Offer a trainee work experience

You can offer work experience to people aged 16 to 24 as part of their traineeship. A traineeship should prepare them for an apprenticeship or a job in your business.

  1. Contact the employer support service to register your interest in traineeships.

  2. Partner with a training organisation to design a traineeship to meet your needs. They’ll advertise the work experience placement for you.

  3. Agree with the trainee and your training organisation exactly what you and they expect from the placement.

How long it lasts

Trainee work placements must last at least 70 hours over 2 or more weeks. They usually last 240 hours. They can be up to 320 hours if your trainee gets benefits and you’re likely to offer them a job.

Pay and conditions

You do not have to pay trainees or give them expenses, but you can if you want to.

You and your training organisation decide:

  • what days and times the trainee will come to you for work experience
  • what they’ll do

You must give constructive feedback and advice during the placement.

You should give the trainee a job or exit interview and formal feedback at the end of the placement.

Get an incentive payment

You can apply for a payment of £1,000 for each new trainee placement that ends on or before 31 July 2022.

Get more information

You can find out how to set up a traineeship in the Traineeship information for employers guide.

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