
Apprenticeships: delivering work-based training and qualifications to employees
Apprenticeships explained for employers
Coronavirus: Apprenticeship Recovery Package
The Department for the Economy (DfE) has made a number of financial support schemes available to Northern Ireland employers to retain existing apprentices and also recruit new apprentices.
COVID-19: Apprenticeships guidance for employers
Find out about the guidance and temporary measures for employers that DfE is making to its apprenticeship programmes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ApprenticeshipsNI is a work-based programme designed around the needs of employers that offers recognised training and qualifications to new and existing employees taking on new roles that require lots of training and development. The programme offers a wide range of apprenticeships at Level 2 and Level 3.
Opportunities are also available through Higher Level Apprenticeships for new employees or existing employees in a new job role wishing to gain qualifications from Level 4 to Level 7.
Who is eligible to take part in Apprenticeships?
Apprenticeships are open to new employees or existing employees taking on a new role within a Northern Ireland based company.
Your apprentice needs to:
- be the minimum school leaving age in Northern Ireland
- be about to take up paid employment as an apprentice with a Northern Ireland based company, or be an existing employee in a Northern Ireland based company who is about to undertake a new role that requires significant training and development
- employed by national companies that have operations in Northern Ireland who are employed at least 50 per cent of their time in Northern Ireland and completing their director training in Northern Ireland with an approved training contractor
- be permanently contracted to work a minimum of 21 hours per week (which includes time for 'off-the-job' training)
- meet the entry requirements of their chosen occupation; some apprenticeships require, for example, General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSEs)
Apprenticeship training
An apprenticeship is a work-based training programme, most of the training is 'on-the-job' with you as the employer. This is usually four days a week. The rest is provided 'off-the-job', one day a week.
All of the Level 2 and Level 3 apprenticeship qualifications are set out in a framework and are available at Levels 2 and 3. They have been developed in liaison with industry representatives and are therefore tailored to ensure they meet the needs of your industry. Further information is available at:
What is a training contractor/provider?
A number of training contractors including the six local further education colleges and College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) based across Northern Ireland have been contracted to deliver training in a variety of apprenticeships at Level 2 and Level 3. There are over 150 Level 2 or Level 3 apprenticeship frameworks to choose from.
Higher Level Apprenticeships are delivered through the six local further education colleges, College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) and the three local universities. There are over 40 Higher Level Apprenticeships available.
A training contractor/provider will help your apprentice achieve the qualifications and teach them the knowledge and skills to complement what they learn from you.
The training contractor/provider will meet with you and your apprentice to discuss their training needs and will then develop a training programme with them. They will be with your apprentice every step of the way throughout the apprenticeship to support them and ensure that are making progress.
The following links provide a tool to search for training contractors for Level 2 and Level 3 ApprenticeshipsNI frameworks, and a list of Higher Level Apprenticeships training providers including contact details and training offered in your area.
- Search for ApprenticeshipsNI Level 2 and Level 3 training contractors
- Higher Level Apprenticeships training providers on the nidirect website
What if your apprentice needs additional support?
As the apprentices are in employment when they start on the programme the Disability Discrimination Act applies making it illegal for employers to subject disabled job seekers and employees to disability discrimination. This includes failing to comply with the important duty to make reasonable adjustments and subjecting disabled people to disability-related harassment.
There are programmes available through the Department for Communities to support people into and to sustain work and these can be put in place for any eligible apprentice. See work schemes and programmes for people with disabilities
If additional support is needed for your apprentice during their time on directed training, for example, if they have a disability, your training contractor/provider will organise this for you with specially trained support providers. They will work closely together on behalf of your apprentice so that he or she can benefit fully from the training programme.
Organisation | Point Of Contact | Address | Contact Details |
---|---|---|---|
Disability Action | Tony Carmichael | Portside Business Park 189 Airport Road Belfast BT3 9ED |
Tel. 028 9029 7874 Mob. 079 5160 1813 tonycarmichael@disabilityaction.org |
Sensory Learning Support | Gillian Stewart | 85 Jordanstown Road Newtownabbey BT37 0QE |
Tel. 028 9086 3541 Mob. 077 6732 1752 mail@slsservice.org.uk |
The Cedar Foundation | Kieran Molloy | 1a Woodside Road Industrial Estate Woodside Road Ballymena BT42 4QJ |
Tel. 028 9061 2424 Mob. 077 5232 0321 k.molloy@cedar-foundation.org |
Ulster Supported Employment Ltd. (USEL) | Arthur Savage |
182-188 Cambrai Street |
Tel. 028 9035 6600 |
Clanrye Group Ltd | Liam Devine | Slieve Gullion Forest Park 89 Dromintee Road Killeavy Newry BT35 8SW |
Tel. 028 3089 8119 Mob. 078 6674 6423 liam.devine@clanryegroup.com |
More Useful links
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Apprenticeships Email Contactapprenticeships@economy-ni.gov.uk
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Apprenticeships Higher Level Contacthigherlevelapprenticeships@economy-ni.gov.uk