Guidance

Traineeships: framework for delivery 2022 to 2023

Updated 7 August 2023

Summary

This publication provides non-statutory guidance from the Department for Education. We have produced it to support the delivery of high-quality traineeships in the 2022 to 2023 academic year.

This is the definitive DfE guidance for 2022 to 2023 and supersedes any previous versions of the Framework for Delivery (the Framework).

Review date

There is no plan to review and republish this document unless we realise a change is needed that affects the 2022 to 2023 academic year.

Who is this publication for?

This guidance is for:

• training providers
• employers providing traineeship work experience placements
• others with an interest in delivering traineeships such as local authorities or industry sector bodies.

Main points

1. This Framework provides employers, education and training providers, and young people with information about how all traineeships should be delivered from 1 August 2022.

2. Delivery must always be in line with the relevant funding guidance and rules.

3. For 16 to 18-year-olds (and 19 to 24-year-olds, and up to age 25, with an education health and care plan), this is the 16 to 19 study programmes: guidance (2022 to 2023 academic year), referred to in this document as the ‘16 to 19 education funding guidance’ and the related content and detailed guidance available.

For 19 to 24-year-olds this is the Adult education budget (AEB) funding rules 2022 to 2023, referred to in this document as the ‘AEB funding rules’, and related content.

The following are changes or developments we want to highlight in this Framework.

• This version is shorter to make it easier to find information. We have removed content that is no longer needed or relevant, restructured to avoid duplication of information and signposted to other guidance, such as the funding rules.
• We have made it clearer that the Traineeship work experience placements must be in person and face to face with the employer and not carried out virtually. This is to avoid any confusion on what is required.
• We have made changes on recording the employer hosting the work experience on the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) in that it must be the one hosting the placement and not an entity organising or facilitating work experience placements with others.
• We have provided more guidance on our expectations for work experience placements including the feedback to be given to trainees.
• We have confirmed that traineeships should not provide a bridge for learners with time between two planned episodes of learning.
• We have provided information on the process for claiming a work experience placement incentive, now the scheme has ended.

Overview of traineeships

Aim

Traineeships are a work-based education and training programme with work experience for young people who want to find an apprenticeship or job but lack the skills, experience, and behaviours to make that next step.

Traineeships are a focused, flexible offer with a direct line of sight to employment. They aim to reduce the proportion of young people not in employment, education, and training.

Traineeships aim to get young people into a positive outcome as quickly as possible. A traineeship will be seen as achieved when the trainee progresses to one of the defined outcomes of an apprenticeship, sustained employment, or further learning^{[footnote 1]}.

Age range

Traineeships are aimed at young people aged between 16 to 24 and young people with education, health, and care (EHC) plans^{[footnote 2]} or Learning Difficulty Assessments up to 25.

The age of the learner on 31 August in the funding year determines whether the learner is funded through:

• the AEB funding rules (for individuals aged 19 and over)
• the 16 to 19 education funding guidance (for individuals aged 16 to 19).
• the 16 to 19 education funding guidance for Individuals aged 19 up to 25 with an education, health and care plan.

Target group

The target group for traineeships in 2022 to 2023 will be young people who:

• are not currently in full-time employment and have little work experience, but who are focused on work or the prospect of it
• are aged between 16 to 24 (up to 25 with an education, health, and care (EHC) plan
• qualified up to and including a full Level 3 ^{[footnote 3]}
• providers and employers believe will be ready for an apprenticeship or job within 6 months of completing a traineeship

Traineeships are not intended for:

• the most disengaged young people, who require very intensive support
• those who already have the qualifications, skills and experience needed to start an apprenticeship or find work
• those in full-time employment
• those with time between two planned episodes of learning (for example, to provide a bridge over the summer for a school leaver already planning to start FE or HE study in September)

An assessment of the young person’s prior learning and experience should be carried out and used with information advice and guidance (IAG) to enable young people to consider a traineeship when making suitable educational and employment decisions. This should be done to minimise the potential costs and other impacts associated with uninformed and poor choices.

Those claiming Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) may also be eligible for the Sector-based work academy programme (SWAP), a DWP scheme open to all jobseekers aged 16 upwards. SWAPs last up to 6 weeks and include pre-employment training, work experience placement, and a guaranteed job interview or help with an employer’s recruitment process. Placements are linked to current job vacancies and very employer-focussed, delivered with employers who are recruiting and focus on those who are closer to being job-ready than traineeships.

