Taking On Your First Apprentice: What Nobody Tells the Employer

‍‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‍# Taking on your first apprentice - what nobody tells the employer

You've been thinking about it for a while. Maybe you're rushed off your feet and need another pair of hands. Maybe someone's kid has asked if they can come and learn. Maybe you just remember what it was like when someone gave you a chance.

Whatever the reason, taking on an apprentice is one of the biggest decisions a small trade business can make. It can be brilliant. It can also be a nightmare. This guide covers the stuff nobody sits you down and explains - the real costs, the legal bits, the grants that actually help, and what to do when it's not working out.

This is written for one-man bands, partnerships and small firms. Not HR departments. Not big contractors with training managers. Just you, your van, and a decision about whether to bring someone through.

1. Why bother? The honest case

Let's get this out of the way first: cheap labour is not the reason to take on an apprentice. If that's your main motivation, you'll resent them when they're slow (and they will be slow), you'll skip the training, and they'll leave or get sacked within six months. Everyone loses.

The real reasons are better than that.

You train them your way. No bad habits from other firms. No shortcuts they picked up from YouTube. They learn your standards, your methods, your way of dealing with customers. In two years, you've got someone who works the way you work.

A second pair of hands changes everything. Even a green apprentice can hold things, fetch materials, prep surfaces, tidy up. Within 6-12 months, they're doing real tasks. Within 18 months, they're genuinely useful. By year three, they're a proper tradesperson.

You're giving back to the trade. The industry needs roughly 225,000 new workers by 2027 according to CITB forecasts. Every qualified tradesperson started somewhere. Someone took a chance on you.

CITB grants offset a decent chunk of the cost. We'll get into the numbers below, but you can claim back £1,000–£2,000 per year in attendance grants plus an achievement lump sum when they finish. It doesn't cover everything, but it makes the maths a lot less painful.

The honest downsides

Nobody tells you this at the recruitment fair, but you need to hear it:

• They slow you down at first. For the first 3-6 months, you'll be less productive with an apprentice than without one. You're explaining, demonstrating, watching, correcting. Jobs take longer. That's the deal.
• You're responsible for them. On site, in the van, at a customer's house. Their safety, their training, their wellbeing. If something goes wrong, it's on you.
• It's a 2-4 year commitment. An apprenticeship isn't a summer job. You're signing up for years. If you can't see yourself doing this for at least two years, don't start.
• Not all of them make it. Some will leave. Some won't be suited. Some will let you down. That's part of it. The good ones make it worth it.

2. What it actually costs

This is where most small employers get caught out. The apprentice wage is only part of it.

Wages (from April 2026)

When can you use the apprentice rate (£8.00)? Only for:

• Apprentices under 19 (any year of the apprenticeship), or
• Apprentices aged 19+ who are in their first year of an approved apprenticeship.

After that, it changes:

• A 19–20-year-old in year 2+ must be on at least £10.85/hr.
• A 21+ apprentice in year 2+ must be on at least £12.71/hr.

Keep someone on £8.00 once they're 19+ and into year 2 and you're underpaying in law - HMRC can chase arrears and fines.

What that looks like per week (40 hours)

In the real world, plenty of decent firms pay a bit over these minima after year 1 - because otherwise you won't keep a half-decent apprentice once they can see what they're worth.

On top of wages, budget for:

• Employer's National Insurance. You pay 15% on earnings above the secondary threshold (£5,000/year from April 2025). For apprentices under 25, you may be exempt from employer NI contributions up to £50,270 - check current HMRC guidance because this changes.
• CITB levy. If your business is mainly construction, you're likely registered with CITB and paying the levy (0.35% of your direct labour costs for PAYE employees). Small employers below the threshold may be exempt.
• Tools and PPE. You must provide PPE - that's the law. Boots, hard hat, hi-vis, gloves, eye protection. Budget £200-400 to kit them out on day one. Tools are your call - some employers provide a basic tool kit, some expect apprentices to start building their own. Either way, they'll need things.
• College day release. Most apprenticeships include one day a week (or block release) at college. That's a day you're paying them but they're not on site earning for you. Over a year, that's roughly 40 days of wages for no direct productivity. It's non-negotiable - they have a legal right to attend.
• Insurance. More on this in section 7, but your premiums will likely increase.

Rough annual cost for a first-year apprentice

That's before CITB grants claw some back. Over 2–3 years, attendance grants plus the achievement lump sum at the end can take a real chunk out of those early costs - but only if you stick with them and they finish.

3. CITB grants and funding

This is the bit that makes the numbers work for small firms. If you're CITB-registered and up to date with your levy, you can claim grants on top of any levy payments you make. There are three buckets.

1. Apprenticeship attendance grant

Paid while the apprentice is on programme. CITB pays a yearly attendance grant per apprentice, usually split by training year. For recent years, that's been in the £1,000–£2,000 per apprentice per grant year range, depending on the apprenticeship standard and level.

