Equine groom apprentice caring for horse

Hire an Apprentice

Hiring an apprentice is a proven way for employers to recruit new talent, develop job-specific skills and build a future workforce. Bishop Burton College supports employers across East Yorkshire, the Humber and the wider UK to hire apprentices, offering expert training, funding advice and recruitment support.

Whether you want to hire a new apprentice or use an apprenticeship to upskill existing staff, we work with you to create a solution that meets your business needs.

What is an apprentice?

An apprentice is a paid employee who works in your organisation while completing a nationally recognised apprenticeship qualification. Apprentices have the same employment rights as any other employee and can be any age from 16 upwards.

As an employer, you can:

Recruit a new apprentice to bring fresh skills into your workforce, or
Use an apprenticeship to upskill or reskill an existing employee

An apprentice can work up to 40 hours per week. This includes 20% off-the-job training, a government requirement. Off-the-job training is usually delivered as one day per week at Bishop Burton College, alongside learning and development in the workplace.

What are the benefits of hiring an apprentice?

Hiring an apprentice helps employers develop skilled, motivated and loyal employees trained specifically for their role. Apprenticeships combine practical experience with structured training, supporting productivity, quality and long-term business growth.

Key benefits for employers include:

Developing skills relevant to your organisation
Improving productivity and efficiency
Enhancing the quality of products or services
Building a motivated workforce trained to your business needs
Accessing expert apprenticeship support from Bishop Burton College
Benefiting fromgovernment funding for apprenticeships

What employers say about apprenticeships

According to government apprenticeship data:

86% of employers said apprenticeships helped them develop skills relevant to their organisation
78% of employers said apprenticeships helped improve productivity
74% of employers said apprenticeships helped improve the quality of their product or service

What funding is available for apprenticeships?

The UK government provides apprenticeship funding to support employers with the cost of training and assessment. The amount of funding available depends on whether you pay the apprenticeship levy.

Levy-paying employers

Employers with an annual pay bill of over £3 million pay the apprenticeship levy. Levy-paying employers can use their levy funds to cover the full cost of apprenticeship training and assessment.

Non-levy-paying employers

If your annual pay bill is under £3 million, you do not pay the levy. In most cases, the government will fund up to 95% of apprenticeship training costs, with employers contributing the remaining 5%.

Funding advice and support

Apprenticeship funding rules and incentives can change. Bishop Burton College provides up-to-date advice on government funding, levy rules and employer contributions, ensuring you understand costs and eligibility before recruiting an apprentice.

Why work with Bishop Burton College when hiring an apprentice?

Bishop Burton College is an experienced apprenticeship training provider, supporting employers across East Yorkshire, the Humber and the UK to recruit, train and retain skilled staff.

We work in partnership with employers to deliver high-quality, industry-relevant apprenticeships, combining expert teaching with flexible training delivery.

How we support employers

Our team will work with you to:

Deliver specialist, technical apprenticeship training tailored to your business
Provide expert advice on the apprenticeship levy, funding and government incentives
Support you to recruit new apprentices
Help you upskill or reskill existing employees through apprenticeships

You’ll receive ongoing support throughout the apprenticeship, helping apprentices succeed and your business grow.

What industries do you support?

Bishop Burton College offers apprenticeships across a wide range of sectors, supporting employers to develop skilled staff in key industries.

Apprenticeship sectors we support

We currently offer apprenticeships in:

Agriculture
Animal Care
Business (Administration and Customer Service)
Construction
Equine
Food (Butchery and Food Manufacture)
Gamekeeping
Health and Social Care
Horticulture
Land-Based Service Engineering
Plastering

All apprenticeships are designed to meet industry standards, employer requirements and workforce needs.

Get in touch:

To find out more about working with Bishop Burton College to hire an apprentice, contact our Services to Business team. We support employers across East Yorkshire, the Humber and the wider UK with apprenticeship advice, funding guidance and recruitment support.

We’ll help you find the right apprenticeship solution for your business.

Telephone: 01964 553044

Email: servicestobusiness@bishopburton.ac.uk