Prior qualification achievement

Learners aged 16 to 24 (25 with an EHC plan) qualified up to Level 3 are eligible for traineeships.

Duration

Traineeships can last between 6 weeks and 12 months.

The length should meet the needs of the trainee. Providers and employers can tailor programmes to meet the needs of the individual, allowing them to get the training and experience needed to progress into an apprenticeship, job, or further learning.

The programme of learning should allow the trainee to progress as soon as possible.

Providers must assess the needs of trainees and be able to evidence the outcomes.

Where young people progress earlier than expected, this still counts as achieving the traineeship. For example, if they apply successfully for an apprenticeship before the traineeship ends.

Providers should support young people to complete any qualification they start within their traineeship. Young people aged 19 to 24 who start a qualification should continue and complete these qualifications after the formal traineeship is achieved. This could be as part of further study towards employment, or as part of their apprenticeship.

The Department for Education (DfE) will monitor learner information on disability, gender, ethnicity, and other relevant characteristics to ensure all young people are accessing and benefiting from traineeships.

Fit with the benefit system

Many trainees aged 18 to 24 (25 with an EHC plan) will be claiming JSA or Universal Credit.

The programme is flexible so providers can design the traineeship around young people to enable them to continue to receive Universal Credit or other unemployment benefits whilst taking part in a traineeship.

When providers are designing traineeships and intend to offer places to benefits claimants, they must consult Jobcentre Plus to ensure a suitable fit with the benefits system and local labour market requirements.

Providers must ensure delivery meets any requirements in the ESFA funding guidance and rules.

All eligible young people will be able to participate on a full-time basis and maintain their entitlement to benefit, as necessary.

Roles and responsibilities

The provider is responsible for the overall delivery and quality of a traineeship.

To ensure a quality experience for the trainee, including coherent delivery of the traineeship, the provider must have a good partnership with the employer hosting the work experience placement. For example, the employer should be involved in helping to plan the content overall.

Structure and content of traineeships

Core elements

Traineeships have four core elements which providers and employers can bring together in the best way to engage and support individual trainees.

The elements are:

• a focused period of work preparation training with a training provider, covering areas like CV writing, interview preparation, job search and inter-personal skills
• a basic skills element with English, maths and essential digital skills where needed
• optional, flexible vocational learning and qualifications with a focus on preparing the trainee for occupational standards
• a high-quality work experience placement with an employer to give the young person meaningful work experience and an opportunity to develop workplace skills

At a high level we expect providers to do the following:

• Base their traineeship offer on strong knowledge of the local labour market
• Work collaboratively with employers, Jobcentre Plus, careers advisors and other local partners on referrals and links to apprenticeship and job opportunities
• Work with young people to assess their individual needs and tailor a programme to meet their needs against the core elements, including:
  • consideration of timing
  • duration
  • options for flexible learning
  • progression to local opportunities
• Provide technical/vocational learning that is sector-focused and prepares the trainee for occupational standards, and therefore apprenticeship opportunities and sector specific employment

Work preparation training

The work preparation training is for providers and employers to design and agree.

Work preparation training should cover the skills young people will need to find and secure an apprenticeship or employment, for example:

• job search techniques
• CV writing
• interview skills

Along with the skills to sustain that employment such as:

• planning
• timekeeping
• team working
• self-confidence
• resilience
• strength of character

Work preparation training should also focus on preparing the young person for the specific work experience placement they will be undertaking.

You must ensure delivery of non-regulated learning in work preparation training is eligible for funding by checking the AEB funding rules or the 16 to 19 funding guidance.

Work experience placement

Planning placements

The involvement of employers is crucial to the success of traineeships.

