An Employer Guide To Accessible Apprenticeships

What is an accessible apprenticeship?

An apprenticeship is a real job with training. Apprentices earn while they learn, gaining valuable skills and knowledge of a specific job role whilst achieving the required components of their apprenticeship.

Dynamic Training, working in partnership with employers, offers apprenticeships in Health & Social Care, Healthcare Science Assistant, Business Administration, Customer Service, Teaching Assistant and Early Years childcare. Accessible apprenticeships can be delivered as a taught group model in a workplace or on a one to one coaching model in the workplace.

Who is eligible to be an apprentice?

Dynamic Training specialise in working with individuals aged 16 - 24 with an EHCP (Education Health and Care Plan). Apprenticeships are open to a wide range of people, including those with a disability, health condition or learning disability. Everyone aged 16 or over, entitled to live in England and who are no longer in full time education can apply to be an apprentice. Apprenticeships are open to those looking to enter the world of work or for those who are already in the workplace looking to up-skill or retrain.

How is an apprentice and their employer supported?

On starting an apprenticeship, an apprentice will be appointed an in-house mentor. This will typically be a senior member of staff who will provide the apprentice with guidance and support throughout the term of the apprenticeship. In addition, the apprentice will be allocated a Skills and Development Coach from Dynamic Training (and a Job Coach subject to location and availability) who will support both the apprentice and their employer throughout the apprenticeship. A structured programme will be created to ensure an apprentice develops the skills to do a job well.

Almost all apprenticeships can be made accessible and having additional needs shouldn’t restrict people’s job choices. Employers, along with Colleges, Universities and Training Providers, have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, and therefore should be able to provide additional support during training.

Access to Work is a grant from the Department for Work and Pensions which can help pay for practical support to enable people with a disability or long term health condition, do their jobs. It can pay for support at job interviews, job coaching and pay for equipment and travel costs. For these reasons, apprenticeships can be a great route for individuals with additional needs to get skilled jobs.

Entry requirements for accessible apprenticeships

Accessible apprenticeships have been designed for individuals who have a recognised learning difficulty and /or disability and have a Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Apprentices will be required to achieve from entry level 3 up to level 2 Functional Skills in math and English (unless exempt) as part of the apprenticeship. In addition, employers may specify candidate requirements within the details of an apprenticeship vacancy.

How much does an apprentice earn?

An apprentice’s salary will depend on their employer, location and the apprenticeship job role. There is no single rate of pay for apprentices. There is a National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices, however some employers will pay more.

Apprentices employed on apprenticeship fixed term contracts are entitled to the current National Minimum Wage rate for an apprentice of £4.81 per hour (as of April 2022). This rate applies to apprentice’s aged 16 to 18 and those aged 19 or over who are in their first year of their apprenticeship.

An apprentice over the age of 19 who has completed the first 12 months of training will be entitled to the current National Minimum Wage rate for their age. An apprentice must be paid for their normal hours of work and any training that is part of the apprenticeship.

Year 2023 - 2024

Age Range	Minimum Wage Rates (hourly rate)
23 and over	£10.42
21 to 22	£10.18
18 to 20	£7.49
Under 18	£5.28
Apprentice	£5.28

How many hours a week, does an apprentice work?

Working hours vary and depend on the requirements of the employer. An apprenticeship duration is determined by the number of hours worked per week. An apprenticeship with a 12 month duration is based upon an apprentice working a 30 hour week. However, as our apprentices tend to work a 16 hour week, the apprenticeship duration is extended to 23 months.

What entitlements does an apprentice have?
As an apprentice will have a contract of employment with your organisation, they are entitled to the same benefits as other members of staff.

Our top tips for the successful recruitment of an apprentice

Consider adapting your current recruitment and selection process to make it more accessible.
Create easy read information and application form, avoiding jargon and complicated words.
Invite applicants to look around the work area briefly and to have an informal interview.
If the applicant wants to proceed, consider offering a work trial, or a ‘working interview’, for a week. This gives both your organisation and the applicant the chance to see if there is a suitable match.
Provide disability awareness training to staff members, this will ensure staff are on board and ready to support if needed.

Our top tips for a successful apprenticeship

Help the apprentice to feel part of the team.
Assign an in-house staff mentor to support the apprentice.
Make simple, reasonable adjustments for training and induction by offering extra time and support.
Understand that it can take a little longer for the apprentice to learn the job but that the results will be worth it.
Consider how instructions are given at the start of an apprenticeship, perhaps giving the apprentice one job at a time to complete as they learn their role.
Teach the apprentice new skills as they master initial tasks so that they can progress in their jobs.

Additional funding for employers

A small employer (with 50 or less employees) is not required to contribute the 5% co-investment cost of the apprenticeship training for an apprentice aged 19 - 24 with an Education, Health and Care plan. An employer will receive £1000 towards the additional cost of training an apprentice aged 19 - 24 with an Education, Health and Care plan. Payments are made via Dynamic Training in 2 payments, 1st payment at 90 days and the 2nd payment at 365 days.