Apprenticeships for business

Designed for your business

This alternative route to higher level qualifications can be accessed by your current employees or used as a tool to attract new talent to your business.

• Develop and up-skill your workforce in a cost-effective way.                     
• Recruit and develop ambitious, motivated employees.                        
• Increase retention by offering your workforce the chance to develop and progress.              
• Retain your talent and gain access to a broader pool of employees.
• Tailor learning to your business requirements.
• Work around your commitments with flexible study options, including block delivery and online learning.

Find out how you can empower your workforce through degree apprenticeships. Download our employers' guide. 

Get in touch

Due to the impact of Covid-19, we may not be able to take your call immediately. We are working to redirect all calls if the team are not in the office. The best way to get in touch is via our email address so please email us and someone will come back to you. You can contact us using the enquiry form below, apprenticeships@salford.ac.uk or 0161 295 3063

Work with us

Choose us to deliver your apprenticeship programmes, and you'll be joining the likes of  HMG Paints,  East Suffolk Council,  Bardsley Construction,  Audas,  TMJ Contractors,  Flagship Group,  Jackson Jackson,  William Hare,  SDA Consulting,  Buckingham Group,  Eric Wright,  Seddon Construction,  Joinery Workshop,  Vermont,  Russells Construction,  Styles and Wood,  Robertson,  Morgan Sindall,  Northwards Housing,  AE Yates and the  NHS. 

To find out more about working with us, contact  apprenticeships@salford.ac.uk or call 0161 295 4612.

CASE STUDIES

Hear from some of our employers about their experience with degree apprenticeships and what their advice would be to other employers. 

SDA CONSULTING

AMEY

NETWORK RAIL

Our programmes

We offer undergraduate and postgraduate degree apprenticeship programmes across a range of subject areas, including business and management, engineering, health, construction and digital. Browse the list below for more details. 

Application Deadlines

Please be aware of the application deadlines below for each of our intakes. If an application hasn’t been received by this date, consideration will be given for the next available intake.Please be advised this is a deadline for a full application to be made via the apprentice. A request for services form will have to be completed prior to the application form being shared. 

These dates allow us sufficient time to draw up and issue the employer evidence pack (contract etc.). Please also be aware that we will need to receive the completed employer evidence pack back prior to the apprentice starting the programme.*

September 2020 – Friday 31 July 2020

January 2021 - Friday 27th November 2020

June 2021 - Friday 30th April 2021

* Please note, only specific apprenticeship programmes have all three intakes. Please check your programme information for more details.

The apprenticeship levy

How does apprenticeship funding work?

There are two different apprenticeship funding streams. 

Levy paying organisations

The apprenticeship levy was introduced in April 2017 and now requires all employers operating in the UK, with a pay bill of over £3 million annually, to invest in apprenticeships.

Once payments have been declared to HMRC, employers will have access to a digital apprenticeship account from which they can access funding to pay for apprenticeship training.

Through the new Digital Apprenticeship Service, employers are able to choose their training providers, select organisations to assess their apprenticeships and post their apprenticeship vacancies. The Government will top up funding by 10%, meaning that for every £1 that enters the account, employers will have £1.10 to spend on training.

Employers are also able to transfer up to 25% of their levy funds to another employer.

Find out whether your organisation is paying the levy and how much you have available to spend on apprenticeships. 

Non-levy paying organisations

The Education and Skills funding Agency (ESFA) who are responsible for apprenticeship funding have moved to a digital system for non-levy employers by which they will be able to make ‘reservations’ for funding for up to three apprenticeship starts. The funding will be reserved for three months after which time this funding will expire and a new reservation will have to be made.

Employers who do not pay the apprenticeship levy will be able to create accounts on the apprenticeship service and begin arranging their own apprenticeships.

How to reserve funding

Reasoning for smaller Employers joining the digital account

Setting up a digital account

Please see the guidance document for more information here.

In order for employers to set up a user account on the digital service, they will need:

• A valid email address

One of the following:

• Government gateway credentials (organisational level
• Account office reference number
• PAYE reference number

They may also need:

• Companies house number
• Charity number
• Public body name

In order to make a reservation they will need to know the month in which the apprenticeship starts and the standard to be undertaken.

There are also some alternative funding schemes/incentives taking place in different areas where larger companies are coming together to ‘gift’ their levy to SMEs to support them with apprenticeships. 

Greater Manchester Combined Authority - https://levymatchfinder.co.uk/

Salford City Council - https://www.salford.gov.uk/jobs-skills-and-work/apprenticeship-support/salford-skills-for-business-apprenticeship-fund/  

Unfortunately, it is not possible for an apprentice to study for a degree apprenticeship unless this is paid for via the levy or a non-levy reservation.  If employers wish to support an apprentice through a degree using alternative funds, then it is only possible to do this via the traditional degree route (on a part-time basis). 

FAQs

If you want to learn more about degree apprenticeships, take a look through our frequently asked questions. If you have a question that isn't answered here, please contact us using the enquiry form below, apprenticeships@salford.ac.uk or 0161 295 4612.