How to hire an apprentice

With that in mind, we all need to do our bit to help young people get a foot on the trade ladder. We’ve put together a handy step-by-step guide to help you understand what’s involved in hiring an apprentice.

Apprenticeships have the potential to have a huge impact on the construction industry. Young, enthusiastic and talented individuals are out there ready to be trained up for a specific role and moulded to suit your business.

Here’s our guide on how to hire an apprentice:

Step 1: Register your interest with the National Apprenticeship Service 

Step 2: Find a training organisation nearby that offers apprenticeships in your desired skill. This training organisation will handle your apprentice’s teaching, assessment and qualification.

 Step 3: Check to see whether you’re eligible for a grant. If you’re looking to hire an apprentice aged 16-24 and have fewer than 50 employees in your company, you could qualify for a £1,500 apprenticeship grant.

 Step 4: Advertise your apprenticeship. Your training organisation will be able to do this for you, but you can also follow the National Apprenticeship Service’s guide for further help on advertising your opportunity.

 Step 5: Make an apprenticeship agreement. Once you’ve chosen the apprentice you want, you’ll need to iron out the details in writing. You can download an apprentice agreement template here.

At this point, your new apprentice  will be ready to join you. You’ll be able to teach them the ropes, offer support and training and help them as they make a real difference to your business. There’s no hard and fast rule for apprenticeships, but most apprentices will spend around one day a week in training and the rest of time on the job. For more information on hiring an apprentice, visit www.gov.uk/take-on-an-apprentice