If you are aged 16–18 when you start your apprenticeship, 100 per cent of the funding for tuition will be met. For those apprentices aged 19 and over at the start of their programme the central funding contribution for the training will be less, with up to a maximum of 50 per cent received by the college.

Funding for the training delivery element of the Apprenticeship is available from the Skills Funding Agency, a government agency. The size of the contribution varies depending on the sector in which you work and your age when you start your Apprenticeship. The funding is paid directly to Reading College as the learning provider.

Reading College operates a reasonable and competitive fees policy with employers to support the remaining contribution towards the cost of the training. It is expected that employers will pay these fees for tuition not the apprentices themselves. Please contact Employer Services for more details (0845 467 6068).

All employed apprentices must receive the minimum wage for apprentices (£2.60 per hour) in the first year of the Apprenticeship. However, as skills develop, many employers tend to increase wages with research suggesting that apprentices earn an average of £170 net pay per week.

For those learners who have been working for many years and are using Apprenticeship funding to support their continued learning and development, we would expect your normal employment terms and conditions to remain unchanged, including your salary.