Modern Apprenticeship - Boatbuilding

What is a Modern Apprenticeship?

Modern Apprenticeships offer those aged over 16 years old, flexible training and a qualification designed for your industry. A Modern Apprentice will be in paid employment and have the opportunity to train for the jobs your industry needs. Modern Apprenticeships are developed by Sector Skills Councils (SSCs). This Modern Apprenticeship has been developed by Semta.

The Modern Apprenticeship in Boatbuilding and Raepair has two routes: for wooden craft, and for metal or composite craft. All the information you need, including additional breakdowns of progression routes can be found in the following PDFs :

  

Who are they for?

Modern Apprenticeships are not just for young people – your apprentice can be any age, as long as they are over 16. You may have an existing employee who you’d like to develop, or you might want to recruit a Modern Apprentice to join your team and provide future workforce skills.

Employees need to demonstrate to you that they have the potential to complete the programme. The Modern Apprenticeship framework selected for the employee must be the most appropriate learning programme available to that individual.

How long will it take my employee to become qualified?

This programme should take around three years to complete, but will be dependent on each individual, and in some cases can be completed faster.

Are there any minimum entry requirements?

There are no formal qualifications required to enter this Modern Apprenticeship programme, but you should be confident that your apprentice will be able to achieve the SCQF Level 5 certificates in core skills outlined below.

What are my responsibilities as an employer of a Modern Apprentice?

As an apprentice employer, you’ll be expected to:

• Pay the apprentice’s salary, just like any other employee.
• Offer your apprentice the same working conditions as other employees in similar roles. This includes: paid holidays, sick pay, benefits and support. You should have an Equal Opportunities Policy in place and take responsibility for the health and safety of your apprentice.
• Work with us to develop a training agreement for your apprentice, which will detail when and where training will take place, and outline what this will involve. We’ll ask you to meet with us and the apprentice to review their progress.
• Ensure you have the correct facilities for the apprentice to meet their training outcomes – our assessor can help you with this.
• Continue to work with your apprentice and the learning provider throughout their apprenticeship, providing ongoing support, mentoring and development opportunities to help them achieve their qualification.

What do I have to pay them? 

You must pay your apprentice at least the National Minimum Wage, you’ll find full details of current rates at the Gov.uk website. Modern Apprentices are also entitled to paid holidays, sick pay, and the same benefits as your other employees. You must pay your apprentice for their normal working hours, plus, any training that’s part of the apprenticeship – i.e. time spent in college or meeting their SVQ assessor. We’ll discuss with you at the outset how much time this is likely to be.

Costs & Funding

The cost of the training and assessments is funded by Skills Development Scotland (SDS). You will not have to claim this or receive payment – SDS will pay your training provider.

In some cases SDS will provide some support for travel and accommodation costs incurred while attending college. Our Modern Apprentice Advisor will be able to give you more details.

The Shipwrights Apprenticeship Scheme encourages small businesses in the marine sector to train apprentices and can help you fund the costs of employing a Modern Apprentice in their first year, including their wages.

Is there anyone who can help me with this?

The Shipwrights Livery Company administer The Shipwrights Apprenticeship Scheme and they can also help you with recruitment, interviewing, contractual administration and mentoring your Modern Apprentice.  Any questions about the scheme or requests for funding can be directed to the SA Scheme Administrator at:

sascheme@shipwrights.co.uk  or via the Shipwrights’ Offices on 020 7606 2376.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) can help advertise your Modern Apprenticeship vacancy for free on Apprenticeships.scot. It’s quick, easy to do and SDS will post it on their vacancy pages, and publish it on carefully selected partner websites like Adzuna and My World of Work.

There is a range of information for employers available online at the Apprenticeships.scot website.