Employers
Land-Based Apprenticeships for Businesses
How can an apprentice benefit your business?
Apprenticeships are work-based training programmes designed around the needs of employers, leading to nationally recognised qualifications which can be used to train both new and existing employees.
They are a proven way of creating a more efficient and skilled workforce and make great business for employers of all sizes. By harnessing fresh new talent and addressing your skills gaps directly, you can ensure that your organisation has access to the practical skills and qualifications it needs now and for the future. In fact, over 136,000 workplaces throughout the UK offer Apprenticeships in over 80 different industries because they understand the benefits that apprentices can bring to their business.
Our Apprenticeship Programmes
Agriculture Apprenticeships
Available Courses
Horticulture Apprenticeships
Available Courses
Land-Based Engineering Apprenticeships
Available Courses
The Apprenticeship Levy
The Apprenticeship Levy is part of the Government’s plan to increase the amount and quality of Apprenticeships. Large employers (with a payroll of over £3million per annum, regardless of whether they already employ apprentices or not) across all industries are required to contribute to the new Apprenticeship Levy which in turn helps your business fund apprenticeships.
Non Levy-paying Businesses
For employers who do not pay the levy, the government will fully fund apprenticeship training costs, up to the funding band maximum, for apprentices who at the start of their apprenticeship training are:
- Aged 16 to 21 years old (or 15 if their 16th birthday is between the last Friday of June and 31 August.
- Aged 22 to 24 years old with an education, health and care (EHC) plan provided by their local authority and/or have been in the care of their local authority.
- 95% of the training costs will be paid by the government for employers who take on apprentices aged 22 years or over. This only applies to companies where their total annual payroll does not exceed £3million (non-levy paying employers). If you employ an apprentice who is 22 years old or over, you will be requested to pay 5% towards the cost of training.
Large Employers With A £3million Plus Payroll
If your pay bill is over £3 million, you must pay the apprenticeship levy. You can manage these funds using the apprenticeship service to train and assess your apprentices. The government adds a 10% top-up to your account funds.
If your funds run out, you pay only 5% of the remaining costs, and the government covers the rest, up to the funding band maximum for each apprenticeship. For apprenticeships that started before 1 April 2019, you must contribute 10%.
If you exceed the funding band maximum, you pay the extra costs.
Calculate How Much You Will Pay
To calculate how much Levy you will pay, follow these steps:
Work out your pay bill which is made up of the total amount of your employees’ earnings that are subject to Class 1 National Insurance contributions. Employees’ earnings include any money they make from employment, such as wages, bonuses, commissions and pension contributions
Work out what 0.5% of your total pay bill is
Subtract the £15,000 allowance
Here’s an example:
An employer with an annual pay bill of £5,000,000 will need to spend £10,000 on the Levy:
levy sum: 0.5% x £5,000,000 = £25,000
subtracting Levy allowance: £25,000 — £15,000 = £10,000 annual levy payment
Our dedicated Business Relationship Managers are on hand to provide you with guidance and support to where you can spend your levy to bring in new talent to your business and upskill current members of your team.
Get In Touch
To find out more about how Wiltshire College & University Centre can support you to recruit and train an apprentice for your business, please contact us: