Degree Apprenticeship Information for Employers

Yes, we work with businesses of all sizes, including those who do not contribute to the levy. We can support you in applying for a Funding Reservation or exploring options around Levy Transfers.

Each situation is different, but there are incentives available depending on the business and apprentice recruited. The Apprenticeships Team can provide you with more information according to your specific circumstances.

There is a National Minimum Apprenticeship Wage, but the salary paid to an apprentice must be fair and appropriate for the level of work they are carrying out.

An apprentice can be working across a range of different roles, and at different levels in the company.

Their role will need to provide them with the support and opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills as a capable and confident professional in their chosen profession.

The apprentice role should have space within it to allow them to develop and progress as they gain more experience.

Yes, an apprentice is an employee of the company so should be provided with the same rights and benefits as other staff members.

No, an apprentice is an employee in the first instance so is not eligible for a Student Loan.

There are grants and financial support schemes available through the University that they can access if required.

No, the Levy must only be used to pay for training costs. All costs associated with the employment (for example salary and pension contributions) will need to be funded by the company.

• Academic Progress and the use of feedback to align action plans
• Setting of SMART Targets to align workplace practice to apprenticeship standards
• Preparation toward End Point Assessment
• Apprenticeship compliance and logging of Off-the-Job Training

Apprentices are best supported to prepare for progress reviews by having regular meetings with the line manager or workplace mentor.

These meetings can discuss their progress through the course, how they are using the knowledge, skills and behaviours from the apprenticeship standard.

Apprentices should have their Off the Job log up to date, and have completed their Skill Scan. Employers can support apprentices with identifying workplace roles, responsibilities and projects that meet OTJ requirements.

Apprentices should also have reflected on their development toward agreed targets from the previous review.

These take place online, using Microsoft Teams and apprentices are responsible for choosing a date and time when their manager is available, based on the availability of the training provider representative.

The requirements of the EPA are embedded within the modules of the academic course, and the apprentice will complete EPA alongside the completion of their practical course.

The requirements of the EPA sit outside of the practical course and the apprentice will complete the EPA at the end of the completion of the academic course.

The University of Chichester, as End Point Assessment Organisation for these integrated standards) will apply for Apprenticeship Completion Certificates following confirmation of award of the practical course and EPA at the internal examination board.

The external End Point Assessment Organisation (for these non-integrated standards) will apply for Apprenticeship Completion Certificates following confirmation that the apprentice has completed the EPA Assessment.

End Point Assessment is a final assessment of the apprenticeship and uses evidence that comes from the whole duration of the apprenticeship (which includes the practical course). So apprentices should be gathering evidence throughout the duration of the practical course to enable them to be EPA Gateway.

From our experience, the longer the gap between finishing the practical course and entering EPA means the less connected the evidence is to the standard.

Although the published EPA Plans stated that these would take place in the workplace, the move toward online assessment means that EPA Assessment now more commonly takes place using online meetings. Specific requirements for EPA Assessment are confirmed with the relevant End Point Assessment Organisation.

Potential apprentices who don’t meet the entry criteria can evidence their workplace practice and experiential learning as equivalent to the standard academic qualifications needed for entry onto academic courses.

This can be discussed early on in the discussions between the employer and the training provider to facilitate a pathway to apprenticeships for all employees.

Pathways could include suggested external courses and qualifications that would need to be passed to satisfy entry onto apprenticeship courses if previous experience and experiential learning are not sufficient.

Employees can enrol on apprenticeship courses even if they have qualifications at the same or above the level of the award.

If these existing qualifications meet some of the knowledge, skills and/or behaviours of the apprenticeship standard to which the employee wants to enrol, then this is identified in the Initial Needs Assessment, which can then showcase where new learning is not needed.

Apprentices are employed on full-time or part-time contracts with their employer, and as an employee then are able to engage in the apprenticeship, usually during the one day a week.

Apprenticeship funding, through the apprenticeship levy, pays for the delivery of the new learning throughout the practical period of the apprenticeship.

