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What is an Apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships are a way to develop and upskill your workforce.

Each apprenticeship is based on a Standard, which sets out the syllabus. The apprentice works in a real job, and spends part of their working week studying the knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the Standard.

This means as an employer, you are committing to giving your apprentice a minimum of 6 hours during the working week for training. You should ideally give one day a week to training, which can be split into two half-days.

Available Apprenticeships

There are over 800 apprenticeship standards so far approved for delivery by The Institute of Apprenticeships & Technical Education.

Each Standard sets out the required:

  • knowledge, skills and behaviours
  • the length of time
  • the amount of funding available
  • the end assessment

The College currently offers the following apprenticeships:

The levels of apprenticeships

Apprenticeships have equivalent educational levels.

Name Level Equivalent education level
Intermediate 2 GCSE
Advanced 3 A-Level
Higher 4, 5 Foundation degree
Degree 6 BA, BSc and equivalent degree

We're an approved provider

The College is an approved apprentice training provider, listed on the Register of Apprentice Training Providers (RoATP) and approved by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Further Education (IFATE).

Ofsted Good Provider badge

We are regulated by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and Ofsted.

We are also accredited by Highfield Qualifications for our Maths and English Functional Skills qualifications and the British Computer Society for our Digital Marketing apprenticeship. We are a member of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP).

Approved provider
Nick Wake

An apprenticeship programme for professionals has many benefits, but the two that strike me most are: it provides the space to learn again - something all marketers should continue to do. Secondly, it gives strong theoretical underpinning to what we do on a daily basis - a reminder of the real value of disciplined marketing processes, which in turn can only add value for your employer.

Nick Wake Apprenticeship Tutor

Your questions answered

If you have any specific enquiries and need further information, please email our Apprenticeship Lead Charlotte Lestienne or call 01954 234 941.

No. Apprenticeships are about upskilling and supporting your existing workforce, as well as for new starters. An organisation can put any staff member through an apprenticeship, provided they require significant new learning for their role. Our apprentices range in age from 16 to mid-50s.

The Apprenticeship Levy is paid by large companies — i.e. those with a pay bill of over £3 million a year.

The levy is 0.5% of the annual payroll. Levy funds remain in a large company’s National Apprenticeship Service Account for a maximum of 24 months. After that time, the money can be taken away by the government, so use it or lose it!

Non-levy companies have an annual payroll of less than £3m a year. Non-levy companies pay 5% of the apprenticeship training cost under "co-investment" (invoiced upfront) and the government funds the rest. For example, the Marketing Executive apprenticeship cost is £6,000, so you would pay £300 to the College as the training provider.

No. Apprenticeships are organised by the employer, who chooses the apprentice's training provider. If you are looking for an apprenticeship, you can use the government’s Find an Apprenticeship.

Costs for the training are shown in the Standard and agreed with the training provider. For example, the Marketing Executive apprenticeship cost is £6,000. This includes the costs of assessments, learning materials and other apprenticeship costs. For levy-payers, this is paid out of their levy pot. Non-levy payers pay 5% of the training costs.

Other costs you should consider are the apprentice’s salary. You must also factor time for the apprentice to study during the working week.

There have been various incentive schemes from the government for employers. These are no longer available.

Employers need to commit to the apprentice having a minimum of 6 hours a week off the job training.

The training provider has a legal obligation to ensure this time is given in the working week. This doesn’t mean they have to be away from the workplace or in a classroom and can be done flexibly to suit the apprentice and employer. This might can come in the form of:

  • Formal training with a training provider
  • Independent study during work time
  • Attending webinars related to the apprenticeship
  • Work shadowing and working with a specialist can also be off the job training, but you must agree this with the training provider

There is no cost to the apprentice. All apprentices must receive a minimum wage at least 20 days paid holiday a year.

The government has a helpful advice on how to start. You need an apprentice service account to reserve the funding. Then you need to choose the right apprenticeship Standard for your organisation, choose a training provider and then hire your apprentice.

We are happy to help if you have questions. Contact Charlotte Lestienne or email info@marketingcollege.com and we will be pleased to help.

You can find government guidance on creating an apprenticeship advert as an employer. There is also government advice service on employing an apprentice.

Choosing a training provider

Why use Cambridge Marketing College as your apprentice training provider?

Learn how we develop distinctive apprentices