How much does it cost to hire an electrical apprentice?

For non-levy employers (annual payroll below £3 million), the employer contribution is 5% of the training costs, up to the funding band maximum. For the Level 3 Electrician Apprenticeship Standard (ST0145), the funding band maximum is £27,000 over the full apprenticeship. Your contribution is therefore around £1,350 over three to four years, or roughly £400 per year. You also pay the apprentice's wages, National Insurance contributions, and any personal protective equipment or tool costs. Levy-paying employers pay nothing from their own pocket — all costs are drawn from their Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) account.

What is the ESFA and how does it fund apprenticeships?

The Education & Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) is the government body responsible for funding apprenticeships in England. For non-levy employers, the ESFA pays 95% of training costs directly to the approved training provider. Levy-paying employers (payroll over £3 million) pay the Apprenticeship Levy at 0.5% of their annual wage bill (with a £15,000 annual allowance), and these funds sit in a Digital Apprenticeship Service account from which training costs are drawn. Employers must use an ESFA-registered training provider to access any government funding.

What qualifications does an electrical apprentice work towards?

Under the Level 3 Electrician Apprenticeship Standard (ST0145), apprentices work towards the Level 3 Diploma in Installing Electrotechnical Systems and Equipment (City & Guilds 2357) or equivalent, the Level 3 Certificate in Electrotechnical Technology (C&G 2357 Part B), and the End-Point Assessment (EPA) which includes a practical task and professional discussion. On completion, apprentices typically hold the qualifications required for JIB Approved Electrician grade and can apply for ECS Gold Card (Electrotechnical Certification Scheme).

What is the apprentice National Minimum Wage?

The National Minimum Wage for apprentices is £6.40 per hour from April 2024. This rate applies to all apprentices in their first year and to those under 19 years old in any year. Once an apprentice is 19 or older AND has completed their first year, they are entitled to the National Minimum Wage for their age band (e.g., £11.44 per hour for those aged 21+). Most electrical employers pay above the minimum — the JIB recommends year-by-year scales: Year 1: 40% of Approved Electrician rate; Year 2: 50%; Year 3: 65%; Year 4: 75%.

Do I need to register my apprentice with the JIB?

Yes. If you are a JIB-registered employer (which most NICEIC and NAPIT members are), you must register your apprentice with the Joint Industry Board (JIB) at the start of their employment. Registration establishes the apprentice's grade (Apprentice Year 1), entitles them to JIB benefits (such as the Welfare Benefit Scheme and ECS Card), and creates their employment record which is used for future grading assessments. Registration is done online through the JIB portal and costs a small annual fee.

Can I take on an apprentice if I am a sole trader?

Yes. Sole traders can hire apprentices and access ESFA funding. You must have a Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) account (free to set up at gov.uk), choose an ESFA-registered training provider, and sign an apprenticeship agreement with the apprentice. As a non-levy employer you pay 5% of training costs. Bear in mind that as the sole employer you will personally be responsible for all mentoring and supervision — you cannot take on an apprentice if you cannot guarantee adequate on-site supervision throughout their training.

What happens if my business cannot keep the apprentice for the full term?

If you need to end the apprenticeship early, you must notify the training provider and the ESFA. The apprentice may be able to transfer to another employer and continue their apprenticeship from where they left off — this is called an apprenticeship transfer. The JIB and some training providers maintain lists of employers willing to take on transferred apprentices. You should only end an apprenticeship as a last resort, and you must follow standard employment law procedures including notice periods and, where applicable, redundancy rules.

EMPLOYER GUIDE

Hiring Electrical Apprentices UK: Employer Guide 2025

Everything you need to know about taking on an electrical apprentice — ESFA funding (up to 95% of training costs), levy vs non-levy rules, JIB paperwork, apprentice wages, choosing a training provider, and your mentoring responsibilities.

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13 min readUpdated 2026-05-18Andrew Moore, Founder of Elec-Mate

Written and reviewed by Andrew Moore, founder of Elec-Mate, against BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, IET Guidance Note 3 and the IET On-Site Guide.

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Key Takeaways

1The Education & Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) funds up to 95% of apprenticeship training costs for non-levy paying employers and 100% (via levy funds) for levy-paying employers with large payrolls.
2Electrical apprenticeships in England follow the Level 3 Electrician Apprenticeship Standard (ST0145), which replaced the older framework and includes end-point assessment (EPA).
3The National Minimum Wage for apprentices is £6.40 per hour (April 2024 rate), but most electrical employers pay above this — the JIB recommends age-related scales aligned with apprentice year.
4You must register your apprentice with the Joint Industry Board (JIB) within the first few weeks of employment to establish their grading and entitlement to JIB benefits.
5Non-levy employers pay just 5% of training costs (capped at the funding band maximum), with the ESFA contributing the remaining 95% directly to the training provider.

01 · Employer Guide

How Electrical Apprenticeships Work for Employers

Taking on an electrical apprentice is one of the most cost-effective ways to grow your workforce. You recruit the apprentice directly, sign an apprenticeship agreement, and the government (via the ESFA) funds the vast majority of their training costs at college or with a training provider.