Apprentices should be employed and paid for the time they are engaged in the apprenticeship, including the day they are actively engaged in learning at the university.

Our dedicated apprenticeship team will be able to support you with all aspects of the recruitment process, including:

• Finding the right course
• Creating the vacancy
• Advertising
• Shortlisting
• Interviews or assessment centres

In addition to helping with the recruitment process, the university also carries out progress reviews over the year as well as hold the end point assessment at the end of the academic year.

For apprentices to start apprenticeship courses in the September, which is the standard start of the academic year for the University, all apprenticeship contracts, agreements, and training plans need to be in place (and fully signed) before the course commences.

An indicative timeline for a September start would be as follows:

• March/April: Initial apprenticeship suitability for businesses + Registration of Employer (1 month)
• May/June: Recruitment of new employees (advert, interview and offer) (2 months)
• June/July: Completion of University application & initial needs assessment (1 month)
• August: Completion of apprenticeship contracts, agreements and learning plans (1 month)

In our initial discussions with businesses, we will speak with you about the range of apprenticeship courses on offer at the university and whether the occupational duties and the knowledge, skills and behaviours of the apprenticeship standard match up with the needs of the business.

These discussions will include whether the range of workplace activities the member of staff will engage with during the practical period of the course can meet the needs of the apprenticeship standard, to enable the potential apprentice to evidence their progressive learning toward final assessment.

Businesses can use the apprenticeship levy to pay for apprenticeship courses that are delivered by a registered training provider for apprenticeships.

The practical courses designed to meet the requirements (knowledge, skills and behaviours) of the apprenticeship standard are currently validated as on-site taught courses at the University of Chichester. Therefore, apprentices are expected to attend the university at least one day a week to actively take part in timetabled sessions.

Apprentices can develop their learning by engaging with the virtual learning environment (VLE) that is available at the University to undertake supplementary learning, reading and research to prepare for modular and final assessments.

The facilitation of fully online courses is something that can be discussed with businesses at the initial stages of apprenticeship provision.

The University currently works with a large number of partners to deliver apprenticeship courses. Some of these partners include:

• Airbus
• Barfoots
• Blueteq
• Dellner
• Eurotherm
• GB Electronics
• Inpress
• Littlehampton Welding
• Mudhut
• Red river
• Rolls-Royce
• SI Protech Ltd
• Spellman
• Utilita

Apprenticeship funding rules state that apprentices can start apprenticeship training (the practical period) without having level 2 qualifications in English and/or Maths. However, these need to be completed during the practical course (in addition to the academic practical period) so they are able to be evidenced for End Point Assessment. Level 2 qualifications are a mandatory requirement for all apprenticeship EPA gateways.

Apprenticeship funding rules state that apprentices must be able to evidence their level 2 qualifications in English and/or Maths. If they cannot evidence these, then they must undertake new level 2 assessments (usually functional skills) in English and/or Maths to be able to enter the EPA Gateway.

The University of Chichester has a contract with local delivery partners to facilitate the delivery of the initial assessment, teaching and final assessment for both English and maths at level 2 (functional skills).

Completion of functional skills (initial assessment, teaching and final assessment) needs to take place outside of the normal ‘1 day a week’ for the practical period and delivery of learning at the training provider, and apprentices need to speak to their employer to be able to manage the additional workload that these qualifications will demand.

We aim to initially assesses and enroll apprentices in functional skills courses in the first year of their course. This is to enable apprentices to pass these qualifications in the early stages of their apprenticeship.

Apprentices studying functional skills with our contracted delivery partner will not need to pay for functional skills initial assessment, courses or final assessment.

Any subcontractor must pass a detailed due diligence process which includes but is not limited to: appraisal of Ofsted or applicable assurance reports for validation of quality, appraisal of trainer qualifications, business continuity plans and must be on the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers. If a subcontractor is not on the register they will not be approved for partnership for Apprenticeship programmes.

In all instances we retain clear and transparent accountability for the quality of training provision, maintain proper and appropriate controls to manage the apprentice experience; and seek to ensure that value for money is achieved by efficient subcontractor management. These controls are validated by an annual subcontractor controls evaluation carried out by an independent assurance specialist.

