Thinking of Hiring an Apprentice?
Grow your team. Build your pipeline. Upskill someone who can shape your business for years to come — with support from day one.
Why Take on an Apprentice?
Train to your standard
Grow talent your way.
Develop engineers to your processes and quality expectations from day one.
Training costs funded
Up to 100% (eligibility).
Up to 100% of training costs funded (depends on employer size and apprentice circumstances).
Everything is live
Real appliances. Live systems.
Working boilers, sinks, drainage and heat pumps in the academy — real kit, not demo boards.
Block release that sticks
Deeper learning.
Focused blocks per module so knowledge settles — not stop-start day-release with weekend gaps.
Retention & loyalty
Home-grown teams stay.
Home-grown staff progress faster, stick longer and work the way you do — your systems, your standards.
Tackle skills gap & rising costs
Build your pipeline.
Grow talent in a tight market and reduce agency spend and wage pressure with people you can retain.
We don’t just train them — we help mentor them with you. The result? Confident, capable team members built from the ground up.
Funding applies to training costs only; employment costs are excluded. Eligibility varies.
Employer Tools
Cost Calculator estimates wage and training costs for different scenarios.
Concerns tackles common questions with straight answers.
Schedule Preview shows the block-release plan for each apprenticeship.
How this calculator works
- Wages Year 1: you can pay the apprentice rate as a minimum (£7.55/hr).
- Year 2 becomes minimum by age: £12.21 (21+), £10.00 (18–20), £7.55 (<18). We apply year 2 using age +1 for the calculation after 12 months (21).
- Employer NI (simplified): apprentice under 25 = 0%; otherwise = 15%.
- Training contribution: 5% of banding or... £0 if the apprentice is under 21, or has an EHC or is a care leaver
- £1,000 employer payment: Payable if the apprentice is 16–18 years old, or has an EHC or is a care leaver
🧑🎓 Apprentice
🧑🔧 Gas Engineer
Apprentice Total Cost — 18 months
Gas Engineer Total Cost - 18 months
A Three-Way Partnership
Apprenticeships work when we share the load. You shape standards on site, we build skills in the academy, and the apprentice does the work and the learning. Clear roles, regular contact, and support throughout.
Academy
- Deliver block-release training on real, live systems
- Handle enrolment, funding, compliance & reviews
- Safeguarding & pastoral support; clear routes to raise concerns
- Share progress targets & evidence plans with you
Employer
- Provide a paid role, supervision & a safe working environment
- Give time for off-the-job learning (we’ll schedule the blocks)
- Agree realistic site tasks aligned to academy modules
- Join reviews and flag issues early — we’ll act fast
Apprentice
- Show up prepared, follow H&S, and learn on & off the job
- Log evidence & reflect on progress between blocks
- Communicate with mentor & tutors; ask for help early
- Represent your business professionally with customers
How we work together
- Pre-start: onboarding, expectations set (conduct, H&S, safeguarding), business needs/context from employer mapped.
- Block-release rhythm: 1 week in 4 at the academy; site tasks mapped to each module and an end of week review of whats been covered.
- Reviews & check-ins: 3-way Reviews every 12 weeks, with updates, upcoming elements and goals.
- Safeguarding & pastoral support: Academy Manager and Tutor contact throughout; confidential help if anything’s not right.
You’ll have direct contact with the Academy Manager and your apprentices Tutor throughout. If circumstances change on site, tell us — we’ll adjust the plan together and keep your apprentice progressing.
What We'll Need From You
PAYE scheme
We’ll need your PAYE reference code later.
Real work environment
Plumbing, gas, or low-carbon heating.
On-site supervision
Tasks that develop technical skills.
Apprenticeship pay
At least the Apprenticeship Minimum Wage (many pay more).
Time for off-the-job training
We handle the planning and scheduling.
Contract & real job title
A genuine role — no “apprentice in name only”.
Not sure if you tick every box? Submit the form below and we’ll talk you through the setup — no commitment.
Where Are We?
We’re right here 😉
HomeServe Training Academy,
Aspect House, Bennerley Road,
Nottingham,
NG6 8WR
We’re just a couple of minutes from M1 Junction 26, making us easily accessible from across the Midlands and beyond. Well connected by major roads and public transport — and we’ve got tons of parking on-site.
If your apprentice is travelling from further afield, there are plenty of local accommodation options nearby. Including: Premier Inn Nottingham West , DoubleTree by Hilton Nottingham, Travelodge Nottingham Trowell — all within 10–15 minutes.