Skills for Care have produced the following table that shows what training and testing is needed for the new apprenticeships in health and social care.

Apprenticeship FAQ’s

What is an apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships are training programmes that give the skills and knowledge required for a chosen career or area of work. They’re designed with help from employers and are a combination of on-the-job and off-the-job training. Apprentices work and earn a wage whilst on programme and are given a percentage of time out of work to complete assignments and study the knowledge components. Apprentices essentially work towards a nationally recognised qualification whilst getting a paid job.

A number of elements make up the assessment and award of the Apprenticeship Standard.

For Adult Care Worker (Level 2) they include:

• A vocational qualification (Diploma) which is the Level 2 Diploma in Care

• The Care Certificate

• On-the-job training

• Functional skills (English and Maths) at Level 1

• Summative end point assessment

For Lead Adult Care Worker (Level 3) they include:

• A vocational qualification (Diploma) which is the Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care

• The Care Certificate

• On-the-job training

• Functional skills (English and Maths) at Level 2

• Summative end point assessment

What are the benefits for employers taking on an apprentice?

As an employer, you have more input and control over the delivery of the apprenticeship and can tailor skills and knowledge to your organisations requirements. We aim to fill skills gaps and provide more specific training that benefits both you and the apprentice. Delivery can be more flexible to minimise disruption in the workplace and maximise impact.

Apprenticeships are nationally recognised qualifications so are well regarded as high quality training. Apprenticeships can help improve productivity in the workplace and are a great tried-and-tested option for recruiting, training, upskilling or even re-training staff. They have also been known to help reduce staff turnover by increasing loyalty and job satisfaction.

How long does the apprenticeship take to complete?

For Care apprenticeships (level 2), we give a 14 month time period from start to completion (end-point assessment). For Level 3 (Lead Adult Care Worker) it may take longer at 18 months.

How much do I have to pay my apprentices?

Visit this link to find out what the National Minimum Wage rate is for apprenticeships: https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates

This is the required minimum but Apprenticeships can also be undertaken by those already working for you and on a higher rate of pay.

Is there funding available for my staff to undertake apprenticeships?

Please refer to our factsheet above for how Apprenticeship funding will work and follow this link for further information: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-levy-how-it-will-work/apprenticeship-levy-how-it-will-work

Please contact our office on 0114 2472772 to discuss further how funding works.

How is apprenticeship training delivered?

Apprenticeship delivery includes a variety of on and off-the-job elements. We offer the following on-programme support:

• 1:1 tutorials with a designated assessor

• Physical resources i.e. workbooks, handouts

• Online resources, e-learning and referrals to online sources of support

• Pastoral support provided by a mentor

• Out of hours delivery if required for successful achievement

• Support and a mini toolkit for employers’ internal staff helping with on-the-job training

Our team will meet with you first to discuss how we can best provide delivery and assessment to meet both yours and the Apprentices needs. We may provide knowledge delivery over 1 day a week or split learning sessions into a couple of hours training over a number of days to ensure that training fits with the common stresses and time constraints faced by care organisations. We are experienced with working alongside rotas and timetables to ensure minimal disruption and our assessors are happy to meet Apprentices in a location convenient to the learner. This encourages more face-to-face visits as the learner isn't faced with the barrier of the costs of getting to a training centre. Employers are always notified and involved in the planning of any sessions taking place in the workplace.

We can also tailor skills and knowledge to progression requirements, leading Apprentices from Level 2 to Level 3 and beyond.

As a local training provider that has been active in the local sector for over 10 years, we understand the obstacles you face on a day to day basis and help overcome them by being flexible and supportive. We enjoy motivating learners with relatable real-life training content and by keeping away from traditional school-like ‘teaching’ styles we engage those who are normally very reluctant to undertake training.

Is an apprenticeship just for young people?

Nope! Apprenticeships are available for all ages, although are more popular with those aged 16-24 which is why you may think only young people can do them.

We want to break down this misconception and show the benefits of becoming an apprentice at any age so please don’t be put off applying. Apprenticeships can be a necessary and vital step towards employment or progressing in your career and can still be undertaken if you are already employed (if your employer agrees).

What levels of apprenticeships are available with Aspect Training?

Standards are starting to replace Frameworks and the apprenticeships we will be delivering are set out as:

• Adult Care Worker (equivalent to Level 2)

• Lead Adult Care Worker (equivalent to Level 3)

We may offer higher levels at a later time.

How do we apply?

Applying for an apprenticeship with us is easy.

Employers – please contact David Shaw on 0114 2472772 who will discuss in detail how we can make the apprenticeship work for you and your staff.

Potential apprentices – please fill in our Register Interest form below or contact us on 0114 2472772 to apply. Our qualifications team will then provide you with further information and will find out if you’re eligible to enrol.

General entry requirements:

• Over 16 years of age

• A keen and positive attitude towards improving the support of the individuals you care for

• A motivated attitude that shows willingness to complete the programme

We support the government’s commitment to increase the uptake of apprenticeships with individuals from every community, background and belief. We want to ensure qualifications are accessible to all and any additional support needs will be identified, provided, assessed and monitored before, during and after the programme.

We’re here to support all apprentices at every step of their training journey and strive to be an inclusive training provider. Please discuss any extra support needs with our friendly team and we will endeavour to meet them.

Register Interest

Please fill in the form below and a member of our team will get in touch to help you further.