In all instances we would provide quality assurance through close monitoring by the Head of Apprenticeships and officers of the University. The types of subcontract arrangement, quality assurance and costs of the models are explained in more detail below.

The written agreement with the employer for apprenticeship provision will always list the costs of the subcontract in line with the apprenticeship funding rules.

The Apprenticeship Manager has responsibility for assuring the quality of delivery of subcontracted provision and a regular programme of activity is agreed to monitor provision.

This includes a regular and substantial programme of quality-assurance checks on the apprenticeship training and on-programme assessment provided by delivery subcontractors, including visits at short notice and face-to-face interviews with staff and apprentices to ensure apprentices exist and are eligible; and involves direct observation of initial guidance, assessment and delivery of training and/or on-programme assessment.

Payment to employer providers will be made to cover direct costs only as required in the ESFA funding rules. Employers subcontracted to deliver part of an apprenticeship must evidence the direct costs of their delivery in order to claim payment.

The management fees are individually negotiated with each subcontractor and are agreed between the parties in advance of the commencement of the subcontracting arrangement.

• Typically, the management fees cover the provision of: Administration.
• MIS function relating to the submission of funding claims to the ESFA.
• Provision of management meetings.

Full details of payment arrangements are agreed between the parties in advance of the subcontracting arrangement. For the avoidance of doubt, this includes:

• The amount of funding we will retain for direct delivery.
• The amount of funding we will pay each delivery subcontractor for their contribution.
• The specific amount of funding we will retain to manage and monitor each delivery subcontractor (including monitoring the quality of the provision provided by the subcontractor).
• The specific amount of funding we will retain for each other support activity we will provide to each delivery subcontractor.

A contract is put in place between the University and each delivery subcontractor which specifies the following:

That the subcontractor must:

• Keep to the funding rules.
• Provide us with data so that our data returns to the ESFA accurately reflect delivery information.
• Give the ESFA and any other person nominated by the ESFA access to their premises and to all documents related to their delivery of apprenticeships.
• Always have suitably qualified staff available to provide apprenticeship training and/or on-programme assessment.
• Co-operate with us to ensure that there is continuity of learning for apprentices if the subcontract ends for any reason.
• Communicate in writing to us if evidence of irregular financial or delivery issues arises. This could include, but is not limited to, non-delivery of training when funds have been paid, sanctions imposed by an awarding organisation, allegations of fraud, an inadequate Ofsted grade, allegations or complaints by apprentices, employers, staff members, or other relevant parties.
• The subcontractor must not use ESFA funding to make bids for, or claims from, any European funding on their own behalf or on our behalf.
• They must not use payments made by ESFA as match funding for ESF projects.

Functional Skills

Rationale
It is a government requirement that all apprentices must have achieved relevant Level 2 qualifications, as defined by the ESFA, in English and Maths prior to completion of the apprenticeship programme. Some applicants to the University’s apprenticeship programme will have already satisfied this requirement prior to commencing their apprenticeship but others may have not. Where this is the case, the University will subcontract the delivery of functional skills qualifications for English and/or Maths.

Our rationale for the subcontracting of this functional skills provision is primarily to fill a gap in provision, as the University does not deliver teaching of these skills at this level. In addition, we also recognise that by offering applicants the opportunity to complete the functional skills programme alongside their main apprenticeship programme, rather than rejecting their application until such time that they have completed Level 2 qualifications in English and/or Maths, we are also enhancing opportunities for young people and adults and offering an entry point for disadvantaged groups.

Delivery
Where an Apprentice does not possess English and Maths transferable skills at level 2 or above, we will select a training provider with specialism for delivery of the English and Maths Functional Skill qualifications necessary for the apprentice to meet the requirements of the Apprenticeship standard.

Quality Assurance
In addition to the elements identified above, in the functional skills subcontract model, we retain all responsibility for resolving any issues and disputes between the employer and delivery subcontractor. In the employer subcontract model issues and disputes will be managed by the Head of Apprenticeships.