In England, electrical apprenticeships follow the Level 3 Electrician Apprenticeship Standard (ST0145), introduced to replace the older framework apprenticeships. The standard typically lasts three to four years for school leavers, or can be compressed for mature entrants with prior electrical knowledge.

Off-the-job training — at least 20% of the apprentice's paid working hours must be spent in off-the-job training (college, online learning, or structured workplace training). This is a legal requirement and is monitored by the ESFA. Your training provider will help you track and record this time.
End-point assessment (EPA) — at the end of the apprenticeship, the apprentice is assessed by an independent end-point assessment organisation (EPAO). The EPA includes a practical task, knowledge test, and professional discussion. Passing the EPA is required to complete the apprenticeship standard.
Apprenticeship agreement — you must sign a written apprenticeship agreement with the apprentice setting out the terms of employment, training, and the apprenticeship standard being followed. This is a legal requirement under the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009.
Commitment statement — you, the training provider, and the apprentice must all sign a commitment statement at the start of the apprenticeship. This sets out the planned content, schedule, and expectations of all three parties.

Apprenticeships are employment contracts, not just training arrangements. Your apprentice is a full employee with all associated employment rights — holiday pay, sick pay, pension auto-enrolment (once eligible), and protection from unfair dismissal after two years.

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02 · Employer Guide

ESFA Funding: How the Government Pays for Training

The Education & Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) administers apprenticeship funding in England. The amount of government support depends on whether your business pays the Apprenticeship Levy.

Funding band maximum — the ESFA sets a maximum funding band for each apprenticeship standard. For the Level 3 Electrician Standard (ST0145) this is £27,000. Training costs must not exceed this cap. Your training provider will agree a price within the band.
Additional payments — if your apprentice is aged 16 to 18 at the start of their apprenticeship, the ESFA pays an additional £1,000 to you (the employer) and £1,000 to the training provider. This is to encourage employers to take on younger apprentices who require more support.
Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) — all employers must manage their apprenticeships through the DAS account on gov.uk. This is where you find approved training providers, approve training costs, and manage payments. Setting up a DAS account is free and straightforward.
What funding does NOT cover — ESFA funding covers training and assessment costs only. It does not cover apprentice wages, PPE, tools, travel, or any other employment costs. These are entirely your responsibility as the employer.

03 · Employer Guide

Levy vs Non-Levy Employers

The Apprenticeship Levy was introduced in April 2017. Whether your business pays it determines how apprenticeship training costs are funded.

Levy-paying employers — businesses with an annual wage bill above £3 million pay the Apprenticeship Levy at 0.5% of their payroll, minus a £15,000 annual allowance. These funds accumulate in a DAS account and must be used for apprenticeship training within 24 months or they expire. Large electrical contractors and M&E firms are typically levy payers. Levy funds can be transferred to supply chain partners (including small subcontractors) up to 25% of total levy funds.
Non-levy employers — businesses with a wage bill below £3 million (the vast majority of independent electrical contractors) pay just 5% of training costs as a co-investment. The ESFA pays 95% directly to the training provider. For a £20,000 training programme, your contribution is £1,000 spread over three to four years — typically invoiced quarterly.
Levy transfer — if you are a small non-levy employer and have a good relationship with a large M&E contractor who is a levy payer, ask whether they can transfer levy funds to cover your training costs entirely. Large employers can transfer up to 25% of their levy pot to other employers, and many are incentivised to do so to prevent funds expiring unused.

04 · Employer Guide

Apprentice Wages: Minimum Rates and JIB Recommendations

Apprentice wages are your responsibility as the employer. The statutory minimum is low, but most electrical employers — especially JIB members — pay considerably more to attract and retain good apprentices.

National Minimum Wage (apprentice rate) — £6.40 per hour from April 2024. This applies to all apprentices in their first year, and to apprentices under 19 in any year. Once an apprentice is 19 or older and past Year 1, the age-band NMW applies (£11.44 per hour for those aged 21+).
JIB recommended scales — the Joint Industry Board recommends apprentice pay as a percentage of the Approved Electrician (AE) rate. Year 1: 40% of AE rate; Year 2: 50%; Year 3: 65%; Year 4: 75%. At the 2025 JIB AE rate of approximately £20.00/hour, this equates to roughly £8.00, £10.00, £13.00, and £15.00 per hour across the four years.
Travel time and expenses — under the JIB Working Rule Agreement (WRA), apprentices are entitled to travel time and travel allowances on the same basis as qualified electricians. Make sure your payroll reflects this, especially for apprentices travelling to college days.
Pension auto-enrolment — apprentices must be auto-enrolled into a workplace pension once they meet the age and earnings criteria (aged 22+, earnings above £10,000/year). Most electrical apprentices will meet these thresholds before the end of their apprenticeship.

05 · Employer Guide

Choosing a Training Provider

Your training provider delivers the off-the-job learning and prepares the apprentice for their end-point assessment. Choosing the right provider significantly affects the quality of your apprentice's training.

