There is no fee for employers to participate in the Apprenticeship Talent Bridge. Your commitment is the time and practical support needed to develop a genuine opportunity, work with the relevant learning provider, recruit within the campaign timetable and support the successful apprentice. Normal employment and apprenticeship costs—including pay and any applicable training contribution—remain the employer’s responsibility.

An apprenticeship is a paid job with a structured programme of training. The apprentice must be employed, work towards an approved English apprenticeship standard and receive the required training during paid time. The employer and learning provider must put the appropriate apprenticeship agreement and training plan in place before or at the start of the apprenticeship.

No. Employers new to apprenticeships can register. You will need a genuine role, the capacity to employ and support an apprentice, and a suitable training route. The campaign team and relevant learning provider can help you understand role design, funding, supervision and the steps required before recruitment.

No. If you already work with a provider, that relationship will be recorded and respected. If you do not, you can be supported to explore suitable provision. The employer remains responsible for selecting a provider and agreeing the training arrangements.

You will need to confirm the job and duties, apprenticeship standard, provider, location and working arrangements, salary, hours, entry requirements, funding route and anticipated start. The role must provide enough relevant work and support for the apprentice to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours required by the standard.

You employ the apprentice and are responsible for the employment contract, pay, safe working environment, supervision and fair treatment. You must allow the apprentice to complete the required training during paid working time, participate in progress reviews and work with the provider to support successful completion of the apprenticeship.

The apprentice must be paid at least the statutory minimum that applies to their age and apprenticeship status, including paid time spent training. Employers should offer fair and clearly stated terms, check the rates in force at the intended start date and explain any salary progression, working pattern, probation and benefits in the vacancy.

The learning provider completes the formal eligibility, prior-learning and funding checks with the employer and candidate. Employers should not promise funded training until those checks are complete. A candidate may still be suitable for the job but require a different training or funding arrangement.

Yes. The Talent Bridge complements your recruitment process. You remain responsible for fair shortlisting, interviews, reasonable adjustments, right-to-work checks and the final appointment decision, while working within the shared campaign timetable and keeping candidates informed.

No. Candidates choose which opportunities to apply for, and registration does not guarantee applications, interviews, offers or an appointment. Employers must assess each applicant fairly against the published requirements.

The employer, successful candidate and provider confirm employment, eligibility, funding and training arrangements. The required apprenticeship documents are completed, the planned training and assessment approach is agreed, and the provider completes enrolment before the apprenticeship begins.

There is no fee for learning providers to participate in the Apprenticeship Talent Bridge. Your commitment is the time and practical support needed to keep provision information current, help employers develop viable opportunities, respond during recruitment and complete the normal eligibility, enrolment and delivery arrangements. Existing apprenticeship funding and delivery arrangements continue to apply.

We welcome organisations that can deliver relevant apprenticeship standards in the campaign geography and timetable. Before supporting an opportunity, a provider must be appropriately approved and able to confirm delivery capacity, employer support, funding and enrolment arrangements for the proposed standard.

No. Existing employer–provider relationships will be recorded and respected. The campaign provides an additional recruitment route; it does not replace the provider’s role in employer support, training delivery, funding guidance, progress reviews, assessment preparation or enrolment.

Yes. Providers can refer suitable employers that have a genuine recruitment intention and can meet the campaign timetable. The existing provider relationship remains in place, subject to the employer’s choice and the normal checks for the proposed apprenticeship.

The programme will use an agreed, transparent process based on the employer’s role, standard, location, delivery needs, timescale and provider capacity. Registration does not guarantee an introduction, and the employer retains responsibility for choosing its provider.

The provider should confirm that the job aligns with an approved apprenticeship standard and that the planned training is deliverable. Entry requirements, delivery model, location, capacity, funding route, anticipated start, any employer-readiness steps and any separate provider application must also be clear.

The provider is responsible for completing the required eligibility, initial-assessment, prior-learning and funding checks with the employer and candidate. These checks should establish whether the apprenticeship is suitable, what training is required and whether any adjustment to the programme or price is needed. ATB participation does not itself confirm funding eligibility.

The employer, provider and apprentice should agree a training plan that sets out the training to be delivered, how and when it will take place, the responsibilities of each party, progress-review arrangements and how the apprentice will be prepared for assessment. Required training must take place during paid working time and comply with the funding rules in force at the apprenticeship start date.

Yes, where it is genuinely required for course assessment, eligibility or enrolment. The purpose, timing and status of that application should be explained clearly and coordinated with the employer application so candidates do not experience two disconnected or duplicative processes.

Each organisation remains responsible for its own legal and operational duties. Providers should apply their safeguarding arrangements, assess learning-support needs and work with employers to put reasonable adjustments and appropriate support in place. The agreed campaign protocol must make responsibilities and escalation routes clear, particularly for candidates under 18.

Providers will be asked to keep provision and capacity information current, respond to agreed queries, and confirm relevant milestones such as eligibility, enrolment and apprenticeship start. Only the minimum information needed for delivery, candidate support and programme evaluation should be shared through the approved process.

No. Registration allows relevant provision and capacity to be considered, but it does not guarantee an employer introduction, vacancy, candidate, enrolment or apprenticeship start.