The changes, which come into effect from April 2017, comprise four main areas:

• The apprenticeship levy, which only 1.3% of businesses will pay
• Apprenticeship funding, which includes the total cost of an apprentice aged 16-18 being covered by the government
• Apprenticeship training, the cost of which can now be negotiated with training providers
• Apprenticeship standards, which set out what an individual needs to possess in order to be fully competent in an occupation

We have produced a comprehensive guide to these changes and what they may mean for your business.

Download our guide to the changes to apprenticeships >

Registration open for online apprenticeship service

As you will read in the guide, the apprenticeship service is the online hub through which businesses will manage their apprenticeship recruitment, training and funding.

The Department for Education and the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) are encouraging large employers to sign up and register for the apprenticeship service, in readiness for the launch of the apprenticeship levy on 6 April 2017.

The apprenticeship service is an online digital system (similar to online banking) that has been set up to support the apprenticeship levy.

The levy will require employers, with a wage bill of over £3 million a year, to pay 0.5% of their wage bill into the apprenticeship service, to encourage them to invest into apprentices.

The online service then allows those employers to financially manage their apprenticeship programme and help them to estimate their financial spend and recruit apprentices through their training providers. It will help employers:

• focus on their business priorities
• address skills shortages head on
• invest in the skills and training to help their organisations succeed

To register, levy-paying employers should have:

• their Government Gateway login details for PAYE schemes they want to include
• the details for each organisation that will be making an agreement with a training provider for apprenticeship training, including Companies House or charity number

The register to manage your apprenticeship funds page provides more guidance.

Download our guide to apprenticeships

Before you go, make sure you download our guide to the changes to apprenticeships to ensure you can make the most of the benefits that apprenticeships can bring.

#TalentTuesday brings employers and would-be apprentices together

We are running a series of events in March that bring together employers looking for young talent and young people looking to become an apprentice or trainee.

These #TalentTuesday events are a great way to meet the future of your workforce. Read more about them, as well as other apprenticeship related events, here >