Work experience placements must:

• be with an external employer (or employers), external to the learning environment and at the employer’s premises
• be in person and face to face with the employer and not carried out virtually
• not be with the provider or college, or a subcontractor of either, delivering the traineeship
• not be with an employer that has a director in common with the provider
• not be at the same address where the traineeship learning is delivered
• give the young person exposure to a real workplace so they can develop the skills, knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and behaviours they need to succeed at work
• include the majority of time spent working alongside experienced employees; not working only as part of a cohort of trainees
• include the host employer providing effective supervision, instruction or mentoring of the trainee, by a suitable person employed by the employer
• be a minimum of 70 hours and last at least two weeks with each employer if there is more than one work placement
• be a maximum of 240 hours but this can be extended up to 320 hours if an offer of an apprenticeship place is offered and accepted
• be in the sector in which the young person is interested
• be a placement with the employer identified as providing the work experience on the ILR - it is a direct hosting relationship

There are few exceptions to the above that will be funded^{[footnote 4]}. For example, local authorities with a training arm where the direct provision of training is clearly not the local authority’s core business.

Simulated activity in an artificial environment may form a helpful part of work preparation training but will not count as work experience for the purposes of traineeships.

Providers and employers can design programmes which enable work experience placements to take place alongside the other training elements of the traineeship.

They can also agree how the placement fits best with other components. For example:

• some young people may need to focus primarily on work preparation at the beginning of their traineeship before moving into the work experience placement
• some may benefit from starting their work experience early in the traineeship, with work preparation and English, maths and digital skills built in alongside

This must be done in accordance with the maximum hours of activity per week as set out in the AEB funding rules (for individuals aged 19 and over), or the 16 to 19 education funding guidance (for individuals aged 16 to 19 and those aged 19 to 24 with an EHC plan).

Traineeships should be focussed on progressing the young person to a positive outcome as soon as possible.

Work experience placements must be carefully planned and kept under review with additional regular review points to re-assess job readiness, scheduled at times relevant to the trainee’s support needs.

A record like a timesheet must be kept, detailing:

• who supervised the trainee
• how many hours of work experience were completed
• when they were undertaken, including confirming the hours worked
• that the minimum 70 hours were provided

All parties should sign this record – trainee, employer, and provider.

Multiple work placement opportunities are possible in a traineeship, remembering that each must be a minimum of 70 hours and last at least two weeks with each employer. These can be:

• in different workplace sectors
• in small, medium, or large sized enterprises
• in different organisations

Multiple placements must be planned carefully to ensure they all add up to the high-quality work experience, we expect for all trainees.

Providers should name the employer providing the work placement in advance of the young person’s enrolment. However, we recognise that providers may need a brief period to work with individual young people before confirming the employer who will offer their work inexperience placement.

Work placements must be agreed within four weeks of the traineeship starting.

The provider must ensure data on work experience placements on the ILR is timely and accurate.

There must be a written plan for how the work experience will take place and this must be agreed, signed, and retained by the provider and employer.

Delivering placements

Providers must offer ongoing support to employers and young people during the work experience placement.

As work placement hosts, employers have a responsibility to keep information and evidence – such as a signed attendance record or timesheet, individual learning plan, and all written meaningful feedback provided to the trainee.

Employers and providers must agree roles and responsibilities. For example, if the trainee does not attend their work experience placement, who does the employer notify at the training provider and what happens next?

Trainees must also be clear on their responsibilities, such as who to contact if they will be absent from the placement for any reason.

Employers must not subcontract or hire out trainees during their work experience placement.

The employer named on the ILR for the work experience must be the one hosting the placement at its premises with the supervision and mentoring carried out by its staff.

The employer on the ILR cannot be an entity that is organising or facilitating work experience placements with others.

Exit Interview

The employer and provider must put an emphasis on exit reviews, references, and meaningful written feedback because a traineeship should enable the trainee to progress.

The young person should receive a real job interview where an apprenticeship or other opportunity becomes available during the period of the traineeship.

Where this is not feasible, there must be a formal exit interview with the employer to help the young person to practise and prepare for future opportunities.

The trainee must receive written feedback from the employer reflecting the time spent on their placement to help them improve their performance.

To help the young person progress successfully to an apprenticeship or job, meaningful written feedback must include:

• what they have done on placement
• the abilities or strengths they showed
• what they need to develop or improve

The feedback could include rating key areas of performance like punctuality, but it must include written feedback to evaluate the performance of the trainee and how they can develop and improve.

They must also receive confirmation of any training or qualifications completed with the provider and/or employer. The employer and provider should keep a record of this feedback.

English and maths

Employers see literacy and numeracy as crucial employability skills, so English and maths are a key part of traineeships.

Achieving a Level 2 qualification in both maths and English helps learners to progress to further study, training, and skilled employment.

