Apprenticeship Subcontracting and Levy Gifting

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Government’s apprenticeship reforms are designed to put control back into the hands of employers so that they will gain the skilled workforce they need to compete globally. Employers can choose how they work with providers and their subcontractors to deliver high quality training that meets their needs.

 

Subcontracting has always been present in apprenticeships to some extent. It has tended to take one of two forms:

• A provider engages one or more subcontractors to co-deliver an employer’s apprenticeship programme

• A provider engages one or more subcontractors; the provider and the subcontractors work with different employers

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The rules for subcontracting are designed to increase the quality of subcontracted provision and to ensure that employers have a direct relationship with their main provider. It is important that government funds are not diverted away from training and assessment in the form of fees and other charges, and so the intent of the rules is to make sure that the main and subcontracted providers both add value to the employer’s apprenticeship programme.

 

The main provider has full responsibility for the quality of all aspects of every apprenticeship delivered for the employer and is required to carry out formal assessments of their subcontractors’ provision. The main provider is also required to deliver some of the employer’s apprenticeship programme’s training and/or on-programme assessment.

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Download the DfE Guidance on Apprenticeship Subcontracting here:

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