Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility Criteria for participating in a Level 2/3 Apprenticeship
2.0 ELIGIBILITY
2.1 ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
People can enter ApprenticeshipsNI funded apprenticeships on progression from Jobskills, Training for Success, or as direct entrants.
2.1.1 An unemployed person
To be eligible to enter ApprenticeshipsNI funded Level 2/Level 3 Apprenticeship provision, an unemployed person must:
• have attained the minimum school leaving age. However, a 16 year old who is entitled to leave school after the statutory leaving date of 30th June and a 17 year old who leaves school/FE College during the month of June will not be permitted to enter ApprenticeshipsNI until the first Monday of the following September. However, a School Leaver/FE College Leaver who is 17 years old and who leaves before 1st June can be admitted to ApprenticeshipsNI at any time after leaving school/FE College;
• be about to take up permanent remunerative employment with a Northern Ireland-based company (see 2.4), and be contracted to work a minimum of 21 hours per week (including day release/off-the-job training) with one employer;
• have the potential to successfully complete all the requirements of the appropriate Level 2/Level 3 Apprenticeship Framework;
• meet any health requirements (e.g. colour vision) specific to the occupation of their choice;
• have achieved any necessary entry academic qualifications (e.g. GCSE) determined by the relevant sector for the Apprenticeship and approved by the Department; and
• pass any entry tests specified by the relevant sector/employer and approved by the Department.
2.1.2 An existing employee
To be eligible to enter ApprenticeshipsNI funded Level 2/Level 3 Apprenticeship provision, an existing employee must:
• be in permanent remunerative employment with a Northern Ireland-based company from day one of the Apprenticeship;
• be contracted to work a minimum of 21 hours per week (including day release/off-the-job training) with one employer; and
• meet all the other eligibility criteria as set out at paragraph 2.1.1
2.1.3 Notes on Existing Employee Entry
Assessment of the aptitude and ability of an existing employee to successfully complete a Level 2/Level 3 Apprenticeship is, initially, the joint responsibility of the Supplier and the participating employer.
2.2 PREVIOUS QUALIFICATIONS
2.2.1 Level 2/Level 3
A person who has previously achieved a recognised vocational qualification at Level 2/Level 3 or equivalent can undertake a Level 2/Level 3 Apprenticeship which is both unrelated to their qualification and classified as a priority skill area under ApprenticeshipsNI (see Annex 1), subject to satisfying eligibility criteria stated at paragraph 2.1. Such participants will attract funding at Level 4 - 6 specified in Annex 2.
2.2.2 Graduates
Graduates are eligible to enter ApprenticeshipsNI provision. However, the Supplier and the Employer must be satisfied that an Apprenticeship is an appropriate career path for the graduate to take.
Graduates may enter ApprenticeshipsNI provision in an occupational area that is both unrelated to their Degree subject and is classified as a priority skill area (see Annex 1). Such participants will attract funding at Level 4 - 6 specified in Annex 2.
A graduate is defined as a person who has obtained a Degree, a Higher National Diploma, a Diploma in Higher Education, or an equivalent qualification awarded by a recognised University or other Institute of Higher or Further Education.
2.3 APPRENTICES FROM OTHER EUROPEAN UNION STATES
A person from other European Union (EU) member states and elsewhere is eligible to undertake a Level 2/Level 3 Apprenticeship if he/she satisfies the following criteria:
• are ‘settled’ in the UK, and been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least the three years prior to the start of his/her training; or
• are a national of any EU country, or the spouse or civil partner or child of an EU national, and have been ordinarily resident in the European Economic Area (EEA) for at least three years prior to his/her start on Level 2/Level 3 Apprenticeship provision; or
• are an EEA migrant worker, or the spouse or civil partner or child of an EEA migrant worker, who is ordinarily resident in the UK at the start of training and has been ordinarily resident in the EEA throughout the three year period prior to that; or
• are a recognised refugee by the UK Government, or the spouse or civil partner or child of a refugee, or have been granted Humanitarian Protection, or have EU Temporary Protection; or
• are a person who has indefinite leave to enter or indefinite leave to remain.
2.4 APPRENTICES WORKING OUTSIDE NORTHERN IRELAND
A person beginning employment as an Apprentice with a Northern Ireland-based company who, initially or during the course of the Apprenticeship, will be temporarily working for that company outside Northern Ireland is eligible to follow a Level 2/Level 3 Apprenticeship.
2.5 INELIGIBLE PEOPLE
The following are not eligible to enter an Apprenticeship NI-funded Level 2/Level 3 Apprenticeship:
• a person taking up, or already in, a self-employment opportunity;
• a public sector employee (i.e. a direct employee of a public body).
• a non-EU National, who is subject to employment restrictions and / or a time limit on his/her stay in Northern Ireland at the time of application to enter training. This information can be obtained by checking the client’s passport;
• a person for whom the employer is claiming financial support from any other Departmental budget or programme; and
• a person following a full-time course of study in either further or higher education.