Providers should support young people to complete their English and maths qualifications within their traineeship. The provider should commence provision of English and maths support where required as soon as possible.

The assessment and starting the provision if it is required, must happen in the first four weeks of a traineeship. This provision must continue throughout the traineeship including during work experience placement, where required, but this must be separate to the placement itself.

Where the provider considers it might not be possible to achieve the English and maths qualification within the traineeship, English and maths should still be provided, as this study can be continued within an apprenticeship or alongside employment and further learning.

Providers should keep records of study towards these subjects and provide these to either the young person or if there is a known progression for the traineeship, the future apprenticeship provider, employer, or the provider of any future learning so that they can be taken into account when planning future tuition.

English and maths in 16 to 19 traineeships

Students on a traineeship programme are subject to the condition of funding in the same way as students on other study programmes.

A change was made in 2020 to 2021 that applied to students on traineeship programmes where all traineeships are no longer considered as part time. Traineeships are now treated in a consistent way with other provision, we will look at trainees’ planned hours to determine if they are full or part time.

Full time students with prior attainment of GCSE grade 3 or grade D in English and/or maths must study GCSE to meet the condition. Additionally, students with a grade 2 or below in maths or English can study towards a pass in Functional Skills Level 2 or they can still study towards a GCSE grade 9 to 4. Once they have achieved this, there is no requirement to undertake further maths or English qualifications to meet the condition of funding.

Part time students can study towards a GCSE or a valid steppingstone qualification, irrespective of prior attainment. Qualifications that meet the condition of funding have a record in the Find a learning aim database that sets out how long they are valid for.

More information on the entitlement within study programmes is available in the 16 to 19 funding: maths and English condition of funding.

English and maths in 19 to 24 traineeships

For young people aged 19 or above, the AEB funding rules support a legal entitlement to full funding for eligible adult learners, up to and including level 2, for individuals aged 19 and over, who have not previously attained a GCSE grade 4 (C), or higher.

For 19- to 24-year-olds a functional skills qualification alone at Level 2 may be more appropriate. More information on the entitlement for individuals aged 19 and over, including the qualifications on which eligible learners must be enrolled, is available in the AEB funding rules.

Digital skills

You should assess the digital skills of trainees and, where they are assessed as below level 1, you must support trainees to improve them, up to and including Level 1.

You should be aware of the Essential digital skills framework which is intended to be used by everyone in the UK involved in supporting adults to improve their essential digital skills. There are skills statements at Entry Level and Level 1, for example using devices and managing and storing information.

Qualifications used to improve digital skills up to an including Level 1 must have ESFA funding approval. Find a learning aim gives the latest information on available qualifications including the last date learners can start.

The digital element of a traineeship must be delivered in accordance with the 16 to 19 education funding guidance or the AEB funding rules for trainees aged 19 to 24. You should also read the guidance on Free qualifications for adults with low digital skills.

Optional, flexible vocational learning and qualifications

Providers and employers can add additional vocational elements to traineeships to meet the needs of young people and the labour market.

Vocational qualifications could include:

• business, commercial and enterprise skills
• ICT skills or skills required by the local labour market, sectors, or employers

To support progression to an apprenticeship or sector specific employment, additional elements of vocational learning should be occupationally focused and, where possible, prepare the trainee for any occupational standards in place.

Any additional vocational learning in a traineeship does not remove the 20% off the job training requirement of any apprenticeship that follows.

The vocational learning in a traineeship should be considered when assessing any recognised learning through documentation or certification for a learner beginning an apprenticeship, alongside qualifications gained.

If the trainee is progressing to an apprenticeship, the provider must consider the duration of the apprenticeship when adding vocational learning to a traineeship, especially if the duration is close to the minimum of a year. A trainee’s vocational learning must not leave less than the minimum of year to do on an apprenticeship that follows.

Occupational traineeships

An occupational traineeship supports progression directly into a ‘live’ apprenticeship or job opportunity. For example, an occupational traineeship in bricklaying should support progression into a Bricklayer Apprenticeship (L2) or a job as a bricklayer. An occupational traineeship in adult care should support progression into an Adult Care Worker Apprenticeship (L2 or L3) or a job as a care worker.

Occupational traineeships contain the same four core elements of regular traineeships.

