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New Entrant Support Team

Here to help

Finding, recruiting and retaining an apprentice or new entrant can be simple, but if you need support we’re on hand to help, every step of the way.

Created to support employers across the UK, this hands-on free support can cover recruitment, paperwork, accessing grants & funding, and ongoing mentoring throughout the apprenticeship.

Our role in the New Entrant Support Team is to work with employers to remove the barriers they may face employing and retaining new entrants, particularly apprentices.

Contact NEST today

Recruitment

We’ll signpost you to useful employment resources and help advertise your apprenticeship vacancy to attract potential candidates and let them find you – all for free. We’ll help you get the right apprentice.

CITB Funding

We’ll make sure you’re set up to receive CITB apprenticeship grants:
• Attendance grant: £2,500 (per year, per apprentice)
• Achievement grant: £3,500 (on successful completion of the apprenticeship).

Admin

We’ll help you sort the paperwork, liaise with the training provider and more so you can focus on the job.

Retention and Achievement | Supporting your Apprentice

Once you’ve taken on your apprentice and invested time to induct them, make them feel welcome and start their journey with you, you’ll want to do all you can to keep them.

Our NEST advisers offer regular check-ins and useful tips and guidance across a range of topics. These can include pastoral support (eg mental health advice) and effective mentoring to help you support your apprentice through to successful achievement.

Mentoring – what’s involved?

If you’re unsure we offer a Mentoring Standard session, which focuses on providing you with an in-depth understanding of the current apprenticeship standard, and the crucial role of mentors.

The 3-hour session can be delivered face to face or completed online and is FREE to attend.

We’re here to make sure you have the support you need to help your apprentice achieve and become a fully-fledged employee on completion.

Take a look at these short support videos.

If you have any questions or would like to book a FREE mentoring session, please get in touch with your local NEST adviser.

Alternatively, you can contact us on 0300 4566431 or by email: newentrant.team@citb.co.uk

The Mentoring Standard covers:

  • Employer and Apprentice responsibilities
  • What is mentoring
  • The 5 golden rules to mentoring
  • Good practice of a willing mentor
  • 4 key stages in a mentoring relationship
  • Structuring a mentoring conversation
  • Mentoring topics and example questions
  • Giving effective feedback as a mentor
  • Apprentice behaviour
  • Apprentice poor quality of work
  • Additional support needs
  • Mental health
  • Drug use

And lots more.

What our employers are saying

Shingler Construction Limited ( Federation of Masters Builders): "Amanda helped us to update all our existing apprentices with the CITB Grants department and offer advice and support on our apprentices starting their course in September 2024. Positive impact on our recruitment and training budget and our ability to further increase our apprenticeship programme."

Joe Ainsely Bricklaying: "I wasn’t aware that there were so many grants available and the amount of support there is out there until I talked with you today Kev. Thank you for your time and advice." 

Steve’s Floors: "I met Allison at an Employer event at the College, I knew nothing about CITB or the benefits it could be to my business, I am not good with computers but she said she would help me with all of that and she has and now I am getting Grant for having my Apprentice which is a big help towards his wage."

Leamac Joinery: "I really appreciate your help Allison, I would have been lost without you doing this for me, like I said I have had an Apprentice in the past and got nothing as I didn’t know how to claim."

Entire Scaffolding: "Since initially enquiring a few things with CITB in February 2024, Theo has supported with my CITB registration, helped submit the apprentice attendance grant, created my CITB online portal and kept me up to date with all processes concerning me."

LC Lucas Construction: Tees Valley and CITB Funding and Levy Transfer: "This has allowed us to take on our new Apprentice without having the impact of having to pay for the Apprenticeship, it has meant we are now considering employing another one. Allison was a great support to us in among a minefield of information, I didn’t know where to start but she walked me through everything and ‘kept me right’ every step of the way. Allison simplified the process for me for which I am very grateful."

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