If you are a HR Manager responsible for learning and development within your organisation, you will want to make sure you are maximising your apprenticeship levy as part of your training and development program. An apprenticeship levy is applicable for businesses with a payroll over £3m p.a. so if you are a levy-paying organisation, you will need to understand the steps to take to access and take advantage of the apprenticeship levy.
- Access the Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS)
This is a service set up by the government to help employers’ access new apprenticeship standards and funding for apprenticeships and find training providers through an online service account.
Within your DAS Account, you will be able to:
- Find an apprenticeship training provider
- Choose the apprenticeship courses you want to enrol your employees on
- Set up other users
- View payments you’ve made to your training provider
- Stop or pause a payment
- Transfer unused levy funds
To create a Digital Apprentice Service account, you will need your Company’s Government Gateway Login details, and your Companies House number.
- Choosing an apprenticeship training provider
Businesses need to work with an approved apprenticeship training provider who will deliver the training and source apprenticeships on the employers’ behalf. The provider will also help review and test the progress of an apprentice and provide feedback to the employer. Apprentices will be assigned a tutor who will support them with off-the-job learning and ensure they cover all modules of the programme.
It is essential that you work with a training provider who can not only deliver the kind of training your business needs, but also one that understands your business goals.
At NTG Training, we work closely with HR Managers to understand more about any skills gap within your organisation and what new talent you need to help grow your business. This close working relationship allows us to create a tailored apprenticeship training programme that actively matches your business’ development goals.
Make sure your training provider is registered with the Skills Funding Agency and has a positive Ofsted report.
- Using your apprenticeship levy
Your apprenticeship levy can be used to upskill and develop your existing staff, or you can use it to hire in new talent. Apprenticeship training can provide a clear career pathway for your staff and it has proved to be a cost effective way to retain talented individuals by helping them develop new skills, bridge any skills gap and retain and motivate your staff.
The apprenticeship levy presents a great opportunity for companies to offset their current training and development spend, and work with a registered training provider to deliver a tailored training programme on your behalf.
Contact our Customer Support Team to find out more.