In an occupational traineeship, the occupational content is tailored to support progression into a specific apprenticeship or job and aligned with occupational standards or job specifications.

Design considerations

We encourage employers with live apprenticeship or job opportunities to collaborate with providers to design and develop occupational traineeships. Some employer-led sector bodies are developing occupational traineeships with input and support from employers.

Employers and providers are free to develop their own programmes or to use a model developed by another employer or employer-led sector body.

Employers are encouraged to consider Flexi-Job Apprenticeships and accelerated apprenticeships as a progression route.

In additional to the expectations set out in the Framework, we expect providers and employers to work together to:

• align the traineeship with an occupational standard(s) to support progression into a target apprenticeship(s) or occupation(s). The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education owns the occupational standards available on their website.
• base the offer on local employers’ recruitment criteria and the knowledge, skills, and behaviours (KSBs) young people need to demonstrate in order to compete for the apprenticeship or job opportunity.
• tailor work preparation training to cover the skills young people need to secure employment in the target apprenticeship or occupation, and the skills and attributes they need to sustain that employment.
• ensure the work experience placement is in the relevant sector and will provide an opportunity for the young person to develop and demonstrate KSBs aligned with the target occupational standard(s).
• ensure the work experience placement should be with the employer who has a live apprenticeship or job offer at the end of the occupational traineeship.
• consider the duration of any apprenticeship the learner may progress to. If an apprenticeship is reduced in duration due to prior learning, minimum requirements must still be met after the reduction. Minimum apprenticeship requirements are a duration of 12 months with 20% off the job training. Further guidance is available at Apprenticeships: initial assessment to recognise prior learning.

Providers do not need approval from DfE or the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE)^{[footnote 5]} on the design or delivery of an occupational traineeship so long as it meets the criteria laid out in the Framework for Delivery and the funding rules.

If queries occur during the development of an occupational traineeship, please contact us by using the ESFA enquiry form. Explain that you have a query about developing an occupational traineeship and your enquiry will be passed to the traineeships team.

Funding considerations

For learners on Universal Credit or Jobseeker’s Allowance, the duration of a traineeship work-placement can be extended if an offer of an apprenticeship place is accepted.

Employers who take on a new apprentice following an occupational traineeship are eligible for payments for hiring a young apprentice.

Providers delivering any traineeships must do so in accordance with the 16 to 19 education funding guidance or the AEB funding rules. For courses delivered late in the academic year, providers are reminded to review candidates’ funding eligibility.

If the trainee progresses to an accelerated apprenticeship, reductions in the content and duration of the apprenticeship must be factored into the price negotiated between the employer and provider. See Apprenticeships: initial assessment to recognise prior learning.

After an occupational traineeship

Where possible, the young person should receive a real job interview for an available apprenticeship or other job. This should be a key feature of occupational traineeships.

We encourage providers to provide the trainee with a certificate of completion including a statement of the KSBs worked on and/or demonstrated during the occupational traineeship.

If the traineeship has a progression profile, we encourage providers to refer to this in the certificate of completion. We encourage trainees to give this document to a subsequent apprentice provider when undergoing assessment of prior learning. For further information see Apprenticeships: initial assessment to recognise prior learning.

For trainees who are not taken on by the employer offering the work experience placement, employers should consider openings within their supply chain and/or to collaborate with sector bodies to identify potential opportunities

Funding of traineeships

Providers delivering traineeships must do so in accordance with the relevant published funding guidance/rules and any associated guidance. This Framework for Delivery should always be read alongside these documents, especially how they affect the delivery of traineeships.

16 to 19 funded traineeships

Education and training providers who hold a contract or grant with the ESFA to deliver provision through the ESFA’s young people’s funding methodology for study programmes can deliver traineeships, based on funding per student^{[footnote 6]}.

Education and training providers who currently deliver traineeships for 16 to 19-year-olds under standalone 16 to 18 traineeship contracts with the ESFA deliver traineeships in line with the relevant sections of the AEB funding rules and the contract for services issued to those providers.

The 16 to 18 standalone contract providers are a different group to the 16 to 19 study programme providers.

19 to 24 funded traineeships

Traineeships remain a national programme where learners reside in England. It is separate from other ESFA funded AEB provision.

Education and training providers who currently deliver traineeships for 19- to 24-year-olds using their traineeship line of funding within their grant allocation can continue to do so in line with their contracted terms.

