The Employer's Guide to Successful Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships offer a direct path to developing a workforce tailored to your business. This guide from Temple provides the information and support employers need to succeed.
What is an apprenticeship? A program that combines paid work with structured training, enabling individuals to master the skills, knowledge, and behaviours (KSBs) for a specific job.
An apprenticeship shouldn’t feel like extra work. With our full support, hiring an apprentice is simple, fully funded, and rewarding for larger employers and SMEs.
Why invest in apprenticeships?
Grow Your Own Talent: Develop employees with the precise skills you need.
Build a Motivated Workforce: Apprentices are often highly loyal and engaged.
Future-Proof Your Business: Close skills gaps and plan for long-term success.
Full Provider Support
(DAS Handled for You)
We will assist with setting up and then managing your Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) account. You will only need to “approve” each enrolment once!
100% Government Funding for
Under-22s for SMEs
If you don’t pay into the Apprenticeship Levy, apprentices aged 16–21 are fully funded for you, your business pays £0 in training fees.
Levy payer? Use your funding to pay for high-quality training
The Government will take back your designated funding after 24 months, use it! You can boost your existing staff’s professional development
£1,000 Incentive for Hiring 16–18
Year-Olds
Receive a £1,000 government payment for each 16–18-year-old apprentice you hire, or existing staff member you enroll, whether you are a large employer or a small business. Paid directly to your business in two instalments.
National Insurance Relief
No employer NICs to pay for apprentices under 25 (earning under the threshold) whether you are a large employer or a small business.
Tailored, Local Support
Ongoing training, mentoring and CPD and all online – your candidate will not need to leave their position or desk!
The Apprenticeship Advantage
How They Strengthen Your Business
Tackle Skills Shortages Apprenticeships allow you to build the exact, in-demand expertise your business needs, reducing reliance on costly and competitive external recruitment.
Recruitment and Retention
Attract new talent with paid, structured training opportunities. You'll also boost retention by offering pathways for existing staff to upskill and be promoted from within.
Strengthen Succession Planning Develop your next generation of managers and leaders from your existing workforce, creating a robust and reliable internal talent pipeline.
Enhance Workplace Diversity Widen participation and access a broader talent pool. The flexi work-based learning model provides a pathway to employment for candidates from all backgrounds.
Funding Your Apprentice's Training
In the UK, employers are responsible for paying their apprentice's salary. The cost of the training itself is covered by a government funding scheme.
The specific funding method depends on your annual pay bill and is determined when the apprentice begins. Crucially, all employers can access funding for an apprentice, whether they pay the Apprenticeship Levy or not.
There are two main systems:
The Apprenticeship Levy: If your organisation's pay bill is over £3 million a year, you pay 0.5% of that bill into a Levy account. This account is then used to pay for your apprenticeship training.
Government Co-investment: If your pay bill is £3 million or less, you do not pay the Levy. Instead, the government will part-fund your training, paying 95% of the costs while you contribute the remaining 5%.
Finally, be aware that apprenticeship programmes and funding rules are managed separately by each UK nation (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland).
