Employing a Trainee
Why should I take on a Trainee?
In the recently published policy paper, A Plan for Jobs 2020, the Government made a policy decision to provide an additional £111 million this year for traineeships in England, to fund high-quality work placements and training for 16-24 year olds.
For the first time ever, the government will fund employers who provide trainees with work experience, at a rate of £1,000 per trainee. The government will improve provision and expand eligibility for traineeships to those with Level 3 qualifications and below, to ensure that more young people have access to high-quality training.
By employing a trainee, you can expect:
- Your current employees to gain experience in training and mentoring
- The freedom to design a programme that suits both the needs of your business and the needs of the trainee
- An increase in capacity and productivity
- Expanding the talent pool within your workforce
- The opportunity to work with and help to develop young people without the financial commitment of taking on an apprentice
- The opportunity to identify suitable apprentices from a pool of trainees
What are my responsibilities?
When offering a traineeship work placement you need to provide:
- A safe working environment for the Trainee
- Meaningful work experience that will build skills and prepare them for the workplace
- Between 70 and 240 hours of work experience over the duration of the traineeship, as agreed with the traineeship provider
- Regular, constructive feedback and advice to the Trainee
- The opportunity to interview for any available apprenticeships or appropriate job roles in your business at the end of the traineeship
- An exit interview at the end of the traineeship with meaningful written feedback if the Trainee is not staying on in another capacity
- You may be required to support trainees with travel and/or subsistence expenses
How do I get started?
The government has produced guidance for employers who want to take on a trainee:
