How it works | Entain Apprenticeships

You might never have given apprenticeships much thought. Even if you’re familiar with them, perhaps you didn’t realise that you can take on an apprenticeship alongside your regular role here – no matter what your level. This section covers everything you need to know to make a decision about whether an apprenticeship might be for you. If it is, then check out our Selection tool to find a programme that will match your business area, role and level. We’ve included a section about the application process too.

What are apprenticeships?

Apprenticeships are work-based structured training programmes which include professional qualifications and on-the-job training. The aim of apprenticeships are to equip the apprentice with the relevant skills, knowledge and behaviours required to carry out a specific role. Apprenticeship training is funded through the apprenticeship levy so there are no costs to an employee.

How have apprenticeships changed?

Over the last decade, there have been huge changes to apprenticeships in England. All of them have been about creating a higher quality learning experience and giving more people the chance to benefit from all that they offer. Which opens up lots of possibilities for you, whether you’re just starting out in your career or you’re at the most senior level with decades of experience under your belt. Here are the key things you need to know about today’s apprenticeships:

Range of courses – right now, there are over 450 different apprenticeships available with new ones added each month. No matter where you are in your career or where you want to get to next, there’s likely to be a course that will enhance your development.
Course content – we now fund a new style of apprenticeship (called ‘Standards’). These have been developed by employers so it will make it much easier for you to put your learning into practice.
Professional accreditations – as well as the apprenticeship qualification itself, several courses also incorporate relevant professional accreditations with bodies like the CIPD, ACCA and CIMA.
Funding – the government used to pay training providers for apprenticeship courses. Now, employers pay from their own company ‘levy pot’.This has led to a better level of service from the training providers.

Our apprenticeships have been designed by employers, which will make it much easier for you to apply your learning to your day-to-day role. Many programmes even lead to professional qualifications with organisations like the CIPD, ACCA and CIMA as well as to the apprenticeship qualification itself.

What is the application process?

After reading through the information on the site, you and your manager will need to fill in this form to start your application.

How are apprentices supported?

There are all sorts of ways you’ll be supported through your apprenticeship. The main ways are:

The course itself – most courses have a blend of face-to-face and self-led learning, although this varies depending on the apprenticeship and training provider. For all programmes, your course content will equate to 20% off-the-job training. Find out more about this below.
Training provider support – your main course contact will check in with you roughly every six to eight weeks to offer support and make sure you’re on track.
Internal support – an Apprenticeship Lead from our HR team will be on hand throughout your course and will schedule in quarterly meetings with you and your supporting manager. They’ll talk to you about providing additional funding for any relevant costs you incur too.

As well as that, we aim to offer our apprentices the chance to:

Attend quarterly workshops and socials – these will cover different themes and are an opportunity for you to meet your fellow apprentices.
Attend a graduation ceremony – we try to run these once a year to celebrate our apprentices’ achievements and recognise our managers for their support.

How are apprentices assessed?

At the end of your course, you’ll take an end-point assessment. How this works will depend on the course, but it will include at least two of the following:

Professional discussion – an interview led by an independent assessor.
Project work – a business-related project to test a range of competencies outside of the day-to-day work environment.
Practical observation – an independent assessor will observe you applying your learning.
Knowledge test – a structured series of questions based on different scenarios and situations.
Portfolio of evidence – a collection of examples demonstrating how you’ve applied your learning over time.

Who can become an apprentice?

You might think that apprenticeships are only for young people or inexperienced employees. But in fact, they offer something for everyone. Whatever your level of experience, an apprenticeship gives you the chance to develop new skills and gain invaluable, recognised professional qualifications.

Eligibility checker:

To check whether you’re eligible to undertake an apprenticeship please look at the questions below.

Are you contracted to work at least 30 hours a week? (*Retail at least 25 hours? Stadia at least 16 hours?)
Is your role permanent (not a secondment or a fixed-term contract)?
Do you have a residential address in England that you live in for at least 50% of the year?
Are you already a student on another course?
Have you been a UK or EU resident for at least three years with proof to remain here?
Do you have the right to work and study in England as either:
- A citizen of a country within the European Economic Area (EEA) or someone with the right to abode in the UK having been resident in the EEA for at least the previous three years (on the first day of your apprenticeship)?
- A non-EEA citizen with permission from the UK government to live in the UK (other than for educational purposes) and have you been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least the previous three years (this needs to be from the start date of your course)?

