If you have ever thought of employing a floristry apprentice – now is the time.

Apprenticeships help bring valuable skills into your business with the government’s financial support.

Apprenticeships are suitable for people at any level so you can hire someone new or upskill any existing member of staff.

Following the extension to the Apprentice Incentive Scheme, originally launched in July 2020, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has revealed in his Autumn 2021 Budget that there will be a further extension to the scheme.

As of 11th January 2022:

Businesses will be able to claim £3,000 for every new Apprentice (of any age) who started their Apprenticeship between the 1st October 2021 to 31st January 2022
The closing date for these applications is 15 May 2022
Alongside these new incentives, the existing £1,000 employer incentive will remain in place.
This means that any business that hires a new Apprentice before February 2022 will be able to claim a maximum of £4,000!
Apprentices aged 19 and over will be 95% funded by the government and a contribution of 5% from the company (£250). (Unless the company pays into the Apprenticeship Levy).
Apprentices under the age of 19 will be fully funded by the government with no contribution necessary from the employer.

Apprentices need to be employed within a business for a minimum of 30 hours per week. Employers need to allow the apprentice to study towards the apprenticeship qualification within their apprenticeship hours by attending college or on-line study sessions with their chosen training provider.The apprentice wage is currently £4.30, increasing to £4.81 in April 2022. The apprenticeship wage is paid by the employer for the first year of the apprenticeship only, whereafter the hourly rate will revert to the correct wage for the apprentices’ age. (www.gov.uk)

The new Level 2 apprenticeship standard takes up to 21 months to complete (can be fast-tracked in 13-18 months) and is an industry recognised qualification.

For more detailed information and a list of training providers, contact the British Florist Association.

See the additional ‘really useful’ and easy to follow information in the links below:

https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/employers#

help.apprenticeships.education.gov.uk

To read more about Apprenticeships go to https://britishfloristassociation.org/trailblazer-apprenticeship-in-floristry/

Read our BFA Q and A page on https://britishfloristassociation.org/uncategorised/apprenticeships-questions-and-answers/

British Florist Association

January 2022