How to craft a successful job advert for your apprenticeship

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Earlier in this series, we looked at how to design a role for your apprentice. Now it’s time to craft a compelling job advertisement.

Here are some pointers:

  • Summarise what the job entails.
  • Outline the personal characteristics and skills you are looking for.
  • Specify any responsibilities and duties you’d like the apprentice to deliver for your business, such as assisting the department, meeting clients, travelling to sites (if working in audit).
  • State the desired educational level such as GCSEs/national 5, A-Levels/Scottish Highers.
  • Some information about your business to convince the candidate your workplace is right for them.

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AAT’s free guide to launching an apprenticeship in seven easy steps will walk you through the process, from job description to funding.

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Are you an equal opportunity and Disability Confident employer? Are you a hybrid organisation where the apprentice may be required to spend part of the week working from home? Also, what benefits can you offer, such as gym membership and duvet days?

  • The duration of the apprenticeship plus any qualifications they will study.
  • And, of course, salary details.

What should you pay?

If your apprentice is aged under 18 or in the first year of their apprenticeship, the employer must pay at least the apprentice rate of £5.28 per hour. The rates change on 1 April every year.

Once an apprentice has completed the first year of their apprenticeship, the following minimum salaries apply.

  • Age 18 or below: £5.28 an hour
  • Age 19–20: £7.59 an hour
  • Age 21–22: £10.18 an hour
  • Age 23-and-over: £10.42 an hour.

However, you may want to consider offering a more competitive salary for your apprentices to attract and retain top talent.

Nearly all employers with training provider First Intuition choose to better the minimum wage, according to the firm’s Chelmsford MD, David Malthouse.

Think long-term

“In order to get eyes on your advert, you’ve got to offer a competitive salary,” he says.

Experience shows this pays in the long term with higher levels of loyalty.

You must also offer apprentices the same conditions as other employees in your organisation, such as paid holidays, sick pay, benefits such as childcare vouchers, plus any support such as coaching and mentoring.

Apprentices will also have the same employment rights as your other workers.

Apprenticeships in Scotland

If you employ a foundation apprentice, you won’t pay any wages as the apprentice will still be at school. If you employ a modern apprentice, your apprentice will be paid a salary, which must be at least the national minimum wage or higher.

David Nunn is a former Content Manager at AAT.

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