Apprenticeships for employers

Top Five Reasons to employ an Apprentice

1. Develop the skills your business needs

Bring new talent into your organisation or develop the skills of existing employees. Apprenticeships help businesses fill skills gaps, improve productivity and build a sustainable workforce with the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for specific job roles.

Truro and Penwith College offers more than 30 apprenticeships across a wide range of occupations and sectors. Our team will help you identify the right apprenticeship and shape the training around your organisation, the apprentice’s role and your future workforce needs.

2. Access government funding and employer incentives

Eligible apprenticeship starts for people aged 16–24 can now receive 100% funding towards training and assessment costs, up to the apprenticeship funding-band maximum. How this funding is applied depends on whether your organisation pays the apprenticeship levy.

Additional support may include:

• Up to £2,000 for eligible non-levy employers recruiting a new apprentice aged 16–24 from 1 October 2026
• A £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for eligible 18–24-year-olds who have been receiving Universal Credit and looking for work for at least six months
• £1,000 additional support for eligible apprentices, including those aged 16–18
• Up to £2,000 to support an eligible Foundation Apprentice

Our team will explain what your business and prospective apprentice are eligible to receive and help you navigate the process.

The 100% training-cost provision took effect for eligible 16–24-year-olds from 1 August 2026. The £2,000 hiring payment begins from 1 October and carries specific conditions. Official apprenticeship funding guidance

3. Save on National Insurance contributions

Employers pay a 0% rate of employer Class 1 National Insurance contributions on earnings up to £50,270 for eligible apprentices under the age of 25.

This can reduce the cost of employing an apprentice while allowing your business to invest in new talent and develop the skills it will need in the future.

4. Recruit with confidence

Our experienced Industry Engagement Team provides free support throughout the recruitment journey.

We can help you:

• Identify the right apprenticeship for the role
• Develop and advertise your vacancy
• Attract and identify suitable candidates
• Prepare for interviews and onboarding
• Access funding and employer incentives
• Review apprentice progress
• Train and support workplace mentors and managers

Whether you are employing an apprentice for the first time or expanding an established programme, we will make the process clear and manageable.

5. Partner with an award-winning apprenticeship provider

Truro and Penwith College is the number-one general FE college in the South West for apprenticeship achievement and was named Apprenticeship Provider of the Year at the national Apprenticeship & Training Awards 2025.

As one of only five FE colleges nationally to hold Expert Apprenticeship Provider status, we combine specialist industry teaching, modern training facilities and dedicated employer support to help apprentices develop confidently and achieve successfully.