Apprenticeship Program Administration

Version 2 of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Apprenticeship Funding Rules has now been published. The material change in version 2 sees the specific details on the earlier announcement made at AELP’s National Conference of the planned decoupling of the full collection of co-investment and the ability for the training provider to access the final 20% completion payment – summed up specifically as: “(DWP) have removed the reference regarding the mandatory requirement for employer co-investment to be collected and recorded (and) removed references to the completion payment being withheld if the employer co-investment is not collected and recorded in the ILR.” This means training providers neither have to collect nor report co-investment from August onwards. The government will fund 95% or, in some cases, just 75% of the training and assessment costs up to the funding band cap. However, this does not mean the employers will no longer have to pay co-investment. The commercial contract between the provider and each employer should be legally binding on their co-investment commitment and remains as critical as ever. The eligible costs list has been updated to remove the need to report co-investment (P110.4), but noting the cost of collecting co-investment remains an eligible cost. Note an updated definition (P190) that for completions on or after 1 August 2026, DWP will pay the remaining balance (the completion payment) of the total negotiated price, up to the funding band maximum, to the provider when the apprentice has undertaken all the activity (P190)  - this means that the changes outlined above on collection/reporting of co-investment will apply from this point, not just for new starts. Other points of clarification in version 2 worth briefly noting: - Clarifies the evidence requirements around the rule regarding 50% of working hours taking place in England (page 14) – this also now includes the need for a written employer statement to cover some circumstances. - Clarifies that the new £2k apprenticeship hiring payment for non-levy payers from October includes Foundation Apprenticeships, which will be on top of the existing 3-instalment, £2k existing Foundation Apprenticeship employer incentive (P133) - Clarifies that TNP1 should only include training costs (P211.1) - so as we transition to on-programme assessment, don't include any assessment costs; these remain in TNP2. Access the V2 rules here: https://lnkd.in/dtUmWM5e More to come: as a reminder, there is a separate review of apprenticeship subcontracting underway at the moment. An outcome of that is expected in September, with any changes expected to be implemented and applied from January 2027. Therefore, make a note to expect a third version of the rules to follow soon after the review has concluded. #AskAshworth #FundingRules #Apprenticeships #SkillsMeansGrowth

Expanding the U.S. workforce in emerging technology is a pressing challenge. How can we build new talent pipelines for critical industries like biotechnology and AI? CSET’s recent report, "Biotech Manufacturing Apprenticeships: A Case Study in Workforce Innovation," by Luke Koslosky, Steph Batalis, and Veronica Jade Kinoshita, explores a promising solution. By examining the North Carolina Life Sciences Apprenticeship Consortium (NCLSAC), the report offers a practical guide for organizations looking to develop their own programs. A few policy takeaways from the report that caught my eye included: 1️⃣ Provide sustainable funding for the infrastructure that apprenticeship programs rely on, such as regional workforce hubs, technical education programs, and pre-apprenticeship training. 2️⃣ Support regular, regional labor market studies and ensure timely access to data on skills gaps and hiring needs to help target training efforts effectively. 3️⃣ Increase federal and state funding for the startup and long-term costs of apprenticeship programs, including support services for apprentices like stipends and child care — flexible funding is helpful! 4️⃣ Support recruitment initiatives that build awareness and reduce barriers to entry, especially for engaging new and historically underserved communities in the industry. 5️⃣ Create or strengthen regional groups that bring together employers, education providers, and government partners to align their efforts and goals. For organizations in any emerging tech field considering this model, our new report provides guiding questions to start the process: ❓What are your current workforce gaps in terms of roles and numbers, and what specific skills are most in demand? ❓What type of apprenticeship model—employer-sponsored, an intermediary partnership, or a consortium—best suits your organization's needs and resources? Learn more and see how this model could apply to your industry: ➡️ Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/ekcTD7GY ➡️ For industry & workforce developers, see our guiding questions: https://lnkd.in/e3rAhtQV ➡️ For policymakers, check out the "Policy Takeaways": https://lnkd.in/eiNx2qfD

🚨 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 (𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁) 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲. India just rewrote the apprenticeship rulebook. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 — 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞… 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦… 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬. ➤𝐋𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧: → 𝟐.𝟓%–𝟏𝟓% 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝 is now based on 𝐭𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 — including *𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟*. → 𝟓% 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐬 must go to *𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐬*. → 𝐏𝐰𝐁𝐃 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 is mandatory. You must identify suitable trades and create real opportunities. → 𝐃𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 are now live — built with universities, approved by AICTE/UGC. → 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐞 unless rules allow. Stipend share only for first-timers. → 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐩 — ₹12,300/month for graduates, plus 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨-𝐡𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬 of 10% in year 2, and 15% in year 3. → 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 can now be re-engaged immediately. No cool-off period. → 𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 is officially legal — within time limits. → 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 are allowed — but come with double pay, insurance, travel, and housing. → 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐲 = 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞. Must be paid before the 10th of every month. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: → You will spend more per apprentice. → You’ll be judged on diversity and inclusion, not just headcount. → You must align with new contract, reporting, and payment systems. → But you’ll also unlock a path to deploy skilled talent — locally and globally. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞. It’s your chance to lead. To build inclusive pipelines. To collaborate with academia. And to show that industry readiness can start with dignity, structure, and skill. #ViralInfo #ViralPost #LegalCompliance #LegalAwareness #HRCompliance #HRProfessionals #LegalUpdate #PayrollCompliance #StatutoryCompliance #Legal #HRInsights

