The vast majority of apprentices are normally in full-time employment and so tend to receive the ‘rate for the job’. Since 2005 they are entitled to a minimum wage of £80 per week and this was increased in 2009 to £95 per week. A typical range is £115-£160 per week, although it does vary, depending on the age of the apprentice, the size of employer and skill area in which they are training. Where a potential apprentice is unable to find an employer they may still be accepted onto a training programme related to the Apprenticeship course without an employer.

This method of entry is called Programme-led Apprenticeship (PLA). Apprentices on this scheme attend college or other training provider to undertake study in one or more parts of the Apprenticeship framework. Some may undergo training in a workplace, attending college on a day-release basis. In this way they are prepared for employment and are able to move onto the full Apprenticeship framework once an employer has been identified. For those undergoing training in a workplace, it also provides the potential employer with an opportunity to see if the Apprentice will make a suitable employee. Apprentices on a PLA are not paid but are treated as students of Further Education and so can claim the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA), which means that they can receive up to £30 per week, depending on parental income.

Originally, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) funded the cost of training and assessment delivered by the training provider. This has now changed and funding is now available from the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), a new agency with overall responsibility for promoting and supporting Apprenticeships. The money is paid directly to the organisation that provides and supports the Apprenticeship; in most cases this will be a learning provider. Large employers with a direct contract with the National Apprenticeship Service may receive the funding themselves.

For more information on the NAS, click here.