From August 2020 there will be funding available in England for employers taking on apprenticeships. HETAS is encouraging it’s registered businesses to consider apprentices as a route to growing its workforce.

Apprentices are aged 16 or over and combine working with studying to gain skills and knowledge in a specific job.

Businesses that offer apprenticeships view them as beneficial to their long-term success. Hiring an apprentice is a productive and effective way for any business to grow talent and develop a motivated, skilled, and qualified workforce. As the economy recovers from the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, apprenticeships will be more important than ever in helping businesses to recruit the right people and develop the skills they need to respond to conditions and grow – both now and in the long-term.

The funding is linked to the government’s Plan for Jobs which will help to kickstart the nation’s economic recovery. In recognition of the value apprentices can bring to our economy, an incentive payment will be made to employers who hire an apprentice between 1 August 2020 and 31 January 2021. There are conditions to the funding, including the apprentice must be a new employee to the business, have a contract of employment start date between 1 August 2020 and 31 January 2021 and funding will vary depending on the age of the apprentice.

Apprenticeship Funding available

The payments will now be as follows:

£2,000 for each new apprentice taken on aged 16 – 24
£1500 for each new apprentice taken on aged 25+
An additional £1,000 for each new apprentice taken on aged 16 – 18

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive £21m for similar schemes.

On the funding announcement, a HETAS spokesperson says:

It is encouraging to see the government putting support into apprenticeship funding through the Plan for Jobs initiative, alongside the launch of the new apprenticeship routes. HETAS has been working with City & Guilds to include a solid fuel pathway, which provides an opportunity for installers to consider the wider needs of their customers about providing efficient and sustainable solutions for heating their homes. We want to ensure the apprenticeships have a route to a career beyond the apprenticeship. Businesses should seriously consider how they can expand their business through apprenticeships ensuring they take advantage of the incentives available.

Level 3 Plumbing and Domestic Heating Technician Apprenticeship

September 2019 saw the launch of the new four-year Level 3 Plumbing and Domestic Heating Technician Apprenticeship. The new course enables apprentices to effectively combine several roles in the one apprenticeship and new Level 3 Standard offers them a choice of four pathways, including Natural Gas, solid fuel, oil, and environmental technologies.

The Level 3 Plumbing & Domestic Heating Technician Apprenticeship, which is one of the Trailblazer apprenticeships, is a 48-month programme designed to equip young people with the necessary skills to enter the industry. It is only available at Level 3; the apprentices will need to pass an End-Point Assessment to complete the apprenticeship.

Solid Fuel Apprenticeship Option

HETAS has been working with City & Guilds for some years in the development of the Plumbing & Heating apprenticeship

Candidates enrolling on the new Level 3 apprenticeship can choose to specialise their route. The new Level 3 Standard offers them a choice of four pathways:

Natural Gas,
Solid Fuel including Wood and Biomass
Oil
Environmental Technologies – which offers training in work with solar thermal, heat pumps, and water recycling systems.

Outcomes

Once completed, apprentices can claim EngTech status from the Engineering Council, adding further to the credibility of the apprenticeship. Candidates completing the solid fuel apprenticeship pathway will also be able to join the HETAS competent person scheme, subject to meeting the registration criteria and inspections as required.

Additionally, on completion of the health and safety assessment, as determined, by the assessment plan, the candidate will have satisfied the requirements to obtain a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Card through the Joint Industry Board for Plumbing and Mechanical Engineering Services (JIB-PMES) at the appropriate grade.

Employing an apprentice

You must pay the apprentice at least the minimum wage and your apprentice must:

work with experienced staff
learn job-specific skills
study during their working week (for example, at a college or training organisation)

For further details on employing an apprentice and the steps to take visit the website below or contact The National Apprenticeship Service on 0800 015 0600.

https://www.gov.uk/take-on-an-apprentice

More Information on Apprenticeship Funding

For more details on the apprenticeship funding now available in England, visit the gov.uk website.

If you are considering taking on an apprentice, want to discuss the Level 3 qualification or HETAS training, please contact us directly on [email protected].