The apprenticeship levy – made simple

Develop the skills your workforce needs through funded learning programmes. If you’re already paying the apprenticeship levy, then why not use it? It’s a dedicated pot your organisation will have set aside which can be used for apprenticeships, and apprenticeships only.

Our employer engagement team has kindly put together a step-by-step guide which covers all things related to the apprenticeship levy – including how to access the funds, and how to get the most out of your apprenticeship levy pot. 

First step: eligibility

If your organisation operates in the UK, and has a payroll of over £3 million annually, then it will have been required to put money into your apprenticeship levy pot on a monthly basis. These funds expire 24 months after accrual. 

So, if you haven’t utilised the levy before, how do you access this account?

Second step: Your Apprenticeship Service account

Any levy your organisation accrues, will be deposited into your digital account on the Apprenticeship Service platform. You can use this account for managing and spending your levy funds, as well as selecting an approved training provider and assessment organisation. 

Third step: Choose your qualification or subject area

Ask yourself what set of skills or knowledge would benefit your organisation, and what qualification would help fill that skills gap. Apprenticeships have revolutionised the workforce –  no more are they just for school leavers, or those pursuing a vocational trade. Professional apprenticeships offer a fantastic pathway for succession planning and filling skills gaps – which means that employers are increasingly enrolling current, and long-standing team members onto apprenticeships.

If you are unsure about enrolling an employee onto a specific pathway, then a level 3 business administration qualification could be a good alternative. This subject area will allow your employee to explore different career pathways, whilst also developing soft skills like communication and project management.

Fourth step: Selecting a training provider

You will need to select a training provider that is approved to deliver the qualifications you are interested in. You can search for providers on the government’s ‘Find Apprenticeship Training’ page. 

Alternatively, if you are looking at delivering your qualification through Mindful Education’s hybrid model, then please contact a member of our team.

Fifth step: Using the funds

Funds in your Apprenticeship Service Account can be used to cover apprenticeship training as well as a variety of related expenses. These include course fees, assessment costs, and any equipment the apprentice might need to effectively undertake any learning.

Sixth step: Enrolment

Your employee will be enrolled with the chosen training provider. They will also go through an induction process where they will learn about the learning resources available to them, when they are required to attend workshops, and how to log their apprenticeship training. 

Seventh step: Stay in touch

Make sure to stay in touch with the training provider and awarding body, they always have experts on hand to guide you through any questions that you may have. 

If you choose to enrol an employee onto a Mindful Education hybrid apprenticeship, then there will also be monthly employer reports providing feedback on your apprentice’s engagement and quarterly progress reviews throughout the apprenticeship.