To successfully enrol an apprenticeship candidate at a non-levy paying employer, or at an employer who is in receipt of a levy transfer, both the Employer Onboarding Process and Learner and Workplace Training Supervisor Process will need to be completed in full.

Please head over to our Apprenticeship Information page for more details on non-levy paying employers and levy transfers.

 

Employer Onboarding Process

 

Stage 1: Initial Enquiry

 

Stage 2: Employer Suitability & Set Up Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) Account

All employers wishing to enrol an apprentice will need to set up a DAS account, if not already done so. For details around how to set this up, please click this link.

There are three employer suitability forms to complete during this stage which should take approximately 60 minutes to complete in total. If the apprentice requires a placement, additional time should be factored in to complete the placement agreement.

 

Stage 3: Suitability Review by Buttercups Training

Buttercups Training will aim to review the submissions of forms or documentation within 3 working days and move the enrolment onto the next stage of the process or make contact in this time, if further information is required.

 

Stage 4: Recruitment (if applicable)

Buttercups Training can assist you in using the official government service for posting and managing apprenticeships vacancies called Recruit an apprentice. Adverts must be live on this website for a minimum of 16 days, so with time taken to interview and select your chosen candidates, this stage can take 4 weeks.

 

Stage 5: Written Agreement  

The employer will need to read and sign this written agreement for services.

 

Learning and Workplace Training Supervisor Enrolment Process

 

Stage 1: Learner Nomination

Completion of an online form requesting details from your candidate(s) and workplace training supervisor (WTS), which should take 5 minutes to complete.

 

Stage 2: Learner and WTS verify email address

 

Stage 3: Online forms sent out and completed by learner and WTS

These online forms are used to check the candidate’s initial eligibility to enrol on to an apprenticeship programme and should take the learner 60 minutes to complete and the WTS approximately 45 minutes.

 

Stage 4: Screening course and training for the WTS

Your candidate(s) will be enrolled on to a screening course which will take 2-4 hours for them to complete, depending on which apprenticeship they are enrolling on to. This course will also include completing the first part of their Skills Scan online. The WTS will also be enrolled on a short training course to help prepare them in their role which will take 1-2 hours to complete.

 

Stage 5: Additional online forms sent out and completed by learner and WTS

The second set of forms contain more information regarding the apprenticeship itself and should take no longer than 45 minutes each for the learner and WTS to complete. We will review the screening results alongside the other information provided. We may request more details if anything is missing from the forms, or we have any concerns on the suitability of the programme.

 

Stage 6: Skills Scan call

We will arrange a time for the candidate(s) to complete the second part of the Skills Scan which is a phone call with a Buttercups tutor that will take 30-60 minutes to complete. This will help us to establish current skills, knowledge and behaviours and any support needs. At this point we can confirm full eligibility for the apprenticeship programme.

 

Stage 7: Agree start date & final enrolment

We will contact you to agree a start date for your apprentice(s) as they will need to complete some initial learning and attend an online welcome session on this day. We will then finalise the enrolment and the apprentice(s) and their WTS will be emailed the details they need to access the apprenticeship programme.

 

Stage 8: Confirm enrolment on Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) account

You will need to confirm that the learner has started their apprenticeship on the DAS account.

 

 

What Documents Do We Need to Submit?

 

During the enrolment process detailed above, the employer and learner will need to have certain documentation ready to submit to Buttercups Training, in addition to answering the questions within the online forms themselves.

 

Employer

• Employers Liability Insurance certificate (please note that this is different from a Public Liability and Indemnity Insurance certificate)
• A screenshot of your organisation’s Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) account, confirming a funding reservation or funding permissions have been granted (details on how to do this will be provided in the process)
• Placement form (if required)

 

Learner

• Proof of identity and right to work in the UK (such as a passport)
• Proof of address (such as driving licence or recent utility bill)
• Evidence of prior qualifications in maths, English, science and sector specific qualifications (such as GCSE certificates)
• Proof of name change (if applicable)

 

 

Employment Terms and Conditions for Apprentices

 

Apprenticeship Wage

Apprenticeship wage is a minimum wage rate for apprentices:

 

• aged 19 or under
• aged 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship

 

If your candidate is an existing employee of the organisation and you are intending to use the apprenticeship wage, you must only do so from the start date of the apprenticeship programme with Buttercups Training and not before.

If you are employing a candidate and are intending to pay the apprenticeship minimum wage, you can do so up to 3 weeks prior to their start date of the apprenticeship programme with Buttercups Training if they’re new to the business. We will aim to work with you during the enrolment process to coordinate the employment start date with enrolment on to the apprenticeship programme where possible, however it will depend on both employer and candidate input in completing the online enrolment paperwork promptly. If the enrolment onto the programme takes longer than 3 weeks, then the national minimum wage for the age of the candidate must be paid for any time not in scope.

Please note, the apprenticeship wage is a minimum requirement and candidates can be paid above this wage rate when on an apprenticeship programme. It is the employer’s responsibility to agree the wage with their candidate.

 

Fixed-term contracts

If the candidate is going to be employed on a fixed term contract it will need to be for a duration of 24 months from their start date on the level 3 Pharmacy Technician Training Programme Apprenticeship Pathway) or 15 months from their start date on the level 2 Pharmacy Services Assistant apprenticeship.

This is to ensure the candidate can complete the minimum duration required on their apprenticeship along with the end-point assessment during their employment period.