high quality learning and development solutions and delivery.