You claim via CITB Online Services using the specific grant code for your apprentice's standard. Log in, hit "Apply for Apprenticeship Grant," and look up the rate for your particular apprenticeship code - it varies by trade and level.

2. Apprenticeship achievement grant

Paid when they finish. When your apprentice successfully completes, CITB pays an achievement grant - typically a few thousand pounds per apprentice, again depending on the trade and level. You claim it after completion is confirmed via CITB's system.

Put crudely: if you actually get them to the finish line, the total CITB money over 2–3 years can take a noticeable chunk out of what you've paid them in year-one wages.

3. Short course and qualification grants

Separate to apprenticeships:

• Long qualification grants: non-apprenticeship qualifications (e.g. some NVQs, site supervision) now pay a flat £600 achievement grant per qualification.
• Short course grants: CITB is phasing most of these out from 8 January 2026. Priority courses (plant, scaffolding, some specialist tickets) will still attract grant, but a lot of shorter training will be funded through local Employer Networks instead.

For your apprentice, these are more of a bonus - extra money for topping them up with NVQs and tickets once they're further along.

How to claim

1. Register with CITB as an employer (if you're not already). Most construction employers should be registered.
2. Make sure your apprentice is on an approved programme.
3. Submit grant claims through CITB Online Services. Keep records of attendance and achievement.
4. Claims must be made within set timeframes - don't leave it months.

The apprenticeship levy (bigger firms only)

If your annual pay bill is over £3 million, you pay the apprenticeship levy (0.5% of your pay bill). This goes into a digital account you can spend on apprenticeship training. If you're a one-man band or small firm, this almost certainly doesn't apply to you. Your apprentice's college training is funded by the government through the training provider.

For small employers (pay bill under £3 million): The government funds 95% of the training costs. You may need to contribute 5% (called co-investment), but many small construction employers pay nothing directly to the college. Check with your chosen training provider - they'll tell you exactly what you owe.

4. Legal obligations - the stuff you can't skip

Taking on an apprentice means taking on an employee. That comes with legal responsibilities whether you're a sole trader, partnership or limited company.

Employment contract

You must give your apprentice a written statement of employment on or before their first day. This includes:

• Job title and description
• Start date
• Pay rate and when they'll be paid
• Working hours
• Holiday entitlement (minimum 5.6 weeks/year - that's 28 days for a 5-day week, and you decide how many of those are fixed bank holidays and how many they can book)
• Where they'll be working
• Details of the apprenticeship training

An apprenticeship agreement is a specific type of employment contract. It's not a casual arrangement - it's a legal commitment to employ and train them.

Minimum wage

You cannot pay below NMW. Full stop. Even if they're slow, even if they break things, even if they spend half the day watching you and learning. The law is clear. Underpaying apprentices is one of the most common NMW breaches HMRC investigates in construction. The fines are ugly.

Working time rules

Under-18 apprentices have stricter rules:

• Maximum 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week
• No night work (between 10pm and 6am, or 11pm and 7am)
• Must have a 30-minute break if working more than 4.5 hours
• Must have 12 hours' rest between working days
• Must have 2 consecutive days off per week (not just one)

18 and over: Standard working time regulations apply - 48-hour week maximum (unless they've opted out in writing), 20-minute break every 6 hours, 11 hours' rest between shifts.

Health and safety

Your duty of care is higher for young and inexperienced workers. The law specifically recognises that apprentices are more at risk because they don't know what they don't know.

You must:

• Do a specific risk assessment for young workers (under 18)
• Provide proper supervision - you can't send a first-year apprentice to work unsupervised
• Provide all necessary PPE at your cost
• Make sure they receive adequate H&S training before doing any task
• Not let them use certain equipment or do certain tasks until they're trained and competent

If an apprentice gets hurt because you didn't train or supervise them properly, the HSE will take a very dim view. "I told him to be careful" is not a defence.

Right to attend training

Your apprentice has a legal right to attend their off-the-job training (college, training centre). You cannot stop them going because you're busy. You cannot dock their pay for training days. If you pull them off training repeatedly, the training provider will raise it - and CITB funding may be affected.

5. Finding an apprentice

Where to look

• Local colleges and training providers. Ring the construction department. Tell them you're looking for an apprentice. They'll often have a list of candidates or a matching service. This is the easiest route for most small firms.
• GOV.UK apprenticeship service. You can post apprenticeship vacancies for free at gov.uk/recruit-apprentice. It's the official matching service.
• CITB. They can point you to local training providers and sometimes help with recruitment.
• Word of mouth. Ask around. Ask your suppliers, your subbies, your mates on site. "Anyone know a decent kid looking for an apprenticeship?" still works. Half the best apprentices in the country got their start because someone knew someone.
• Local schools. Some schools have careers coordinators who'd bite your hand off for a genuine apprenticeship offer. Construction apprenticeships look good on their destination data.

