Are you able to offer a high quality
Traineeship placement in a real
workplace?
Traineeships will contain three core elements:
Traineeships is a new programme for young
people who want to work, but who need extra
help to gain an Apprenticeship or job.
Traineeships will give these young people the
opportunity to develop the skills and workplace
experience that employers require.
Traineeships are part of the same family as
Apprenticeships and will be available for young
people aged 16-24 and for young people with
Learning Difficulty Assessments up to the
academic age of 25.
Traineeships will be a separate but linked
programme that prepares young people to
compete for Apprenticeships and other
sustainable employment.
 A high quality work placement to give
the young person meaningful work
experience, develop workplace skills,
and provide an opportunity to prove
themselves to an employer.
 A focused period of work preparation
training, focusing on areas like CV
writing, interview preparation, job search
and inter-personal skills.
 English and maths as these are seen as
crucial
qualifications
that
offer
employability skills.
A Traineeship will be a new opportunity to help
young people develop the skills and attitudes
employers look for. It will form part of the 16-24
Study Programme framework.
How to get involved?
You can find out more by speaking to your
Employer Account Manager at the National
Apprenticeship Service or by getting in touch at
apprenticeships.org.uk or on 08000 150 600.
apprenticeships.org.uk
Call: 08000 150 600
Traineeships Q&A
Who are Traineeships for?
Traineeships will be available for young people aged 1624 and for young people with Learning Difficulty
Assessments up to academic age 25 from August 2013.
The core target group for Traineeships will be young
people who:
 are not currently in a job and have little work
experience, but who are focused on work or the
prospect of it; are qualified below Level 3; and
 providers and employers believe have a
reasonable chance of being ready for
employment or an apprenticeship within six
months of engaging in a traineeship.
Traineeships are not intended for:
 the most disengaged young people, who require
very intensive support;
 those who are already ready to start an
apprenticeship; or
 those already in a job.
How long does a Traineeship last?
How do Traineeships fit with Apprenticeships?
Traineeships are part of the
Apprenticeships. Traineeships will
linked programme that prepares
compete for Apprenticeships and
employment.
same family as
be a separate but
young people to
other sustainable
Why would an employer want to have a trainee in
their business?
Employers have told us that young people who apply for
vacancies often do not have the skills or experience they
are looking for. Traineeships offer employers the
opportunity to shape their training and experience,
creating a larger pool of high quality applicants for their
sector to draw on.
Are young people motivated enough for this to
work?
Yes, many young people are highly motivated – they just
need the right skills and opportunities. Traineeships will
help ensure that these young people have the chance to
gain the employability skills necessary to compete to
secure jobs or Apprenticeships.
We expect the duration of the work placement within a
traineeship to be at least six weeks and no more than
five months. The involvement of employers and real
workplace settings for the work placement are crucial to
the success of traineeships. We expect the lead
employer for the work placement to be identified before
young people are recorded on a traineeship. We expect
all traineeships to offer a guaranteed interview with the
work placement host at the end of the placement.
Will I have to divert my staff to “look after” the
trainee?
Will I have to pay anything (e.g. wages, fees, travel
costs) to have a trainee in my business?
What happens if a vacancy opens up and I want to
employ the trainee before the placement has
finished?
Employers are not required to pay young people for the
work placement under the Traineeship. Traineeships fall
under an exemption to the National Minimum Wage. We
would encourage, but do not require, employers to
consider providing trainees with support to meet their
travel or meal costs.
The only other cost to employers will be the time
invested in supporting young people through the
Traineeship. However, this investment could also benefit
your business by providing you with a source of
enthusiastic recruits with the skills you need.
apprenticeships.org.uk
We believe a high quality work placement will involve
commitment from senior managers and a low ratio of
trainees to experienced line managers. A trainee should
receive integrated off-the-job training, with an identified
mentor or buddy, and receive regular constructive
feedback from line managers.
Trainees are free to accept an offer of permanent
employment or an Apprenticeship at any time during
their Traineeship.
Will the trainee know anything about my business or
line of work?
The trainee will receive work preparation training from
the training provider. This should include preparation for
the specific work placement the young person will be
undertaking.
Call: 08000 150 600