Concerns and Celebration in the Apprenticeship world
– If you are a Non-Levy paying (less than 3million turnover per annum [SME]) company and thinking of possibly taking on an Apprentice(s) this year, please let us know by Friday 24th May. Due to low National funding availability for Apprentices within this bracket we must ensure our training providers have made sufficient provisions to accommodate your new-start employee numbers before September.
The reasoning for this ‘Tremor’ is that the money UK Government made available for covering this education has been well under-budgeted, more and more industries have jumped on the Apprenticeship band-wagon and more and more apprenticeship Non-levy funding is being utilised than expected.
Don’t waste the opportunity that the workboat Crewmember Apprenticeship in England has given you in England to get up to £19k of government funding towards the cost of the 2 year apprenticeship!
On a positive note
We are very pleased to announce there is now an additional possible source of funding for ‘SME’ (Non-Levy paying companies) looking to take on an Apprentice under the Workboat Crewmember Apprenticeship Scheme. After consultation, the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights(WCS) has decided to extend its current sponsorship of SME company Apprentices – to include Workboat Operators! The WCS sponsor individual companies and their Apprentice (on individual basis) covering the cost for the Apprentice’s first year’s wages up to a maximum of £18,500.
The scheme is directed at Micro or SME companies who have either not taken on an Apprentice beforehand, or are taking on an Apprentice for the first time for some years -i.e. they are seeking to encourage small firms to start training their own Apprentices, by funding the first year of the Apprentices wages, based on approximately £4.50/hr.
There is a detailed application form to complete and return to Andrew Levene, the Shipwrights Apprenticeship Scheme Manager, as the WCS needs to be reassured that the company are genuinely committed to the training and that the candidate is suitable. Your application, if deemed suitable by Andrew Levene, will be passed to the WCS funding Committee who review all applications and decide which companies and therefore apprentices to sponsor each year.
The WCS currently aim to support approximately 20 apprentices per year under this scheme and looking to increase that number in the coming years.
As most Apprenticeships commence in August the WCS is actively seeking applications form companies who are looking to / have just taken on a trainee to start their apprenticeship in September – therefore, this is a good moment for you, if you are interested to follow the links to the Application form and see what you need to do to apply for this funding. Should you have any queries, in the first instance by all means contact Kerrie or myself as usual, or alternatively, you may wish to contact Andrew Levene, the Scheme Manager direct on;-
Recognising that our apprenticeship includes block release periods away at college, WCS may consider contributing towards the travel costs and possibly accommodation costs for the apprentice, but these are very much at the discretion of the WCS funding committee.
Given we are all working in a tough economic environment at present we see this as an excellent opportunity for any SME workboat member to be able to get additional funding (on top of the government Workboat apprenticeship funding, which is approx £19k for non-levy paying companies,such as SMEs.
We would urge you all to take the time to follow the links and read more about the scheme.
The Scottish Workboat Apprenticeship will be starting from January 2020 – at Stream Marine Training There is still a chance for the September 2019 intake, but as before – it would assist us to know if you interested asap to avoid disappointment.
(3) The Workboat Association will then arrange with the Candidates Employer for an Assessor and Assessment date.
(4) After the Assessment is complete and the funds have been paid, the Workboat Association will either award a Voluntary Towing Endorsement Certificate or arrange for Re-assessment (depending on original assessment result).
Towage Books by: Captain Henk Hensen
To gain your Workboat Association member Discount Code for use in the ABR Company Ltd shop, send your request to; admin@workboatassociation.org
Not only will the purchaser recieve a 10% discount on their order of books by Captain Henk Hensen, but the Workboat Association will receive a donation of 15% of all orders made using the code.
Click on the products below to link to the shop;
Use of Workboats for Towage Good Practice Guide
Hard copies of the Towage Good Practice Guide and/or the Tug Stability Guide
(Soft copies unavailable).
Guides are priced at: £25 each for Members and £50 each for Non-members.
(The Towage Guide and the Stability Guide = 2 items)
Workboat Crewmember Training Record Book
Also applicable for Workboat Apprenticeship Scheme Candidates
This document is created and bound in hard-copy with photographic ID stamped and sealed by the Workboat Association.
Candidates interested in purchasing this Crewmember TRB must prepare 2 x countersigned (by the Employer) Passport Photos and write a cover letter including; Name, Date of Birth, and an Identity No. (Passport, Discharge Book or Driving Licence) prior to application.
Once complete the Cover letter and 2 x countersigned photos can be sent to:
The Workboat Association, 3 Rathdora Mews,Hamble Lane,Bursledon,Hampshire SO31 8EL
Members = £10 Non-members = £25
Popup in Training
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Please check back soon or Contact us here to enquire about the Towage Good Practice Guides