What to look for

Forget qualifications. A 16-year-old with three GCSEs who turns up on time, listens, asks questions and doesn't quit when it rains is worth ten times more than a kid with a folder full of certificates and no interest in getting dirty.

Look for:

• Attitude. Are they keen? Do they ask questions? Do they look you in the eye?
• Reliability. Can they get themselves to site on time? Do they have transport sorted (or a plan)?
• Physical capability. Construction is hard work. They don't need to be built like a prop forward, but they need to be able to handle a physical day.
• Willingness to learn. They're supposed to be raw. That's the entire point of an apprenticeship. If they already knew everything, they wouldn't need you.

Don't worry about:

• Exact GCSE grades (unless the college requires minimums for entry)
• Whether they've done construction before
• Whether they're quiet or loud - both types make great tradespeople

Give them a trial day or week if you can. You'll know within a few days whether they've got the right stuff.

6. The first 3 months - what to actually expect

This is where most employers either settle in or give up. The first three months are the hardest - for both of you.

What's normal

• They will be slow. Everything takes them three times longer than it takes you. That's because you've been doing it for years and they've been doing it for days. Patience.
• They will make mistakes. Cut things wrong, mix things wrong, measure things wrong. Correct them, show them again, move on. Getting angry about a first mistake teaches them nothing except to hide mistakes.
• They will need telling things three times. Minimum. That's how learning works. If you told them once and they did it perfectly, they wouldn't need an apprenticeship.
• They'll have days where they seem useless. That's normal. They'll also have days where something clicks and you think "actually, they might be alright." Those days get more frequent.

What to do

• Give them real work from day one. Not just sweeping up and making tea. Obviously they start simple, but let them hold the other end of the board, let them mark out a cut, let them mix a batch under supervision. They need to feel like they're learning a trade, not doing chores.
• Set clear expectations. Tell them what time to arrive. Tell them what to wear. Tell them what you expect in terms of effort, attitude and phone use. Don't assume they know - many of them have never had a job before.
• Check in. Five minutes at the end of each day: "What did you learn today? Anything you're not sure about? Any problems?" You don't need to be a counsellor. Just show you're paying attention.
• Tell them when they've done well. A quick "nice job on that, you're getting it" goes a long way when you're 17 and everything's new.

The ones who make it

The apprentices who succeed usually share a few traits: they show up on time, they don't argue about doing the boring bits, they ask questions, and they stick at it when things are hard. The talent comes later - the attitude comes first.

If you've got one who ticks those boxes after three months, you've probably got a good one. Invest in them.

7. Insurance - what you need to check

Employer's liability insurance

This is legally required. Under the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969, the moment you have any employee - including an apprentice - you must have employer's liability insurance with a minimum cover of £5 million. Most construction policies default to £10 million.

If you've been a sole trader with no employees, you almost certainly don't have this. You need it before your apprentice starts.

The fines are serious:

• Up to £2,500 per day you operate without compulsory employer's liability insurance.
• £1,000 fine for not displaying the certificate or not producing it when asked.

You must display the certificate where your employees can see it - or make it easily accessible.

Public liability insurance

Your existing PLI should cover work done by your employees, including apprentices. But check your policy. Ring your insurer and tell them you're taking on an apprentice. Some things to confirm:

• Does your policy cover employees/apprentices?
• Does the cover amount need increasing?
• Are there any age restrictions (some policies have different terms for under-18 workers)?
• Are there any excluded activities for inexperienced workers?

Vehicle insurance

If your apprentice will travel in your van (and they will), check your motor insurance covers them as a passenger. If they'll ever drive the van - even to move it on a drive - they need to be named on the insurance or covered by your policy. Don't assume.

Tools and equipment

If you're providing tools, check whether your tool insurance covers items used by employees. Some policies only cover tools in the named policyholder's possession.

Bottom line: ring your broker or insurer before your apprentice starts and tell them exactly what's happening. Get it in writing. It's one phone call that could save you everything.

8. When it doesn't work out

Not every apprentice sticks. National completion rates for apprenticeships sit around 50-60% - meaning a significant number don't finish. In construction, the figures are similar. Some leave for personal reasons, some aren't suited to the trade, some you'll need to let go.

Know what type of contract you've got

This matters more than you'd think:

• A modern apprenticeship agreement (ESFA-style, which is what most new apprenticeships use) is treated as a normal employment contract with training. You can dismiss for fair reasons - conduct, capability, redundancy - if you follow a fair procedure.
• An old-style contract of apprenticeship is much harder to end early. You generally need a serious reason (fundamentally untrainable, business has shut), and wrongful termination can mean bigger compensation - potentially loss of future earnings and training value, not just notice pay.

