Employer Information
Briefing Material
The latest SEMAP briefing pack can be found here
Key Dates for Employers
The key 2016 and 2017 dates for employers are shown below.
Employers (both using direct grant and lead provider funding models) will be required to provide the
SFA with the number of apprentices intending to start in Cohort 2a and Cohort 2b by late spring 2016.
Numbers must be submitted before this date to allow the SFA to allocate funding against the SEMAP apprenticeship.
Employers are also encouraged to ensure internal budgets have been secured before this point in time.
Mentoring
Each Apprentice will be assigned a Mentor that will be there to help assist and develop the apprentice
throughout the scheme.
Several key steps in the apprenticeship have been described below. Further mentoring guidance can be
found here.
The mentoring process described above is provided for guidance only. Employers are free to use any mentoring
process they wish to avoid any duplicated effort or misalignments.
A number of useful documents, templates and internet links have been provided. These may be altered to
fit your own organisational needs.
Vocational Assignments in other Organisations
Vocational placements in other businesses may offer candidates opportunities to develop competency areas
which they may be unable to develop in their own company.
Employers are free to organise vocational placements in other businesses. No guidance or governance is
currently offered under SEMAP for cross organisational placements, but it is recommended that Mentors
closely consider and then monitor these placements to ensure each opportunity is offering and continues
to offer the development required.
SEMAP Feedback
Information on Employer feedback will be added soon.
Synoptic End Point Assessment
This section will be added soon.
Governance
This section will be added soon.
Funding Routes and Costs
For 2016/17 the apprenticeship continues to benefit from Government contributions. Government will pay £2
for every £1 the employer pays up to the core government contribution cap (£18,000).
Funding can be obtained through two routes, Direct Grant and via a Lead Provider.
Additional information on the direct grant funding route can be found here.
Direct Grant Funding Model
The direct grant funding model puts the employer in control of the administration, quality control and
funding of the apprenticeship. Using this model, Employers will be expected to pay subcontractors
(for example, academic institutions, training providers, administration bodies) directly, while maintaining
an interface with the SFA to enable the drawdown of government financial contributions. An example
structure of the direct grant funding model is shown below.
To use the direct grant funding model, employers must comply with a number of SFA rules. Details of these
rules can be found in the Trailblazer Funding rules.
- Direct grant employers are those employers who hold a current funding agreement with the SFA and
are listed on our Register of Training Organisations. Direct grant employers can directly deliver
all or part of their apprenticeship standard training programme.
- Direct grant employers can claim the core government contribution for their evidenced employer contributions
for the direct delivery of their apprenticeship standard.
- The same principles apply as for other employers; government will pay £2 for every £1 the employer
pays up to the core government contribution cap allocated for the standard. Direct grant employers
can claim additional incentive payments for which they are eligible.
Lead Provider Funding Model
The lead provider funding model transfers the responsibilities of administration, quality control and
funding of the apprenticeship to a ‘lead provider’ organisation. Using this model, employers will
be expected to pay the lead provider for these services (as set out in a contract with the lead provider)
as well as the costs associated with delivery of the apprenticeship (for example, academic costs,
all other training costs and assessment organisations). The lead provider will then pay all providers
and interface with the SFA to enable the drawdown of government financial contributions. Any eligible
incentive payments will be paid back to the employer via the Lead Provider. An example structure
of the lead provider funding model is shown below.
A Lead Provider will typically provide the employer with the following services for the Systems Engineering
Master Level Apprenticeship:
- Establish funding agreement and hold the contract with the Skills Funding Agency (SFA).
- Receive, manage and distribute appropriate payments between Employers, SFA and Academic Provider.
This activity shall include (but is not limited to):
- Maintaining financial records.
- Preparing, agreeing and maintaining payment schedules with each organisation.
- Paying Academic Institution.
- Paying incentive payments to Employers.
- Hold contracts with the individual employers.
- Hold contracts with the Academic Institution to provide academic content and assessment.
- Contract an Assessment Organisation for each Employer.
- Establish candidates Individual Learning Records and other documentation as required by the SFA
- Undertake Employer and Apprentice eligibility checks and other checks as required by the SFA
to meet their funding rules.
- Maintain Non-Technical oversight of the Academic Institutions.
- With the HOST EMPLOYER, review the learner’s progress on a regular basis to ensure timely achievement
of the apprenticeship
- Facilitate any required Ofsted inspection
Employer Costs
A simple cost calculator has been created to provide the estimated cost for completing the apprenticeship.
Any figures calculated should be used for guidance only.
The calculator allows the user to input their own organisational costs and allowances to determine the
likely overall cost of completing the apprenticeship. This calculator incorporates the government
2/3 contribution towards certain elements of cost, the available additional incentive bonuses and
also allows users to switch on and off certain internal costs.
The cost calculator can be downloaded here.