Apprenticeships

What is an apprenticeship?

The Government is committed to boosting productivity by investing in staff, by developing the skills of the UK workforce and increasing the quantity and quality of apprenticeships. In the 2015 Summer Budget, the Government announced that all employers operating in the UK with an annual pay bill over £3m will be required to pay an ‘Apprenticeship Levy’ of 0.5% on their total pay bill from April 2017. 

It is clearly the Government’s agenda to extend the definition of an 'apprenticeship' away from traditional trade/lower paid entry-level roles as they now extend to higher level roles.

Apprenticeships provide an excellent opportunity to earn while you learn. 

As an apprentice you will be employed, earn a salary (usually paid in monthly installments), be entitled to annual leave and the time in and out of the workplace to complete your apprenticeship qualification. 

The qualifications are in the form of either an apprenticeship standard (a set of core skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to be fully competent in a specific job role) or an apprenticeship framework (a series of vocational and professional qualifications with workplace and classroom-based training).  

Does the council offer apprenticeships?

Yes, it offers a range of apprenticeship opportunities. 

Please note: not all vacancies offering an apprenticeship qualification will have ‘Apprentice’ in the job title. Please read the further details for each vacancy for more information.  

To apply for any council vacancy please visit the East Riding jobs website: 

East Riding Jobs 

The council also supports the ongoing training and development of staff and there may be other opportunities where this is deemed to support identified business needs.

Can I apply for an apprenticeship online?

To apply for any council vacancy please visit the East Riding Jobs website: 

East Riding Jobs 

If you are interested in applying for an apprenticeship vacancy with an external organisation please visit the ‘Find an Apprenticeship’ website: 

Get in Go Far (external council website)

What are the entry requirements?

Different apprenticeships have different entry requirements. Each vacancy which offers apprenticeship qualifications will have the details of the skills and qualities we are looking for. Not all opportunities require qualifications but all will require key employability skills including communication, problem-solving, team working and understanding customers.

Many will also require basic IT skills, however, the most important requirements are that:

• you must be living in England and not taking part in full-time education
  
• you must be aged 16 or over.  
  

Please note: that for council vacancies, applications are welcomed from candidates irrespective of age. Please ensure you check eligibility criteria before applying for any vacancy.   

How long does it take?

The length of your apprenticeship contract will vary depending on the type and level of qualification obtained.  

Will I get paid?

Yes. Apprenticeships offer you the chance to learn while you earn. You will be paid a monthly salary in line with the job and qualification you are undertaking.  

With external vacancies to the council, the current minimum wage rate for an apprentice is £3.50 per hour. This rate applies to apprentices aged 16 to 18 and those aged 19 or over who are in their first year.

Some employers (like the council) do offer more than this, so it's always worth looking at each vacancy.

What sort of apprenticeship can I do?

There are a range of different apprenticeships offered and the council and our schools try to maximise opportunities in a range of subject areas, including the following:

• Agriculture, environmental and animal care standards
  
• Business and administration standards
  
• Catering and hospitality standards
  
• Childcare and education standards
  
• Construction standards
  
• Creative and design standards
  
• Digital standards 
  
• Engineering and manufacturing standards
  
• Legal, finance and accounting standards 
  
• Sales, marketing and procurement standards
  
• Social care standards
  
• Transport and logistics standards.

How is the training delivered?

A training provider delivers ‘off the job’ training in a classroom, workshop, online or work-based setting and supports the apprentice in developing their knowledge and skills. In your apprenticeship role at the council, you then get the practical experience and training to put these skills into practice.

What is the council's response to the public sector target for apprenticeships?

Prescribed groups and public sector bodies with 250 or more staff in England have a target to employ an average of at least 2.3% of their staff as new apprentices start over the period of 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2021. 

Bodies in scope must have regard to the target. 

The Government considers the duty to 'have regard' to mean that, in making workforce planning decisions, public bodies should actively consider apprenticeships, either for new recruits or as part of career development for existing staff. 

Apprentices are only considered as 'new apprentices' who will count towards the target, in the year in which they begin their apprenticeship. 

As well as providing quantitative data on the number of employees and starts, bodies can also include narrative data to provide evidence of actively considering apprenticeships, where challenges have been encountered and plans for the future. 

'The council's response to the Public Sector Target for September 2020 is below:

Public Sector Apprenticeship Target 

Report August 2020 - East Riding of Yorkshire Council

Reporting percentages

Percentage of apprenticeship starts (both new hires and existing employees who started an apprenticeship) as a proportion of employment starts between 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020 - 13.37%.

Percentage of total headcount that were apprentices on 31 March 2020 - 2.20%.

Percentage of apprenticeship starts (both new hires and existing employees who started an apprenticeship) between 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020 as a proportion of total headcount on 31 March 2019 - 1.47%.

How can I find out more? 

Please visit our jobs website to find our current vacancies:

East Riding Jobs (external council website)