Covid-19 Apprenticeship Employer FAQ
Q: What is the current situation regarding Covid-19 and Cornwall College?
A: The college continues to follow all government guidance. The college will not be hosting face to face college sessions with apprentices either on-site or at employer premises. However, learning
can continue for apprentices through a range of online methods. Individual tutor/assessors will be in touch with apprentices to outline how this will work in their specific circumstances.
Q: Can I furlough my Apprentice?
A: Yes you can, an Apprentice is an employee and therefore subject to the same terms and conditions as any other staff.
Employers may wish to furlough apprentices during the period covered by the Coronavirus crisis. This involves reducing apprentice hours but not laying them off, thereby supporting the eventual
completion of the apprenticeship.
Through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (otherwise known as the Furlough Scheme) all UK employers will be able to access support to continue paying part of their employees’ salary for those
employees that would otherwise have been laid off during this crisis. HMRC will reimburse 80% of furloughed workers wage costs, up to a cap of £2,500 per month. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme
Q: Can my Apprentice continue to study for their Apprenticeship whilst they are furloughed?
A: Yes they can and wherever possible they should, as this will minimise the disruption to their Apprenticeship. We are continuing to work to deliver all programmes remotely, using a variety
of e-learning tools. Tutors/assessors will continue to be in touch and review your progress. For some programmes we will be re-scheduling the delivery to take account of the current circumstances, for example prioritising theory delivery and demonstrations
over practical sessions. We will continue to review this to ensure that apprentices are developing appropriate Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours.
Q: What do I have to pay my Apprentice whilst they are furloughed
A: Under the scheme, furloughed employees remain on the employer’s payroll, but the Government will pay 80% of their wages.
Employers should pay at least the apprenticeship minimum wage, national living wage or national minimum wage as appropriate, for all the time the apprentice spends training.
This means that if 80% of the apprentice’s wage is less than their appropriate minimum wage, employers must cover the shortfall per hour of training
Q: When will College re-open
A: The college continues to follow all government guidance and therefore at this time we cannot confirm a date for reopening. We will ensure that all employers and Apprentices are contacted
as and when the situation changes
Q: What will happen with my Apprentices exams/End Point Assessment (EPA)?
A: As the type of exams/EPA vary for each apprenticeship, please contact your Apprenticeship Advisor who will be able to advise you in your Apprentices individual circumstances
Q: Will my Apprentices planned end date be affected?
A: If your Apprentice is able to complete the online learning that their tutor/assessor sets during this time, we hope that their planned end date won’t be affected, however, if their exams/EPA
are delayed, there may be a change to their end date, however this does not affect their ability to complete their apprenticeship
Q: I am considering taking on a new apprentice when the current situation changes, can you help me with that now?
A: All of our teams continue to work remotely from home and this includes are Apprenticeship Support Team, they can support you to draw up a vacancy advert and promote that through the National Apprenticeship Service and our own website. During “lockdown” we can go as far as arranging telephone/skype interviews for shortlisted candidates so that you can begin to make your selection, however we cannot arrange face to face interviews/work trials at this time. Please contact the team on telephone: 0330 123 4785 or email: apprenticeships@cornwall.ac.uk.
Q: I have a question which isn’t listed above, who can I talk to?
A: Please contact your Apprenticeship Advisor who will be able to support you with any query that you may have.
Public Health have asked us to remind employers that car sharing by apprentices/their employees should be avoided wherever possible, in order to limit the chance of transmission of the virus