enrich and evolve your business with apprenticeships!
With the world of work evolving fast, skills training is in sharper focus than ever. When you hire an apprentice, you gain a motivated, adaptable and fresh-thinking team member that adds real value to your business. Through core business skills and industry-recognised qualifications, hiring an apprentice is proven to reduce recruitment costs, improve productivity, and diversify your workforce.
Whether you need new talent or to upskill your current staff, our programmes deliver results that mean your business will thrive in the digital age. Transform your business for today and the future!
Why hire a digital apprentice?
The long-term success and growth of any business are reliant on its people. By equipping the right people with the right skills, businesses can expand with a future-proofed workforce.
- Cost effective recruitment: The recruitment service we provide is free of charge
- Secure new talent and create a skilled workforce for the future: Keep your company growing or upskill your current staff to stay ahead of the Digital and IT skills shortage.
- Improve productivity: 74% of employers say having an apprentice has increased workforce productivity.
- Increase motivation throughout your team: Apprenticeships open up leadership and management opportunities for your team
- Shape your future workforce: New Apprentices bring enthusiasm and fresh ideas whilst easily adapting to your culture.
- Utilise your levy account – or receive subsidised training: Apprenticeships are financially supported by government, reducing the cost to businesses.
Level 3 Multi-Channel Marketer
Marketers play a crucial role in helping organisations grow by leveraging customer aquisition, engagement and retention.
Level 4 Cyber Security Technologist
Cyber Security Technicians help to design, build and test secure networks or systems to protect organisations against cyber threats.
Level 3 ICT Technician
ICT Technicians provide vital support to internal and external stakeholders, ensuring smooth IT operations.
Level 4 Marketing Executive
Marketing Executives help to shape, support, deliver and evaluate marketing plans, while working in conjunction with their Marketing Manager.
Level 3 Digital Support Technician
Digital support technicians help organisations maximise the effective use of digital technologies, productivity software, and digital tools.
Level 4 Network Engineer
As businesses rely more on IT, IT network engineers play a crucial role in ensuring data security and smooth operations.
We're not like other training providers. Discover what makes us different:
As an award-winning apprenticeship training provider based in Crewe, serving the North West, we pride ourselves on being friendly and supportive. With 25 years of expertise in IT and Digital Marketing, our programmes are customised to meet your unique needs, ensuring your success
"Apprentices have allowed us to fill gaps in our service that otherwise would have been too expensive to fill. They also allow for a cycle of hiring a promotion within the business to ensure that our staffing levels remain at the level we want across all departments."
"Our apprentices have been immersed in the business from the very beginning, and the tailored training means we can mould their paths to align with our exact business goals."
"I just wanted to say a big thank you for the support you’ve given our apprentice over the past year. It’s been a pleasure to work with the escalla team. The individual time and support you have given has been second to none and very much appreciated."
"escalla is our trusted partner for our Tech and Digital apprenticeships. They care, which means apprentices are well supported and have an excellent experience."
"Not only do we get a chance to help someone start a potential career, but having an apprentice also helps us to get someone on board that hasn't been molded by other work processes and who we can teach new things to on a fresh basis."
Remember, you can tap into apprenticeship funding to train new hires or upskill your current employees across all age groups and job roles.
Book a discovery call to find out more!
As an employer, you are responsible for paying your apprentice’s wage and providing an employment contract.
You can decide how much you pay each apprentice. But you must pay apprentices at least the legal minimum wage for their age.
Apprentices aged 19 or over, or in the second year of their apprenticeship, must be paid the national or living wage according to their age.
Minimum pay rates from April 2023:
-
National Living Wage
-
£10.42
per hour
-
21 to 22
-
£10.18
per hour
-
18 to 20
-
£7.49
per hour
-
16 to 17
-
£5.28
per hour
-
Apprentice
-
£5.28
per hour
Our quick and easy guide to hiring an apprentice!
01
STEP 1 | Search for escalla or book a discovery call
Find a training provider. Search for escalla. We are an award winning training provider, experienced in investing our training in your apprentices.
