Apprenticeships
Earn while you learn and gain real work experience with Askham Bryan apprenticeships, available in a range of land-based sectors.
Find out more
Apprenticeship Options at Askham Bryan College
Our apprenticeships combine classroom-based learning with on-the-job training, providing students with a well-rounded experience in both the practical and theoretical aspects of their chosen career path.
Most of our apprenticeships are 2 years long and are available to both school leavers aged 16 and mature students. Upon successful completion of an apprenticeship, our students will not only receive a nationally recognized qualification but will also have gained relevant work experience and strong industry connections, helping to kick-start their journey into full-time employment in their chosen sector.
At Askham Bryan, we offer apprenticeships in the following land-based industries, with classroom learning taking place at our York campus (with the exception of our Level 3 Veterinary Nursing Apprenticeship, which is also available at Gateshead).
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Agriculture
With over 150,000 businesses, the agriculture industry offers exciting and varied careers in the UK and abroad. The industry provides the opportunity to work in a technically advanced and innovative environment, with businesses ranging from small family farms through to large integrated organisations working across the food supply chain.
View Agriculture Apprenticeships
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Arboriculture and Forestry
The arboricultural industry manages trees for their benefits and values in diverse urban and rural locations from city parks and urban woodlands, to country estates and private gardens. The industry manages trees adjacent to highways, railways, watercourses and power lines. The organisations involved in this type of work vary from local authorities and large national contractors to small specialist businesses.
View Arboriculture and Forestry Apprenticeships
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Engineering
Those working in the Land-Based Engineering sectors work with the most technically advanced products including; GPS and telemetry, drones, robotics, autonomous vehicles and alternative fuel sources. The technology employed in the Land-based Engineering sectors meets or exceeds applications found in many other sectors.
View Engineering Apprenticeships
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Equine
The Equine industry contributes over £8bn to the British economy each year. Horse industries are steeped in tradition, yet embrace innovation and technology. There are about a million horses (including all domestic equine species, namely horses, ponies, donkeys and their hybrids) kept for recreation and commercial use in the UK.
View Equine Apprenticeships
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Horticulture
Working and learning in the horticulture and landscape industries is rewarding, offers a diverse range of employment opportunities and includes a range of skills that are transferrable into many other industries.
View Horticulture Apprenticeships
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Veterinary Nursing
With high-quality teaching and learning facilities, our centres provide students with the essential theoretical expertise and an appreciation of the practical skills necessary to undertake the role within the profession. All key members of the delivery team are Registered Veterinary Nurses or Veterinary Surgeons, with experience of the industry. The College runs veterinary nursing and animal nursing assistant courses at our York and Gateshead locations.
View Veterinary Nursing Apprenticeships
Apprenticeship Vacancies
See below for apprenticeship opportunities offered by employers in the region:
Askham Bryan Apprenticeships FAQs
What is an Apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships are work based learning programmes, that require the learner to be employed in a suitable job role. Prior to beginning an apprenticeship, you must be employed in a full-time position, which aligns with the content of your preferred course of study. Apprenticeships work on a triparty agreement between the college, learner and employer and can only successfully be delivered in close collaboration. On receipt of your application via the website and by registering your interest for an apprenticeship the College will schedule an interview with you and your employer, to discuss the next steps, however, should you have any questions please email: apprenticeships@askham-bryan.ac.uk
How do apprenticeships work?
You will gain valuable qualifications including:
- A Work-Based programme at Level 2 (Intermediate Apprentices), Level 3 (Advanced Apprentices) or Level 4 and 5 (Higher Apprentices)
- Functional skills qualifications
- Additional nationally recognised certificates for the sector in which you work (charges may apply)
What is included in an apprenticeship and how are apprentices assessed?
All apprenticeships include elements of practical learning with your employer and in-classroom training enabling industry-recognised standards, or qualifications.
All apprenticeships require an external assessment at the end of your programme which evaluates the apprentice’s ability and competence in their job role. The length of the programme is varied depending on the course chosen. Your course manager will support the development of your knowledge, skills and behaviours throughout your course in order to achieve your career goal.
On successful completion of an apprenticeship, you will earn a qualification relevant to its level:
Level 2 apprenticeship certificate is equivalent to five GCSEs at grade A-C/9-4
Level 3 apprenticeship certificate is equivalent to two A Levels
Level 4 and 5 apprenticeship certificate are equivalent to a Foundation Degree
Level 6 and 7 apprenticeship certificate are equivalent to a Degree/Masters
Does an apprenticeship cost?
Apprenticeships are free for the apprentice, as they are funded through the European Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), which is organised and arranged by Askham Bryan College on the learner’s behalf. You will earn an hourly wage whilst working. Your hourly wage will be set by your employer.
What is the National Minimum Wage for Apprentices?
The National Minimum Wage (NMW) for apprentices is £7.55 per hour as from April 2025.
The apprentice NMW applies to apprentices aged under 19 or aged 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship. Apprentices aged 23 and over and not in the first year of their apprenticeship will be entitled to the full NMW.
Who can do an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships are available to anyone over the age of 16 who are living in England and hold a GCSE grade 2 or above.
