Our free apprentice recruitment service will assist you in finding the best talent for your organisation.
Our expert team will set up an initial discussion to establish what role(s) you are filling. The team will then handle advertising the role to our bank of candidates and networks, as well as screen all applicants to present you with the best. Lastly, the team will advise on the recommended learner journey for the chosen candidate(s), and provide resources to support the apprentice(s) into the workplace.
Apprentice Recruitment Service – what we offer
1. Initial consultation
Whether it’s one vacancy or a wider intake of multiple apprentices, we want to ensure we select suitable candidates that are well suited to the role and organisation. That way you can focus your time on interviewing candidates who have a good chance of filling your vacancy.
The initial discussion will explore the role(s), what criteria you would like to set in terms of academic achievement, personal specification, transferable skills and discuss the appropriate programme(s).
2. Advertise the role
We will then list the vacancy on the National Apprenticeship Service website, the go-to site that all schools and colleges signpost applicants towards. It needs to be live for a minimum of 2 weeks but we can list it as long as required to get the necessary responses.
The site links adverts to a handful of free job sites such as Indeed to extend the potential audience further. First Intuition also has its own bank of candidates who have enquired generally about starting an apprenticeship to who we will promote your role(s) as well.
3. Screen the applicants
We will check over each application, rejecting any that are unsuitable. Any that we think fit your criteria will be sent across to you for consideration. Once a shortlist has been drawn up, we will put you in contact with the candidates for you to interview/screen.
We will contact candidates who you do not want to take forward and let them down gently. We will also provide feedback and additional support through our range of employability resources to help them succeed next time.
4. Advice on next steps
We will continue to support you with advice on interviews, funding, eligibility and training programme options for your shortlist/new candidates.
This includes our range of pre-start resources which are free for you to share with your new apprentices to help them prepare for and settle into their role with you.
Why hire an accounting apprentice?
Apprenticeships offer a significant opportunity for both employers and apprentices. We believe an apprenticeship offers a real alternative to the standard routes of work or higher education. Combining the best of both worlds, they give trainees the chance to develop skills and knowledge that are directly related to their chosen industry whilst also earning a salary.
Our apprentices come from a range of backgrounds, vary in age, and are at various stages of their careers. We work with them and their employers to develop their individual technical and all-round skills that help businesses to thrive and grow. Apprenticeship funding is available for both large and small employers with First Intuition.
Find more information on the apprenticeship programmes we offer here.
Find more information about incentives and the financial benefits of hiring an apprentice here.
Benefits of apprentices:
Specific and relevant training
Each apprenticeship is built for a specific job role to ensure training is relevant and specific. You can tailor an apprenticeship to specific job roles, making them flexible to the needs of your business.
Skills development
Accountancy apprentices do not only learn the core technical skills they need to do their job. They also develop wider soft skills and behaviours that are equally essential to career success in the industry. Skills that are built into programmes include communication, commercial insight, problem-solving, strategic thinking, resilience, teamwork, negotiation and leadership, all of which can take non-apprentices years to develop through experience alone.
Better structure and better support
It can be easy for trainees to come off track with their studies when they are not part of a structured programme to help them progress reliably. Apprenticeship programmes offer robust structure and support for learners through a close relationship with their assigned Coach. These coaches offer personalised support and help ensure they are on top of their studies. As a result of this, apprentices tend to move through their qualifications faster and with higher first-time pass rates. This benefits businesses as trainees learn knowledge and skills translate into their work quicker and more effectively.
Financial benefits
Using apprenticeship funding to pay for accountancy qualification training can save many thousands of pounds in course fees. As well as the 95% government subsidy of the training costs for non-levy employers, there is also an employer’s National Insurance exemption if the apprentice is aged under 25. Levy paying employers can utilise their levy pots.
Find more information about government funding for apprentices here.
Read more about the benefits of hiring accountancy apprentices’ here.
Terms and conditions
The First Intuition Apprenticeship Recruitment Service is only available to employers who have committed to training their Apprentices with First Intuition. Unfortunately, we can only advertise for apprenticeship vacancies that we will provide the training for.
After the initial consultation, we will send you a form to confirm the details of the role and candidate requirements. We will then ask you to sign, date and return this form. In doing so you are agreeing that you are an authorised representative from the organisation you are completing the form on behalf of. You are also agreeing to commit to training the apprentices we will provide recruitment support for with First Intuition.
In the event of your organisation completing the recruitment process successfully, but deciding to train your apprentices with an alternative provider, First Intuition reserves the right to make a reasonable charge for any services we have delivered on your behalf. This will exclude the advertising of the vacancy on the Gov.uk Recruit an Apprentice site.
First Intuition accept no liability for the recruitment of candidates to your apprenticeship scheme. Our services identify suitable possible candidates but the recruitment decision remains the responsibility of the employer.
Please also note that as part of the funding rules the apprenticeship needs to be completed within the contracted hours stated. That will include at least 20% of the contracted hours as off-the-job training time.
Our Introduction to Apprenticeships video will give you more insight into why, how and when to hire an apprentice.
Contact us
For more information or to enquire about the Apprenticeship Recruitment Service, please contact Amy Sawyer at amysawyer@firstintuition.co.uk.