If you're not sure which you've got, check the paperwork or call ACAS.

Probation periods

Set a probation period in the employment contract - typically 3-6 months. You can dismiss an apprentice during probation on fair grounds (serious conduct issues, clear unsuitability), but you should still follow a scaled-down fair process and keep notes. Especially once they have over 2 years' service, when full unfair dismissal rights kick in.

If you need to let them go

Do not just sack them on Friday afternoon and tell them not to come back Monday. Follow the ACAS Code of Practice:

1. Identify the issue clearly (attendance, conduct, capability).
2. Raise it informally first - give clear expectations and support.
3. If it continues, follow a formal process: invite them to a meeting, allow them to be accompanied, explain the evidence, allow them to respond.
4. Confirm the outcome in writing.
5. Give them a right of appeal.
6. Give proper notice as per their contract.

If they're under 2 years' service, they can't claim unfair dismissal in most cases - but they can still claim for discrimination, whistleblowing or breach of contract. And wrongly ending a contract of apprenticeship can expose you to much bigger claims than a normal employment contract. If your process is sloppy, it gets messy.

ACAS guidance

Don't sack an apprentice on a bad day - ring ACAS first. Their helpline (0300 123 1100) is free and genuinely helpful. They'll talk you through the process and help you avoid the mistakes that end up at tribunal. If it gets that far, ACAS will try to conciliate before it reaches a hearing.

If they leave

Some apprentices quit. They decide the trade isn't for them, they find something else, they move away. That's frustrating after you've invested time and money, but it happens. You can't force someone to stay. Let them go properly, do the paperwork, and move on.

Talk to the training provider

If things are going wrong, tell the college or training provider early. They have training coordinators whose job is exactly this - supporting employers and apprentices when it's rocky. They may be able to help before it gets to the point of no return.

9. What good mentoring actually looks like

You don't need a teaching qualification. You don't need a training manual. You don't need to be good at PowerPoint. You need to be decent at your trade and willing to pass it on.

Show, let them try, correct, repeat

That's it. That's the method. It's the same way you learned. Someone showed you how to do something, you had a go, they told you what you did wrong, you tried again. After enough repetitions, you could do it.

The stuff that makes the difference

• Explain the why, not just the what. Don't just say "cut it at 45 degrees." Say "we cut it at 45 because when the two pieces meet, they form a clean joint and the customer sees a professional finish." When they understand why, they remember.
• Correct without shouting. Raising your voice teaches them to be afraid of asking for help. Calm correction teaches them to get better. Save the firm words for safety - if they do something dangerous, absolutely tell them sharply. But a wonky cut doesn't need a bollocking.
• Let them struggle a bit. Don't jump in the second they hesitate. Let them work it out. If they're really stuck, guide them. There's a difference between struggling and drowning - learn to spot it.
• Give them ownership of tasks. As they progress, give them a whole task to own. "You're doing that skirting board, start to finish. I'll check it when you're done." Ownership builds confidence.
• Remember what it was like to be clueless. You were useless once. Everyone was. The tradespeople who produce the best apprentices are the ones who haven't forgotten that feeling of being new, overwhelmed and desperate to prove themselves.

The mentoring you provide is the training they'll remember most

College teaches theory. You teach reality. The way you do things, the standards you set, the shortcuts you refuse to take - that's what shapes them as a tradesperson. Take it seriously, even on the days when you just want to get the job done.

10. One last thing

The trades who take on apprentices are the ones keeping this industry alive. It's not easy, it's not always rewarding in the short term, and it will test your patience. But in 3-4 years' time, when they're out there doing good work and telling people who taught them - that's worth something.

What to do next

• Read: 10.1 - Apprenticeship rights and pay (the apprentice's side - know what they're entitled to)
• Read: 10.10 - Teaching your trade
• Read: 15.1 - I've finished my apprenticeship - now what? (understand what your apprentice will be thinking)
• Visit: GOV.UK recruit an apprentice service - gov.uk/recruit-apprentice
• Visit: CITB grants and funding - citb.co.uk/levy-grants-and-funding
• Call: ACAS helpline if you need employment advice before hiring - 0300 123 1100 (free)

Sources

• CITB Construction Skills Network - workforce forecasts, apprenticeship data, grant rates.
• GOV.UK National Minimum Wage rates - April 2026 rates for apprentices and age bands.
• HMRC employer guidance - PAYE registration, NI thresholds, apprentice NI exemptions.
• Health and Safety Executive - duty of care for young workers, risk assessment requirements.
• ACAS - employment contracts, disciplinary procedures, dismissal guidance.
• Education and Skills Funding Agency - apprenticeship funding rules, co-investment rates.
• Employer's Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 - £5m minimum cover requirement.
• Working Time Regulations 1998 - hours, rest periods and restrictions for under-18 workers.

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