02
STEP 2 | Register for an Account
Next, you'll need to register for a digital Apprenticeship Service account You need to create an apprenticeship account to get funding - don't worry, we'll help with this too!
03
STEP 3 | Choose a programme
Choose an apprenticeship standard. Check out the standards we offer and find the right programme that's going to complement your business goals.
04
STEP 4 | Recruit
Advertise your apprenticeship opportunity. If you’re looking to hire new apprentices, our expert team will recruit the talent you need – for free.
05
STEP 5 | Sign up and kick off
Sign an apprenticeship agreement. It’s time to hire your apprentice and sign your 1 to 2 year training agreement. Congratulations!
Ready to transform your team through apprenticeships?
Book a discovery call or get in touch
Book a friendly 25 minute chat with Joe over MS Teams, our apprenticeship expert.
Learn more about our apprenticeships, how they're funded and how your organisation can benefit.
First, we recommend a discovery call to discuss your apprentice requirements. Whether you’re looking to hire new apprentices or upskill your current workforce, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.
Once you’ve decided to work with us, we help you to work through these steps:
- Register for a digital apprenticeship service account - you need to create an apprenticeship account to get funding.
- Choose an apprenticeship standard: check out the standards we offer and find the right programme for you and your future apprentices.
- Advertise your apprenticeship opportunity – if you’re looking to hire new apprentices, our expert team will recruit the talent you need – for free.
- Sign an apprenticeship agreement – it’s time to hire your apprentice and sign your 1 to 2-year training agreement.
Every apprenticeship falls into a funding band. But how much you pay will depend on the size of your business and whether you pay the apprenticeship levy.
If you pay the apprenticeship levy, you can use the levy funds you’ve built up to pay the cost of apprenticeship training. If you don’t have enough funds to cover the entire cost, you will need to pay 5% of any remaining fees.
If you don’t pay the apprenticeship levy, you will only need to pay a maximum 5% of each apprentice’s training costs – as the government will fund the remaining 95%.
Remember that any unused levy funds will begin to expire after 2 years. It’s important to use your apprenticeship funds before they are lost!
escalla currently offer five different apprenticeships. The training element of all escalla’s job listings will incorporate one of these.
LEVEL 3 DIGITAL MARKETING APPRENTICESHIP FIND OUT MORE
LEVEL 3 INFORMATION COMMUNICATIONS TECHNICIAN APPRENTICESHIP FIND OUT MORE
LEVEL 3 DIGITAL SUPPORT TECHNICIAN APPRENTICESHIP FIND OUT MORE
LEVEL 4 NETWORK ENGINEER APPRENTICESHIP FIND OUT MORE
LEVEL 4 SOFTWARE DEVELOPER APPRENTICESHIP FIND OUT MORE
LEVEL 4 CYBER SECURITY TECHNOLOGIST APPRENTICESHIP FIND OUT MORE
LEVEL 4 MARKETING EXECUTIVE APPRENTICESHIP FIND OUT MORE
escalla is based in Crewe, and partners with local employers in commutable distance from our offices. Search our Jobs page to find an apprenticeship across Cheshire and areas throughout the North West of England, including:
- Cheshire (including Chester, Crewe, Macclesfield, Congleton)
- Birkenhead
- Stockport
- Manchester
- Liverpool
- Staffordshire
- Shropshire
An apprenticeship can last anywhere between 1-5 years – depending on the qualification you’re doing and your personal circumstances.
You must be at least 16 and living in England to begin an apprenticeship. There is no upper age limit.
You must meet the application criteria for the apprenticeship you’re applying for. These vary, but can be up to 5 GCSEs 4-9 (or equivalent).
The way you pay for an apprentice has changed since the introduction of the apprenticeship levy. The amount you pay will depend on your organisation, the apprentice, and the apprenticeship qualification. FIND OUT MORE
Yes. Apprenticeships are an option for training new employees, or up-skilling your existing staff.
