Looking to hire an apprentice?

We work closely with employers from small to medium-sized businesses to ensure all our training programmes match each individual’s own goal.

Whether employers are looking to recruit and train new apprentices or develop the skills of existing staff, we have the apprenticeship training your company needs.

why choose nextStep training?

Finding the right candidate for a job is time-consuming and difficult for any company.

Here at NextStep, we have many candidates who are already semi-skilled and are motivated to further their careers. Our recruitment team will ensure you have a broad selection of suitable candidates to choose from.

NextStep training will help your business find and place your next best hire.

All of the services above are provided free of charge as part of the Apprenticeship service we provide.

Our approach

Identify your needs

We will work closely with you to ensure we completely understand the type of qualities and qualifications you are looking for in a candidate.

Screen candidates

Our recruitment team will select from the pool of dedicated learners we have following your job requirements and person specification.

Interview

The candidates who made it to the final stage will be sent for an interview at your company so you can assess their suitability for the role and your company culture.

Interested? Register Your business

Funding FAQ

How is the apprenticeship levy paid?

Employers with a payroll in excess of £3 million per year are eligible to pay the levy. The levy is charged at a rate of 0.5% of the employer’s annual pay bill and is paid directly to HM Revenue and Customs through their payroll. The levy allowance operates on a monthly basis and accumulates throughout the year. Once an employer’s funds have been fully utilised, the ESFA will directly fund further Apprenticeships by way of a 95% contribution.

Why am I paying for an apprenticeship levy?

The UK government introduced the Apprenticeship Levy in 2017 to fund apprenticeship courses at companies earning more than £3 million in revenue annually. This means all companies earning £3 million+ must pay into their apprenticeship levy pot.

What can I spend my Apprenticeship levy on?

You can spend your apprenticeship levy on training and development of your current or new staff through apprenticeships. The government will also add 10% extra on top of your levy pot, which means more funds to train your team!

How do I access my Apprenticeship levy?

Employers access their available funding through the Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) which is found on the government website.

What if I operate in England and other parts of the UK?

The levy applies to employers across the UK, however, apprenticeships are a devolved policy. This means that each of the UK nations manages their own apprenticeship programmes, including how funding is spent on apprenticeship training. Separate arrangements are in place for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Should an employee reside in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland but complete a minimum of 50% of their work within England, that would be fundable via the English model. We currently only deliver Apprenticeships in England.

How long does the Apprenticeship levy fund last?

Funds within an employer’s DAS account will expire after 24 months unless they are spent on apprenticeship training. The account works on a first-in, first-out basis, through either use or expiration. Whenever a payment is taken from your DAS account it will automatically use the funds entered first. You will be notified before any funds expire allowing you to maximise their use, either by spending it on apprenticeship training or transferring up to 25% of it to other employers.

How do I manage my DAS account?

You will need to register to use the apprenticeship service. Ultimately, the funding is available via your DAS account. Funds are finite so it’s important that the right people in your company have the right access and permission levels to manage this budget.

What about non-levy paying employers?

Since January 2020, smaller, non-levy paying employers (i.e. those with a payroll of less than £3,000,000 per year), have also been encouraged to use the Digital Apprenticeship Service. In principle, it works exactly the same as described above but non-levy paying employers do not pay in to the funding pot; they access funding direct from the ESFA. Whilst initially this has been optional (providers still have procured contracts with the ESFA), from March 2021, the DAS account route will be mandatory for all.

What are the Incentive Payments for hiring a new Apprentice?

The ESFA has introduced an incentive scheme to encourage employers to recruit an Apprentice.

To be eligible, the Apprentice must:

• Be a new employee with a contract of employment

• Not have been employed by you in the previous 6 months

• The Apprenticeship start must have been through the Apprenticeship Service (DAS), regardless of being a levy or non-levy employer

The incentives can be up to £2,000 for 16-24 year olds or £1,500 for 25 and over. Apprentices must be employed and in learning on their Apprenticeship at days 90 and 365 to be entitled to the full incentive amount.

There may be a lot more questions you have, not only about the Digital Apprenticeship Service, but about Apprenticeships in general. *