Shared Apprenticeship Protocol

The Shared Apprenticeship business case should provide information against each heading. 

• To be developed in partnership with identified shared apprenticeship project lead and relevant stakeholders.

• Provide the details of the lead provider and other stakeholders involved in the development of the business case.

• Provide a summary of the project in no more than 100 words.

• The business case must receive the endorsement from the relevant RSP. The endorsement email should be submitted at the same time as the business case.

Provide a clear purpose for the project:

• What is the market need and the market failure?
• What is going to be delivered to address the demand, including sector, skill areas and geographical area/s?
• The aims, objectives, apprentice numbers and timescales.
• Who are the partners and stakeholders involved in the project?
• Information should be provided as to why a shared model is required and not mainstream apprenticeship provision.
• Provide details of how the shared model will complement and not displace current apprenticeship provision.
• How will you prioritise the recruitment to those aged 16 to 19?
• Identify how the project supports Welsh Government’s post Covid recovery plan.
• Provide details of the benefits that the project will bring.

Provide details of the project’s operating model:

• Provide details of the staff involved in the project delivery, including roles and responsibilities.
• Provide details of the level 2 and or 3 apprenticeship frameworks that will delivered.
• Describe how Welsh Government funding will be used to support apprenticeship related activities such as a contribution to management costs or co-ordination activities.
• Describe how the project will provide waged employment including covering the time apprentices spend on off-the-job training.
• Provide details of the engagement strategy and engagement criteria to secure host employers whilst not replacing existing apprenticeship opportunities.
• Provide details of the working relationships with organisations currently engaged in the promotion of apprenticeships to employers.
• Provide details on how the project will offer apprenticeship places to a network of employers including a minimum of 50% Small to Medium Enterprises.
• Explain how you will endeavour to secure sustainable employment for at least 90% of apprentices at the end of the shared apprenticeship?
• Confirm that apprentice salaries will be above the National Minimum Wage as outlined by HMRC.
• Ensure that no apprentice is given a zero hour contract.

Provide details of the added value of the project:

• Provide details of the employers involved, there should be as a minimum two host employers per apprenticeship.
• The project should engage employers who are new to recruiting apprentices.
• The project should seek to enter high calibre apprentices into prestigious, high profile Skills Competitions such as WorldSkills.
• The project should support learners who are progressing from employability programmes such as the Youth and Adult Employability programmes.

• Provide details of the options that you have considered.
• Provide details of the opportunities of the proposed project.
• Provide a risk analysis for the proposed project.

• The project should deliver apprenticeship framework success rate of at least 81%.
• The provider should ensure the host employer has ultimate responsibility for the welfare, health and safety, learning and employment of the apprentice.
• The provider should ensure that host employers can give necessary and appropriate support to the apprentice.
• Engage with employers looking to recruit into future jobs, not those who use the scheme as a source of temporary agency staffing.
• Operate a robust recruitment process for apprentices including advertising vacancies via the Apprenticeship Vacancy Service (AVS).
• Ensure that on-going Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) on careers are available for the apprentice.

• Welsh Government will consider supporting management costs, as an example, project staff, marketing staff, travel and subsistence.
• The business case should be supported with a detailed cost analysis, this should also include a value for money analysis.

• Provide details of the Legal Entity that will be recruiting and employing the apprentices.
• Provide details of how you will comply with all relevant employment law and regulation, including those in the Employment Agency regulations.
• Details should be provided of the agreed wage in conjunction with the host employer which must be at least the legal minimum wage.
• Ensure clarity about the responsibilities of an employee, set out for the apprentice in a handbook or guidance document.
• Ensure apprentices are working under an Apprenticeship Learning Agreement; this forms part of their Contract of Employment.

• Provide details of the how the proposed project will support Welsh Government policies.
• Provide details of any other policies that the proposed project will support.

• Promote equality of opportunity to apprenticeship places, including to protected groups (Equality Act 2010) we have identified as being under-represented.
• Prioritise recruitment to those with protected characteristics (Equality Act 2010) and those living within areas of deprivation as indicated by the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation.
• Encourage gender equality into non-traditional sectors.
• Improving the participation levels of disabled people in apprenticeships.
• Improving the participation levels of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people in apprenticeships.
• Promote the delivery of apprenticeships through the medium of Welsh or bilingually to increase take up by apprentices.

• You will need to demonstrate to the Welsh Government how the project will become financially sustainable and not dependent on Welsh Government funding, including wage contribution subsidy.
• Provide details of how and when you will formally close the project. This should include as an example a summary, lessons learned including what went well and what could have been done better and an analysis of the benefits.