Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are training programmes that combine workplace experience with off the job learning. The apprentice will be learning and gaining experience "on the job" alongside learning activity such as assessments, placements, research, personal reflection and more formal classroom activities.
Anyone can start an apprenticeship at any point in their life, whatever their age, background or career level as long as they are over the age of 16 and they are not in full time education.
Apprenticeship News
Levy transfer and under 21 co-investment changes: On Monday 18 March 2024 at the Small to Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) Business Connect the Prime Minister announced that the Government is investing a further £60m to boost apprenticeships.
New measures include: From 1 April 2024, SME employers who do not pay the levy no longer have to contribute to the cost of apprenticeship training for 16–21-year-olds – government is fully funding the training costs for these individuals.
The impact for primary care - there is no longer a requirement to go through the levy funding process for staff and new starters in this age group.
From 6 April 2024, levy-paying employers can transfer up to 50% of their funds to support apprenticeships in other businesses – double the current 25%.
The impact for primary care – we work with secondary care providers who ‘gift’ some of their levy funding to us. They can now potentially gift up to 50% of their levy fund to primary care.
Real Stories from Apprentices
We have interviewed some recent apprenticeship graduates to give you a tangible idea of the benefits of apprenticeships.
Non-clinical Apprentices
Nursing Associates
Introducing Apprenticeships in Primary Care
South East London Workforce Development Hub is working with Federations, Primary Care Networks (PCNs), and practices to support the prioritisation of apprenticeship programmes aligned to work-force plans and roles/skills shortages. Working alongside Training Hubs in each borough we hope to make a real difference bringing new recruits and current staff into a wide range of roles both clinical and non-clinical. This meets many ambitions providing training and career progression opportunities and organisational development building resilience for the future.
The Benefits For Primary Care
- Widening the pool of prospective applicants for your vacancies - attracting candidates who may not previously considered or thought about a career in healthcare.
- Fantastic opportunity to grow your own talent and bring fresh ideas into your practice.
- Cost effective by broadening the scope of training and development for existing staff, addressing skills gaps and helping succession planning.
- Fully funded training with the apprenticeship levy fund paying for training and assessment as well as an incentive payment for other costs for some apprenticeships such as Nursing Associates.
- Individuals will gain a nationally recognised qualification as well as the experience they need to either start their chosen career or work towards career progression.
Types of Apprenticeships Available
There are over 90 apprenticeship standards available to healthcare staff. Here are some examples, both for clinical and non-clinical roles:
Clinical
- Healthcare Worker L3 (Healthcare Assistant)
- Advanced Practitioner
- Nursing Associate
- Physician Associate
- Registered Nurse
- Pharmacy Technician
- Medical Doctor degree apprenticeship, hopefully up and running ready for the first intake in September 2024.
Entry Requirements
All apprenticeships require Maths and English qualifications, at 4-9 (A-C) GCSE grade levels, or equivalent English and Maths qualifications.
There are standards in place to convert international qualifications to GCSE-equivalent grades if you hold international qualifications.
If you do not have English and Maths GCSEs at 4-9 (A-C) grades (or equivalent qualifications), you can undertake the Functional Skills qualifications. Click here to find out more about Functional Skills.
For applicants who wish to apply to undertake a non-clinical apprenticeship, we can embed the Functional Skills learning into the apprenticeship, so that both Functional Skills and the apprenticeship are studied together.
Applicants for clinical apprenticeships must have Maths and English qualifications before they start.
Levy Funding
Apprenticeships are funded via the levy (for employers with a payroll of over £3 million). Each standard is assigned one of 30 Funding Bands which range from £1,500 to £27,000.
Secondary care trusts pay the levy fund. They are able to "gift" funding to smaller organisation. Arrangements are in place for all federations, primary care networks, and practices to access this funding. For further information and/or to arrange funding and set up an Digital Apprenticeship Services (DAS) account please keep reading below. You can also contact us at apprenticeships@seltraininghub.co.uk if you have any further questions.
How to access levy funding
If you are a manager working for a federation, primary care network or practice, and you would like to enrol a member of staff onto an apprenticeship programme using Levy Funding, follow the process outlined below:
- 1. Submit a Levy Transfer Application formRead below for more information
- 2. Create your Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) AccountRead below for more information
- 3. Add your apprentice(s) to your DAS Account
- 4. Register your apprentice(s) to your chosen training provider
- 5. Transferring Employer will approve the requestOnce your apprentice(s) have been approved by the training provider, the transferring employer will be sent a request for final approval.
- 6. Payments commence on a monthly basis
Apply for Levy Funding
Click below to apply for levy funding
Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS)
The Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) account allows the employer to receive the levy funding from the 'gifting' organisation (secondary care), add their apprentice(s) name(s) and link the information with the agreed training provider. This ensures that the training provider receives payments on a monthly basis to cover 100% of the costs of the course (apprenticeship).
Apply
If you are a prospective apprentice looking to start an apprenticeship, please click the button below to apply for an apprenticeship with the support of SEL WDH.
If you are a manager looking to enrol a member of staff onto a Trainee Nursing Associate apprenticeship, or to hire a Trainee Nurse Associate externally, please click the button below to sign up for Nurse Associate support from SELWDH.