ESFA registered providers — you must use a provider on the ESFA Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP). Search the Find Apprenticeship Training service at gov.uk to find providers delivering ST0145 in your area.
Ofsted rating — check the provider's most recent Ofsted inspection rating. Good or Outstanding-rated providers deliver better outcomes. Inadequate or Requires Improvement providers should be avoided — ESFA may also withdraw their registration.
Achievement rates — ask providers for their achievement rates for electrical apprenticeships. The national average is around 55 to 65%. A provider with achievement rates significantly below this warrants further scrutiny.
Location and delivery model — consider travel time for your apprentice on college days. Some providers offer day-release, block-release (residential), or blended online/on-site models. Day-release (one day per week at college) is the most common for electrical apprenticeships.

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06 · Employer Guide

JIB Paperwork and Registration

The Joint Industry Board (JIB) is the industry body that manages grading, employment conditions, and benefits for electricians working in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Most employers who are NICEIC or NAPIT registered are also JIB employers and must follow the JIB Working Rule Agreement.

Apprentice registration — register your apprentice with the JIB online within the first few weeks of employment. You will need: the apprentice's personal details, NI number, start date, training provider details, and your JIB employer registration number.
ECS Apprentice Card — once registered, the apprentice applies for an Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) Apprentice Card. This must be carried on site and proves they are a registered apprentice. Many principal contractors will not allow unregistered apprentices on site.
Annual registration renewal — JIB apprentice registration must be renewed annually. The training provider usually handles this in conjunction with the employer. Failure to renew means the apprentice may not be covered by the JIB Welfare Benefit Scheme.
Grading on completion — on successful completion of the apprenticeship standard and EPA, submit the apprentice's grading application to the JIB for Approved Electrician status. This entitles them to an ECS Gold Card and the full Approved Electrician rate under the Working Rule Agreement.

07 · Employer Guide

Your Mentoring Responsibility

As an employer, you are legally and morally responsible for the on-site development of your apprentice. The ESFA requires that apprentices receive adequate supervision and mentoring throughout their apprenticeship.

Designated mentor — appoint a named, qualified electrician as the apprentice's workplace mentor. This person should ideally hold an Approved Electrician or Technician grade and have some experience of working with apprentices. A mentoring award (such as City & Guilds 6317) is not mandatory but is beneficial.
Regular reviews — you must participate in regular progress reviews with the apprentice and training provider, typically every 12 weeks. These reviews assess the apprentice's development against the apprenticeship standard and identify any support needed.
Varied work experience — expose your apprentice to a range of electrical work throughout their training: domestic, commercial, industrial, first fix, second fix, testing, and commissioning. The end-point assessment expects apprentices to demonstrate broad competence, not just one type of work.
Pastoral care — apprentices, particularly school leavers, may face personal challenges during their training. As the employer, you have a duty of care. Be approachable, address issues early, and signpost support services (such as the JIB Welfare Benefit Scheme which provides mental health support) when needed.

08 · Employer Guide

Managing Your Apprentice Day-to-Day with Elec-Mate

Once your apprentice is on board, the practical challenge is keeping your business running smoothly while delivering the varied work experience and supervision they need. Elec-Mate's job scheduling tools make it easier to plan apprentice-appropriate work alongside your regular jobs.

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Block out your apprentice's college day in the Elec-Mate scheduler so jobs are never booked that require them on their training day. Fewer scheduling conflicts means fewer awkward calls to clients.

Track Varied Work for EPA Evidence

Use job records in Elec-Mate to log the types of work your apprentice has assisted with. This creates a useful evidence base for progress reviews and end-point assessment preparation.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Hiring Electrical Apprentices

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Hiring Electrical Apprentices UK: Employer Guide 2025

Key Takeaways

How Electrical Apprenticeships Work for Employers

Get the BS 7671 A4:2026 Cheat Sheet — free

ESFA Funding: How the Government Pays for Training

Levy vs Non-Levy Employers

Apprentice Wages: Minimum Rates and JIB Recommendations

Choosing a Training Provider

Try Elec-Mate free for 7 days

JIB Paperwork and Registration

Your Mentoring Responsibility

Managing Your Apprentice Day-to-Day with Elec-Mate

Schedule College Days Automatically

Track Varied Work for EPA Evidence

Manage your apprentice alongside your business with

Frequently Asked Questions About Hiring Electrical Apprentices

How much does it cost to hire an electrical apprentice?

What is the ESFA and how does it fund apprenticeships?

What qualifications does an electrical apprentice work towards?

What is the apprentice National Minimum Wage?

Do I need to register my apprentice with the JIB?

Can I take on an apprentice if I am a sole trader?

What happens if my business cannot keep the apprentice for the full term?

Continue reading

Growing Your Electrical Business

Managing Electrical Subcontractors

Electrician Salary Benchmarking

Job Scheduling App

What electricians say

One App for Everything!

Fantastic app for electricians

Absolutely amazing

Trusted by electricians across the UK

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