The most common question I get is: “What is a GTO?”
And no it’s not a new type of group fitness class. 💪 In our world, it stands for Group Training Organisation and it could be the simplest way for businesses to bring apprentices on board without any of the headaches. Many businesses know apprenticeships are a smart way to build a future workforce. But when it comes to actually running an apprenticeship program, the barriers pile up fast. Where do you find the right candidates?
Who manages payroll, super, and workers’ comp?
How do you stay on top of compliance and training contracts? For way too many employers, it feels too hard so the thought gets parked. That’s where a GTO steps in. GTOs like MIGAS Apprentices & Trainees act as the legal employer of the apprentice. You simply become the host, giving them day to day work experience while the team at MIGAS handles the heavy lifting. Here’s what that means for you as an employer:
Recruitment done for you – candidates are advertised, screened, and matched to your trade needs. 
Payroll, entitlements & compliance covered – no headaches with contracts, Awards, or paperwork. 
Regular mentoring & support – helping apprentices succeed (and reducing dropouts). 
Flexibility when workloads change – apprentices can be rotated to another host if things slow down. 
Predictable costs – you pay one agreed hourly rate that covers wages, super, insurance, and admin. What’s the result?
You get the benefits of apprentices with fresh talent, energy, and future tradespeople without the admin burden or risk. When it comes to growing your own skilled talent, partnering with MIGAS makes the path simpler, smarter, and more sustainable. Pictured: Harry Steptoe (Carpentry Apprentice) 2024 MIGAS Apprentices & Trainees Apprentice of the Year. #apprentice #apprenticeship #gto #career #employer #trainee #future

As we start to wrap up #NationalApprenticeshipWeek, I'm happy to share our new chapter of the UpSkill America Upskilling Playbook for Employers: Getting Started With Apprenticeship! It can be an obstacle course for employers to figure out where to start. This chapter walks employers through the process of designing and implementing an apprenticeship program step-by-step: decision points, how to find partners, tradeoffs, and other considerations. It features promising practices from Aon and the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship. 👇 Chapter in the comments. We welcome your feedback and suggestions! #NAW2026 #Apprenticeships

You don't normalize hiring apprentices by trying to convince 10,000 companies. You change how state government hires instead. Everyone talks about workforce reform as if employers are the bottleneck. Drop degree requirements. Invest in training. Create alternative pathways. Fine. But state and local governments are some of the largest employers in the country. And unlike everyone else, they control the hiring rules themselves. They don't need permission. They can just change them. And the stakes are bigger than workforce reform alone. This is about economic mobility at scale. At a moment when AI is reshaping entry-level work, states have an opportunity to rebuild the first rung of the ladder by making apprenticeship the default pathway into modern careers. The bigger truth about AI is that while it may automate routine tasks, it also creates new layers of higher-value work. Work that requires judgment. Apprenticeship teaches that better than school does. And unlike the old model of workforce development, these skills can be taught to people from all walks of life through real work in the flow of public service. States that move early will fill vacancies faster. They'll also build the most scalable engine for upward mobility in the AI era. I chaired Maryland's Apprenticeship 2030 Commission. We decided to prove it. Five state agencies now use apprenticeship as a preferred hiring pathway. Seventeen city and county governments followed. The Maryland Department of Health partnered with Morgan State to launch the nation's first environmental health specialist apprenticeship. No degree gate or contractor middleman. The state hires people directly and trains them for the actual role. I keep explaining this to people and they assume it took some massive policy overhaul. It didn't. Maryland reimburses $3,000 per adult apprentice and $7,500 per high school apprentice. Workers get a debt-free path into a career. Agencies get talent trained for their real workforce needs. 14,000 Marylanders are in apprenticeship programs right now. More than 500 employers have signed on. The private sector will follow when it sees a model that already works. Government doesn't have to wait for that. They can be the model. State dollars should build state talent. And state hiring should prove it works first.

The data center industry’s biggest bottleneck isn’t power. It’s people. YONDR and CBRE just launched a global apprenticeship program to change that—from the ground up. This isn’t corporate social responsibility. It’s operational infrastructure strategy. As demand for AI-scale facilities grows, uptime and resilience can no longer depend on a shrinking pool of experienced engineers. This model delivers something new: a repeatable, scalable system to build site-ready talent as each data center goes live. Here’s how it works: 1. Embedded Timing Apprentices are recruited the moment a new facility enters operations—ensuring every site grows alongside its workforce. 2. On-Site Training Participants train in live environments, working with CBRE and Yondr teams. They gain certification in engineering, facility ops, and systems management. 3. Global Framework The program adapts to local education and certification systems, integrating regional colleges while maintaining global standards. Execution has already begun: • Slough: Four apprentices across three data centers • #Netherlands, #Germany, #US., and #Malaysia: Launching by end of 2025 • Goal: Two apprentices per facility across Yondr’s full operational footprint This isn’t just about solving today’s staffing shortages. It’s about building long-term talent infrastructure. Because you can’t scale #AIinfrastructure without scaling the people who run it. #datacenters

Have you hit a roadblock when building an apprenticeship program—specifically when the role you’re trying to fill requires a fully trained, certified employee today, not an apprentice still in training? This is one of the most common barriers we hear from healthcare and workforce leaders. That’s exactly where Apprenti has taken a different approach. By serving as the employer of record—providing benefits, payroll, and support (including 401k)—Apprenti enables organizations to bring on apprentices without immediately impacting internal FTE capacity. It’s a smart, intentional model designed to remove friction and accelerate workforce development—helping employers build talent pipelines faster, without the typical operational constraints. If you’re thinking about how to scale a “grow your own” strategy, this is a model worth paying attention to.