FE Colleges and local authorities who are funded through a grant funded allocation and have a specific facility to deliver traineeships can offer traineeships as per their grant arrangements in line with the AEB funding and performance management rules.

In addition, providers with a procured 19 to 24 Contract for Service can deliver 19 to 24 traineeships in line with their contracted terms.

Funding – employer routes

Employers can lead the delivery of traineeships if they:

• hold a contract with the ESFA to deliver traineeships for 16 to 19-year-olds or 19- to 24-year-olds
• work in partnership with an existing funded education or training provider that meets the quality criteria
• work towards becoming an approved provider in their own right for future years

We want employers to take part in traineeships and offer work experience placements because they see the value of the programme to their organisation and sector.

Traineeships funded or delivered through a study programme or a 16 to 18 standalone traineeship contract

As with other study programmes and apprenticeships, young people undertaking traineeships are meeting their duty to participate in education or training. Since 2013, young people have been required to participate in education or training until at least their 18th birthday. This can be:

• full-time study in a school, college or with a training provider
• full-time work or volunteering (20 hours or more) combined with part-time education or training leading to relevant regulated qualifications
• an apprenticeship, traineeship, T Level or supported internship

Providers delivering traineeships to 16- to 19-year-olds will want to read this Framework alongside the study programme principles and the ESFA 16 to 19 funding guidance.

Employment status and financial support for trainees

Traineeship work experience placements are part of a course and there is no legal requirement or expectation that trainees will be paid.

Traineeships are exempt from the national minimum wage regulations.

Employers can decide to pay the trainee. Employers may also pay for or contribute to the trainee’s travel and subsistence costs. If employers do pay a trainee or provide expenses, this could have an impact on any benefit the young person is currently claiming. Any potential implications on benefit payments should be discussed with their work coach through Jobcentre Plus.

Young people taking part in traineeships are undertaking education and training and may qualify for financial support through existing programmes, such as the 16 to 19 bursary fund and learning support and learner support funding for 19- to 24-year-olds.

Access to Work funding^{[footnote 7]} from the Department for Work and Pensions is available during the work experience placement of their traineeship if they have a disability or health condition that affects their ability to do a job, or means they have to pay extra work-related costs.

Achievement, outcomes, and progression

Achieving a traineeship

A traineeship is achieved when the learner progresses to one of the defined outcomes - an apprenticeship, sustainable employment, or further learning.

A traineeship should have a planned outcome from the start.

Where a young person does not progress to a positive outcome, the traineeship must significantly increase the learner’s skills and work experience and provide a reference for their CV, putting them in a much stronger position to find work.

The provider leading the traineeship must ensure the young person is in contact with organisations that can help them find work or training opportunities and that they are supported to complete any qualifications they started on their traineeship.

Providers and employers should award locally recognised certificates for traineeships, which recognise the trainees’ achievements and learning.

Outcomes and progression

Further education providers must record young people taking part in and completing traineeships through the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) or if relevant, the school census. This includes the requirement to report the destinations of trainees. Further detail is available in the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) collection.

Because learner progression to apprenticeships and employment will be shown in, for example, outcome-based success measures, providers should ensure that their data submissions reflect learner progression.

For traineeships for 16- to 18-year-olds, we confirm the definitions for successful outcomes in the 16 to 19 education funding guidance.

Successful outcomes will be within 6 months of leaving or completing a traineeship.

The trainee will have:

• had 8 consecutive weeks of employment or self-employment of 16 hours a week or more (if 16 or 17 years old with raising the participation age (RPA) compliant amount of training)
• started on an apprenticeship by passing the qualifying period to count in funding terms
• started on a further learning course at Level 2 or Level 3 by passing the qualifying period to count in funding terms - the further learning should include a substantial qualification recognised in the DfE performance tables

For traineeships for 19- to 24-year-olds, we confirm the definitions for successful outcomes in the AEB funding rules are:

• an apprenticeship start that meets the minimum qualifying days evidenced by ILR records or a self-declaration by the learner
• a job, including being self-employed, for at least 16 hours a week and for 8 consecutive weeks within 6 months of leaving a traineeship, evidenced by a declaration from the learner or their employer
• progression to another English or maths qualification, which is a level higher than that achieved in the traineeship
• further learning recognised in the 16 to 19 performance tables (for 19 to 24-year-olds, this includes qualifications as part of the legal entitlement), that:
  • meets minimum qualifying days (set out in paragraph 67 of the AEB funding rules)
  • a learner self-declares they are studying a Level 2 or Level 3 qualification of at least 150 guided learning hours

If a young person continues their learning after their traineeship rather than going into employment, we will accept that destination as an acceptable outcome from traineeships. There must however be evidence that the learning they do is substantial in the form of a qualification recognised in the performance tables and of maximum value to support their future employment prospects.

