We are delighted to share that HB Accountants has been recognised as the 26th Top SME apprenticeship employer in England! This achievement reflects the hard work and dedication we put into creating outstanding apprenticeship programmes and supporting our apprentices to succeed. We are committed to nurturing talent and investing in the next generation of superstar professionals.
Apprenticeships offer a fantastic starting point for our new trainees, providing them with the opportunity to embark on a rewarding career journey. Could you take on an apprentice and do you know where to start? Here’s an overview of what you need to know about hiring an apprentice.
Why your business needs an apprentice
Apprenticeships ensure that companies have the right practical skills and qualifications in their workforce and can help the company keep up-to-date with the latest technology and practices.
We know that training our own apprentices means that we have the exact skills we need to service our clients – it’s great for succession planning too.
What you need to know about hiring an apprentice
There are rules that you need to observe when employing an apprentice in the UK. An apprentice needs to take part in a structured training programme that combines working with studying. Apprentices should gain practical experience while earning a wage and working towards a recognised qualification.
Did you know that an apprentice can be a new or current employee?
Employers must pay an apprentice the apprentice wage of £7.55 an hour from 1st April 2025. The rates change on 1st April each year. Apprentices receive the apprentice rate if they’re either:
- aged under 19
- aged 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship
Once they are over 19 and have completed the first year of the apprenticeship, they receive the appropriate wage rate for their age.
- If they are between the ages of 18-20 this is £10 per hour
- If they are 21 or older this is £12.21 per hour
You have responsibilities as the employer of an apprentice. You’re responsible for making sure your apprentice:
- works with experienced staff
- learns job-specific skills
- gets time off during their working week for apprenticeship training
Did you know that you don’t have to directly employ an apprentice?
You can use a flexi-job apprenticeship agency to both hire and train the apprentice. The apprentice will be employed by the agency but will work in your organisation.
The practical steps to hiring an apprentice
This guidance is for employers in England. There are regional differences for those hiring an apprentice in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. The following steps to hiring an apprentice are shared in more detail on gov.uk.
- Choose an apprenticeship for your business or organisation.
- Find an organisation that offers training for the apprenticeship you’ve chosen. The HB team works with local further education colleges and a specialist accountancy training provider.
- Check what training funding you can get.
- Create an account – you need this to manage funding and recruit apprentices.
- Advertise your apprenticeship – find out how to create an advert or give your training provider permission to do this for you. We promote our apprenticeships at our local schools and colleges, attend careers fairs, and share opportunities via our social media channels.
- Make an apprenticeship agreement and training plan with your chosen apprentice.
How do I find out more about hiring apprentices?
There is a mine of information on the internet on gov.uk and the apprenticeship forum about apprenticeships from guides to articles.
The HB team has written extensively about apprenticeships on our own blog, have spoken at events and written articles for our local council, the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce, and for our professional institute. We are always happy to share our insights with you.
How can we help?
The HB team is always available to support your accountancy needs and discuss ways to boost your productivity.
If you feel that an apprenticeship is right for your business, we’re here to help you set this up. We’ve offered apprenticeships for many years and have won awards for our work, so we know that we have insights that will help you and your business.
If you would like to learn more about apprenticeships or the services that we offer, discover how we can give you real confidence in the future of your business, or if you are a larger business that requires auditing, then contact us today. We’re accountants for business and we are here to help you grow efficiently.
The information contained above is for general guidance purposes only. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the contents are accurate, please note that each individual has different circumstances and it is essential that you seek appropriate professional advice before you act on any of the information contained herein. HB Accountants can accept no liability for any errors or omission or for any person acting on or refraining from acting on the information provided in the above
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