Employer
If you run a landscape business, taking on a school or college leaver and training them up from scratch is a good way of creating the perfect employee for your business.
Taking on an Apprentice
What is an apprenticeship?
It’s a work – based training programme that combines on the job training with a nationally recognised qualification. A landscape apprentice needs to be aged 16 or over and can be a new or current employee who is living in the UK and not in full time education.
An apprenticeship lasts from a minimum of 12 months to 24 months depending on the level.
Employing an apprentice can bring many benefits to your business:
It can be a cost-effective way of recruiting and training a new member of staff with the government covering 90% of the cost
They can be trained specifically to fill skills gaps in your business
You gain an employee that is loyal and committed to your business
Key information to taking on an Apprentice
Funding
The Government will help you finance an apprenticeship. This is dependent on whether you have to pay the Apprenticeship levy, which applies to all businesses that have a wage bill over £3 million a year (see below).
If you are below the levy threshold and employ more than 50 people, then you pay 5% towards the cost of training and assessing your apprentice. This will be done through agreeing a payment schedule with the training organisation and paying them directly.
If your organisation has below 50 employees, the Government will 100% fund 16-18 year old apprentices. 19-24 year old with an Education Health Care plan (EHC) plan means you will have to pay 5%.
There is an incentive payment of £1,000 for each 16-18 year old apprentice or 19-24 year old with an EHC plan.
Employer Responsibility
As an employer you will be responsible for paying the employee’s wage.
The current minimum wage for all apprentices in their first year is £3.90, this goes up in their second year in line with the national minimum wage to:
Under 18 £4.62
18-20 £6.56
21-22 £8.36
Over 23 £8.91
- Provide holiday pay, a minimum of 20 days + bank holidays
- Allow your apprentice to spend at least 20% of their working hours on off-the-job training
Recruiting an apprentice
- Advertise in your local area
- Advertise with a specialist recruitment company, visit
- Advertise on ‘find an apprentice’
- Contact your local college and see if they have anyone suitable to your profession
- Interview, but don’t be afraid to re advertise if you don’t find anyone suitable.
The Apprenticeship Levy
All UK businesses with a pay bill over £3 million will have to pay 0.5% of that bill. The annual wage bill is calculated as all payments to employees that are subject to employer Class 1 Secondary National Insurance Contributions (NIC’s), this includes wages, bonuses and commissions.
Employers will receive a £15,000 fixed annual allowance (not a cash payment) to offset against the levy payment.
Example of levy bill
Employer of 100 employees, each with a gross salary of £20,000, would pay: 100 x £20,000 = £2,000,000 Levy sum: 0.5% x £2,000,000 = £10,000 Allowance: £10,000 – £15,000 = £0 annual levy payment.
This levy is put into an account that employers can then use (the government adds an extra 10% in England) to spend on apprenticeship training.
Companies will then have 24 months to make use of their apprenticeship funds.
Qualifications
In terms of your apprentices training, you can choose their level and subject.
Apprenticeship standards – these have replaced the older frameworks, with each standard covering a specific occupation that sets out the core skills, knowledge and behaviours an apprentice will need; they are developed by employer groups known as ‘trailblazers’, with a focus to provide the skills and training that employers and industry are looking for.
For horticulture – there is the choice between a Level 2 Operative or Level 3 Supervisor apprenticeship, with a Level 5 Manager apprenticeship in development.
Level 2 Horticulture or landscape Operative typically lasts 18-24 months with a funding band of £5000 per apprentice.
Level 3 Horticulture or landscape Supervisor typically lasts 24-36 months with a funding band of £8000 per apprentice.
Once you have selected the apprenticeship and discipline (horticulture or landscaping) you want your apprentice to undertake, choose a training provider in your locality.
There are a number of BALI members that are registered training providers and run the appropriate qualifications, please visit bali.org.uk to find one local to you.
Considerations before taking on an apprentice
Taking on a Student for Work Experience
Work experience is central to the government’s plans for schools and further education and presents a wonderful opportunity for employers to engage with students.
This maybe a week or two with school pupils or a year or two with college students.
For school pupils
- Showcase the landscape industry and influence career choices
- Improve the quality of future employees
- Develop your recruitment channels with schools
For college students
- Supporting someone that’s already interested in the industry
- Supporting someone that’s already interested in the industry
- Teaching industry skills and shaping a potential new employee
- Gain a better understanding of vocational qualifications and the education system
Why not contact your local school or college and offer to take on someone for work experience
Use the map below to search for a college near you
- Testimonials
Career Stories
Get inspired from individuals
who have entered the landscaping industry through different paths.