(Some training providers may have additional requirements.) If you answered “yes” to all questions except number 4, you should be eligible to apply. Your manager will also need to give us their approval and confirm they’re happy to support you along the way.

Supporting managers need-to-knows

Apprenticeships are a great way for our people – at all levels – to develop their skills, gain new ones (useful if your team has any skills gaps) and achieve professional qualifications that will make them even more of an asset. Before anyone in your team can apply for an apprenticeship, you’ll need to give your approval and commit to supporting them with learning time and face-to-face catch-ups about their progress. Here are a few things you’ll need to think about beforehand:

Supporting managers are important – the training providers will want you to verify that your learners are putting the course content into practice in the workplace, so you’ll need to support and take an active interest in your apprentices.
You’ll need to support learners with 20% off-the-job training – this isn’t as simple (or as disruptive!) as the learner spending one day out of five in the office.
All apprentices here will be supported by our internal HR (Apprenticeship) team – we’ll provide support for all reasonable course costs as well as meeting you
and the learner on a quarterly basis to check how things are going. We also aim to run internal skills sessions, socials and an annual graduation ceremony.

If you’d like to feature our apprenticeship training or the fact that we provide support for professional accreditations in your recruitment collateral, get in touch for guidance on how best to do this:
apprenticeships@entaingroup.com

20% off-the-job training

All apprentices are supported with a set amount of learning time – it’s known as 20 % off-the-job-training. This is defined as learning which complements the course content and isn’t part of someone’s normal responsibilities. It could mean attending to face-to-face teaching sessions but mostly it’s likely to involve office-based activities like working through e-learning programmes, having coaching conversations, undertaking project work and shadowing. The Education and Skills Funding Agency have created some documents to give more insights into 20% off-the-job-training:

FAQs

Thinking of doing an apprenticeship but have a few questions? Check out our FAQs for some answers.

General enquiries

What is an apprenticeship?

It’s a structured training programme that’s work-based and lasts at least 12 months.

Who can do an apprenticeship?

Any new hire or existing employee who satisfies the government eligibility criteria. Take a look at them in the Who can become an apprentice? section.

Why are these apprenticeships only available to those living in England?

There are different rules for apprenticeships in England, Scotland and Wales. Entain apprenticeships are for employees based in England only.

How is the apprenticeship funded?

Since April 2017, companies with an annual pay bill over £3 million pay a 0.5% apprenticeship levy. The money in a company’s levy pot is used to fund all the apprenticeship training for employees, which means having an apprentice doesn’t affect your internal budgets. The cost of our apprenticeships ranges from £2,000 to £27,000 depending on the qualification.

Any apprenticeship costs that aren’t covered through the Apprenticeship levy will be covered via the Apprenticeship Team budget. This can include support with professional memberships, books, travel, hotel bookings, events, conferences and any other relevant expenses.

How long does an apprenticeship scheme last?

From 12–48 months depending on the level of the qualification.

What apprenticeship programmes are available for the employee?

Visit the ‘Find your apprenticeship’ page to find a course suitable to your role.

What do the apprenticeship levels mean?

Level	Educational Level
2	Intermediate
3	Advanced
4 and 5	Foundation degree and above
6 and 7	Bachelor’s or master’s degree

What counts as 20% off-the-job training?

The Off-the-job-training flow diagram will help clarify how the 20% off-the-job training works.

What should managers and employees consider before applying?

Is the employee in a permanent role or secondment role that lasts for the duration of the programme?
Is the qualification relevant to the role the employee is in?
How will the employee motivate themselves for the duration of the programme (which will last 12-48 months depending on the qualification)?
How will the employee balance their job and apprenticeship training?

Who decides the training schedule?

The Apprenticeship team will discuss the training delivery model options with the Apprentice and manager. For apprenticeships that include workshops, the training provider will share the workshop dates at the start of the programme.

How can I contact the Apprenticeship Team?

Please contact apprenticeships@entaingroup.com

What is the role of a training provider?