• For 16 to 18 provision a successful further learning outcome will be the study of a substantial qualification at Level 2 and/or 3 recognised in the performance tables.
• For 19- to 24-year-olds, progression will need to be a regulated substantial qualification at Level 2 or above that the ESFA has approved for funding outside of an apprenticeship.
• If new English and maths qualifications are started after the traineeship was completed, they will need to be at least a level higher to those achieved through the traineeship to progress the trainee towards achievement of a GCSE grade 9 to 4 (A* to C).

Acceptable further learning outcomes are defined in the ESFA rules and guidance.

The Further education: outcome-based success measures collection sets out how outcome-based success measures cover destinations (into employment and learning), earnings and the progression of learners. The latest set of success measures includes data on traineeships.

Key information and guidance about qualification achievement rates (QAR) and minimum standards are available in the Qualification achievement rates and minimum standards collection.

Quality of traineeships

There are no unique provider eligibility requirements for traineeships beyond the requirements within the relevant funding guidance and rules.

We want traineeships to be a high-quality training route for young people and employers.

As with other forms of education and training provision, the Ofsted Education inspection framework (EIF) applies to the traineeships programme, which is therefore subject to inspection by Ofsted.

Learners should move straight into an apprenticeship or job from their traineeship, or to further learner that supports their career progression. This gives them an immediate career start, meet employers’ workforce needs, especially in priority sectors, and provides value for money for the Government’s investment.

A high-quality traineeship:

• is underpinned by the provider’s strong knowledge of the local labour market and close partnerships with local partners, including Jobcentre Plus. This strengthens referrals and links traineeships with job opportunities
• has a clear progression plan to move the trainee into an apprenticeship or job, or further learning opportunity
• reflects an assessment of the trainee’s prior learning and experience
• meets the needs and aspirations of the individual trainee
• has engaged employers to support young people in to work, which could help support their own workforce needs
• is a partnership between a training provider and an employer with early and significant input from the employer
• has clear learning goals that are documented and agreed with the young person
• has a clear plan for reviewing the learning goals
• is built around a high-quality work experience placement which the employer helps to design
• contains classroom learning that equips the trainee to succeed in their work placement and progress into an apprenticeship or job (or further learning)
• supports any additional needs, for example related to a disability, including and during work experience
• is supported by pastoral type care, for example to support anxiety, a lack of confidence or barriers to participation especially following the pandemic
• is something that a trainee, a parent, a school, or an employer would recommend to a young person

A high-quality work experience placement may be informed by the following principles which are from the 2015 version of the Framework.

• Choice and relevance – placement matched to the trainee’s areas of interest and aspiration, with young people undertaking high quality work experience rather than observation or mundane tasks
• Organisational readiness – commitment from senior managers or owner and a low ratio of trainees to experienced staff
• Good preparation – thorough pre-placement preparation by the provider, employer, and prospective trainee and, if relevant, an understanding of the trainee’s personal circumstances that might affect their workplace behaviour
• Written agreement – made between the trainee, employer and provider setting out mutual expectations and commitments, including the training plan and arrangements for reviews
• A planned placement – a structured induction, clear objectives and integrated off-the-job training, with an identified mentor or buddy
• Feedback and review – regular constructive feedback from managers and formal reviews at key stages with the manager, provider, and trainee

These are four key facilitators of a good quality placement from providers’ perspective in the Traineeships: first year process evaluation, March 2015:

• Quick movement from classroom to work experience placement to maintain the trainee’s engagement and enable the trainee to put the theory learnt within their work preparation sessions into practice within the work environment
• Regular contact to oversee that the employer is providing learning and development; these were conducted via informal phone calls, regular face-face visits, and more formal assessments and reviews

“We go out and meet all of our employers, they are given a traineeship handbook and we explain about traineeships. Employers are quite vocal as well, so as soon as there are any issues, they will always come straight to us.” - provider, childcare/business administration.