All vacancies are on the government website and will clearly state what the entry requirements are for the job role being advertised. There will be different entry requirements depending on the industry job role and apprenticeship level.
Search for apprenticeship vacancies on .gov website.
How many hours a week should I be working?
The minimum duration of each apprenticeship is based on the apprentice working 30 hours a week or more, including any off-the-job training you undertake. However, this does not apply in every circumstance. For example, people with caring responsibilities or people with a disability may work reduced weekly hours. Where this is the case, the duration of the apprenticeship will be extended to take account of this. The time spent on off-the-job training should be at least 20% and should be included as part of your hours. Your employer must allow you time to complete your apprenticeship within your working hours. If you need support with English and Maths, this should also be within working hours, but this will be organised and discussed upon interview by the course manager and this will be explained to your employer, prior to signing up. Apprentices under the age of 18 are not permitted to work more than 40 hours per week.
Hear more from our apprentices…
Apprenticeship Programmes by Level...
- General Farm Worker (Level 2)
- Land-Based Service Engineer (Level 2)
- Arborist (Level 2)
-  Equine Groom (Level 2)
- Golf Greenkeeper (Level 2)
- Sports Turf Operative (Level 2)
- Horticulture or Landscape Operative (Level 2)
- Plate Welder (Level 2)
- General Welder (Level 2)
- Construction Equipment Maintenance Mechanic (Level 2)
- Highways Maintenance Operative (Level 2)
- Livestock Unit Technician (Level 3)
- Land-Based Service Engineer Technician (Level 3)
- Crop Technician (Level 3)
- Forest Craftperson (Level 3)
- Senior Equine Groom (Level 3)
- Advanced Golf Greenkeeper (Level 3)
- Landscape or Horticulture Supervisor (Level 3)
- Veterinary Nurse – York and Gateshead (Level 3)
- Plate Welder (Level 3)
- Construction Equipment Maintenance Technician
Employer Information - The Apprenticeship Levy
One of the biggest changes is the introduction of the employers levy and the way that apprenticeships are funded. Previously, all the funding allocations had been placed with the training provider and it has been their role to ensure that the correct funding has been drawn down for each candidate. With the reforms, the employer is very much at the centre of the changes and this includes placing the funding directly with the employer.
Not only do employers now have the option to choose who they wish to deliver the training for them, but they are also responsible for ensuring that the correct funding is accessed and transferred to the training provider.
The Levy will affect all employers and will depend on the size of the organisation as to which levy model they use.
a) Employers with a pay bill over £3 million per annum
If an employer has a payroll bill in excess of £3million per annum. The Levy rate will be 0.5% of the employer pay bill and will be collected through Pay As You Earn (PAYE). The government will pay a 10% top-up for your apprenticeship training funds each month, meaning that for every £1 that enters your account for spending on apprenticeship training, you’ll get £1.10.
b) Employers with a pay bill less than £3 million per annum
There will also be changes to funding for apprenticeship training for employers whose payroll bill is less than £3m a year – the majority of UK business. When the new funding system starts, you can continue to train apprentices and choose the appropriate standard Approved Training Provider.
You will agree a price for the apprenticeship with the training provider and will be able to spread it over the lifetime of the apprenticeship. Employers will be asked to make a contribution to the cost of this training and the government will pay the rest, up to the maximum amount of government funding available for that apprenticeship. As both you and the government make a payment, we call this ‘co-investment’.
The government has confirmed it will pay 90% towards the cost of training and assessment, and employers will pay the remaining 10%.
Every individual apprenticeship standard will be allocated to a funding band. The upper limit of the funding band will cap the maximum price that the government will ‘co-invest’ towards. The new apprenticeship funding system will have 15 funding bands, with the upper limit of these bands ranging from £1,500 to £27,000. All existing and new apprenticeship standards will be placed within one of these funding bands.
Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS)
A new Digital Apprenticeship Service is being created which will allow employers to open online accounts so that they can directly access apprenticeship funding. This digital system will allow employers to:
- search for relevant standards to match their job roles
- search for providers who deliver
- reserve funding
- advertise their vacancy
- receive applications from people interested in the role
- claim the money to pay/support the delivery of the apprenticeship programme.
Apprenticeships Resources for Employers
The government is introducing an Employers Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) to help employers manage their levy payments.
To help you understand these changes, we recommend watching the Government Digital Service YouTube video on managing apprenticeships on the government website.
Visit the government website to learn how to set-up your Apprenticeship Service account and to access the relevant government web pages….
To help calculate your levy credit and identify the correct levy model for you and your organisation visit www.fas.report
Estimate your apprenticeship funding spend through the Skills Funding Agency.
The latest guidance on Apprenticeships reforms from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is now available.
Click to access the guidance on the HMRC website.
For More Information…
To help you understand the changes to apprenticeships and how they will affect you and your organisation, please come along to one of our apprenticeship events being organised throughout the year or contact a member of the apprenticeship team:
Transport and Accommodation for Current Apprentices
If you are an employer or parent/guardian looking to book accommodation or transport for a current student, please use the link below to access more information
Learn more about booking your transport or accommodation