Training providers are responsible for the delivery of training to Apprentices. We expect all our training providers to:

Provide a high-quality level of training and development to support the successful completion of the apprenticeship programme
Comply with all statutory and regulatory requirements
Feedback all concerns regarding apprentice progress and general well-being
Work closely with, and maintain a good working relationship, with Entain
Provide a Skills Coach who will meet the Apprentice approximately 6-8 weeks at work or via Skype and general support.

What happens if an Apprentice is finding the apprenticeship challenging?

The Apprentice and line manager should get in touch with the Apprenticeship team, who’ll work with both of you and your training provider to reach the best outcome.

What happens if the Apprentice is promoted, out of the business for a significant period or resigns whilst on the programme?

The Apprentice and line manager should notify the Apprenticeship team as soon as possible. Email us on apprenticeships@entaingroup.com

Employee/ Apprentice

How do I apply?

Discuss your apprenticeship training request with your manager then complete the Apprenticeship Training Request Form
The completed form goes to the Apprenticeship Team who request your manager and HR Business Partner approvals.
If approved the Apprenticeship Lead will arrange a meeting with you and your line manager to discuss the apprenticeship training, enrolment process and everything you need to know to get started.
You will need to complete the training provider’s enrolment form, which includes a numeracy and literacy assessment. We want to make sure all employees are supported on programme regardless of their previous qualifications.

How do I prepare myself for training?

Select a qualification that is related to your current role – look at the Apprenticeship tool.
20% of your time will be completing training so, it’s best to discuss how you plan on organising yourself whilst on programme with your manager.
Look for your GCSE/ high school certificates as you will need them at enrolment stage. If you can’t find them, contact the Apprenticeship team who can help.
Motivation and commitment are important for you to succeed on programme. Think about how you learn and discuss this with the Apprenticeship team so this can be embedded into your experience.

Will the apprenticeship training affect my salary?

No. Your pay, benefits and contractual agreement will remain the same.

Do I have to pay for training?

No! The apprenticeship is fully funded by Entain through the apprenticeship levy.

If you require additional resources e.g. professional membership, books, travel etc. please contact the apprenticeship team a apprenticeships@entaingroup.com

How will I be supported?

Read our How are apprentices supported? section for more information.

Can I complete my course quicker than the course length specified?

All apprenticeships need to last at least 12 months and Apprentices need to complete all learning before being put forward for the end point assessment. You can discuss when this assessment will be with your manager and training provider.

I can’t find my job title on the Apprenticeship course tool

Select the job title that best describes your role or contact the apprenticeship team apprenticeships@entaingroup.com to discuss your options further.

What is the start date for the course?

Most courses have a rolling start date, so you can begin any time. The exceptions are apprenticeships including degrees as they need to follow the academic school year (Sept, Jan or May starts).

What can you expect once your apprenticeship has ended?

The training provider will post your apprenticeship and any professional certificates to you. The Apprenticeship team will arrange a short meeting with you to reflect on your journey and use your feedback to make improvements to the programme. You’ll also celebrate at the annual apprenticeship graduation. You might want to continue training, to take your qualifications to the next level.

Supporting Manager

What is my role in the apprenticeship programme?

Find out more in the Supporting managers need-to-know section.

Can only one employee from my team be on an Apprenticeship programme at the same time?

No, managers can nominate as many employees as they want for the same or different apprenticeships. However, all Apprentices will require 20% off-the-job training so you will need to consider how this could affect you operationally.

Can I advertise a role as an apprenticeship or discuss apprenticeship opportunities during recruitment?

Yes, you can. We suggest you discuss this further with your Recruiter.

Who can I contact to discuss the apprenticeship programme?

Contact your Apprenticeship Lead if known or apprenticeships@entaingroup.com who can discuss feedback, escalations and any other questions you may have.

How can managers celebrate the Apprentices achievement?

The Apprentice has worked hard and successfully completed the programme. What an achievement! We would recommend sharing the news at your next team meeting, noting their success at your next one-to-one meeting, and, if possible, attending the annual graduation.

How can I continue to support their development after the course?

We would encourage you to still have one-to-one meetings as usual, as your team member may express interest in a higher level apprenticeship or other training.