The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) are encouraging all employers to set up an account with the apprenticeship service so they can experience the benefits this digital platform offers.

Employers will be able to use the service to tailor apprenticeship training to meet their business needs, filling skills gaps and boosting productivity. With training provider agreement employers can set permissions to allow training providers to undertake some actions on their behalf.

Employers who do not pay the apprenticeship levy will be able to fund their apprentices in one of two different ways, either using the apprenticeship service or through a contract for funding apprenticeship training held by a training provider.

For smaller employers who do not pay the apprenticeship levy, use of the service during this early transition is optional. However, following this period, all apprenticeships will be arranged through the apprenticeship service, likely to be in the latter part of 2020.

The ESFA have produced some handy guides to support employers to register and use the apprenticeship service there is also a series of short films available on You Tube including this one, what you need to set up an apprenticeship service account

Wiltshire employers of all size and sector can contact Work Wiltshire for free and impartial support and advice in relation to all aspects of apprenticeships.