• Structured workbooks and progress diaries filled in by trainees alongside their employers to provide a joint record of aims and achievements
• Mentoring and supervision provided by the employers (including by staff such as existing apprentices) to allow the trainee to reflect on their ‘on the job’ experience and discuss their longer-term development of skills or qualities required for employment

Increasing opportunities and referrals

Many young people will find traineeship opportunities themselves or respond to opportunities advertised by training providers.

We encourage organisations working with young people to be aware of traineeships and refer young people to them. Local authority services for young people, schools, colleges, Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches, National Careers Service advisers and National Citizen Service providers and others can all do this.

We encourage training providers to build relationships with organisations in their area who can help engage young people in their traineeship opportunities.

We encourage employers supporting traineeships to help promote them because the progression opportunities into apprenticeships and jobs can really engage young people.

We have been working to increase awareness of traineeships and support referrals:

• Find a traineeship, which allows eligible providers to advertise their traineeships opportunities for free, has been improved
• Traineeships were included in the national Get the Jump campaign
• We are updating the Traineeship providers list.

Employer Incentive Payments

Between September 2020 and 31 July 2022 the government funded an employer incentive payment for traineeships. Employers hosting a learner for a work experience placement could apply for a £1,000 incentive payment once the learner had completed the minimum required 70 hours of placement.

HM Treasury decided not to continue with the incentive payments from 31 July 2022.

Making final claims

Providers have until R14 submission to ensure the ILR data is correct and will support employer incentive claims for placements that were complete by 31 July 2022. The deadline is in the overall data collection schedule for 2021 to 2022.

Employers then have until to 16 December 2022 to claim an incentive for an eligible work experience placement that was complete by 31 July 2022.

Claim(s) must be made using the form on GOV.UK Traineeship employer incentive registration.  Information about the form is also available at Traineeship employer incentive registration form

The training provider will give the employer the information needed to apply for the payment(s).

Employers must claim for the incentive. The training provider must not submit the claim or complete the claims process.

The training provider must first have updated the ILR to confirm the employer has met the requirements of the work placement and is eligible to receive the payments. The information they will give to the employer is the:

• Unique Learner Number (ULN)
• work placement postcode that has been uploaded on the ILR
• learner name

Employers should have this information before making the claim because it is needed to support the ESFA’s validation processes.

When making a claim, employers should ensure that they and the training provider have used the same postcode for the location of the work placement. If you get a postcode error when making your claim, ask the provider to check they have used the same postcode you are trying to use on that trainee’s record.

If the employer has made an apprenticeship incentive claim since August 2020, or a traineeship incentive claim, they will have gone through the employer vendor registration checks and been given a vendor registration number. This is an 8 digit reference number starting with the letter P. This vendor registration number can be used when making further traineeship incentive claims. If the employer is making a first incentive claim they will need to provide bank details to allow ESFA to make payments to the nominated bank account.

We will only process payments to UK bank accounts.

Employers can apply for an incentive payment for up to 10 trainees per employer in each of the 9 regions that they have provided a completed work placement for, by the 31 July 2022.

Verification and compliance checking

When we receive incentive claims from an employer, we use the data on the ILR to check that the start and finish dates of the work placement are at least ten working days apart and include adequate breaks in between the working weeks.

The verification process should take 90 days from the date of submission.

We undertake compliance checks on employer incentive claims, as part of which we may ask an employer to send us documents such as timesheets. This process could result in delays to payment, or to non-payment.

Help with making a claim

If an employer needs help with making an incentive claim they can contact the DfE on 08000 150 600 and choose option 1 followed by option 2, or send an email to helpdesk@manage-apprenticeships.service.gov.uk.

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Footnotes

1. Further education: outcome-based success measures ↩

2. Under the Children and Families Act 2014, Education, Health and Care plans began to replace Learning Difficulty Assessments from September 2014 in all local authorities ↩

3. The level of attainment for a full Level 3 is confirmed in the AEB funding rules ↩

4. For details refer to the ESFA funding guidance and rules ↩

5. Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education ↩

6. Further information at 16 to 19 education: funding allocations ↩

7. Further information on eligibility and applying is available at Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition ↩