28/2/12
The scheme, part of the Youth Contract announced in Autumn 2011, allocates £126 million towards 55,000 teenagers in England with poor qualifications who are currently not in employment or education (NEET). It will invite bids for contracts worth up to £2,200 for each teenager who can be sustained in work, education or training for 12 months.
Suki Kalirai, interim CEO of SkillsActive, the skills council for the sport and active leisure sector, says: “The sport and active leisure sector is perfect for NEETs. Twenty-nine percent of the sector’s workforce is aged 16-24 and we offer highly attractive job roles that can help get many of the now 1 million unemployed 16 to 24 year olds off the dole queue.
“This latest initiative offers a much needed career lifeline and helps employers to source enthusiastic, skilled talent for their workforce. I urge employers in our sector to take up this opportunity to develop their workforce, reduce business costs and help alleviate the nation’s unemployment crisis, by taking on apprentices and using one of SkillsActive’s 13 different Apprenticeship frameworks.”
The number of apprentices in the sport and active leisure sector has increased 600% in the past five years; SkillsActive issued 9,342 Apprenticeship certificates in the year ending September 2011, up from 1,271 in 2006.
There are 13 Apprenticeship frameworks available in the sport and active leisure sector in England, covering job roles as diverse as activity leadership, playwork and spectator safety. SkillsActive has designed each framework in consultation with sector employers, to ensure they provide the skills businesses need.
To learn more about Apprenticeships in the sport and active leisure sector, and how your business can benefit, please visit www.skillsactive.com/takethelead
To hire a work ready, qualified Future Jobs Fund graduate please visit www.activegradates.com
English apprenticeship providers and employers acting on the behalf of apprentices will soon be able to request Apprenticeship certificates online.
The Alliance of Sector Skills Councils is now the Certifying Authority for England using the Apprenticeship Certificates England (ACE) system, following changes to the Apprenticeship certification system.
From 10 February 2012, apprenticeship providers / employers acting on the behalf of apprenticeswill be able to use the ACE online system to request certificates from sector skills bodies (SSBs) and sector skills councils (SSCs), such as SkillsActive.
SSBs and SSCs will then issue Apprenticeship certificates, providing the Apprenticeship framework requirements have been met.
Key dates
• On 10 February 2012, SkillsActive will begin issuing Apprenticeship certificates via ACE
• SkillsActive will continue to issue certificates against claims submitted on the current paper based system until 31 March 2012.
• After 1 April 2012, SkillsActive will only accept requests from people registered on the ACE system
To request a certificate using the ACE system, please register on the ACE website. SkillsActive will issue a username and password to you within 5 – 7 working days.
New certificates
If you request an Apprenticeship certificate using the ACE system, you will receive the new certificates with gold (higher apprenticeship), silver (advanced apprenticeship) or bronze (intermediate apprenticeship) foil seals. If you use the paper based system, you will receive the older version of the certificate.
New fees
• Apprenticeship certification claims submitted via the paper based system until 31 March 2012 – £25
• Apprenticeship certification claims submitted via ACE – £22
activepassports to link with ACE
SkillsActive is working to integrate activepassports into the ACE certification process.
Providers will soon be able to use activepassports to track a linked apprentice’s qualifications and the new statutory Guided Learning Hour requirement.
Following further development, it is hoped activepassport will populate ACE with the required certification information. This will enable providers to better track and manage their apprentices and, ultimately, help streamline the certification process.
Please keep an eye on your email inbox for further details, including activepassport package pricing.
The Skills Funding Agency has advised SkillsActive that the ERR awards will no longer have a value on Learning Aims Reference Application as stand alone qualifications. However, the Skills Funding Agency has calculated an enhanced amount of funding into the competence qualification's (NVQ) funding to cover the delivery of the ERR component of the framework in our sector.
The funding has not disappeared – it is still there but has been captured in the main component of the framework.
SkillsActive apologies if this change has caused concern. However, it was brought in without advance consultation. We hope this notice allays your concerns.
There are two types of Apprenticeships available in the active leisure, learning and wellbeing sector in Wales:
For information and documents relevant to apprenticeships in England see Frameworks and Guidance for Wales
Frameworks and Guidance for Wales>
SkillsActive manages the Hair and Beauty Apprenticeship frameworks in partnership with Habia, the sector body for the hair, beauty, nails and spa sector. For Hair and Beauty Apprenticeship frameworks see the HABIA website
For more information on apprenticeships in Wales see the Welsh Government website.
For more information on Apprenticeships in Wales please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
There are two types of Apprenticeships available in the active leisure, learning and wellbeing sector sector in England:
For information and documents relevant to apprenticeships in England see Frameworks and Guidance for England.
Frameworks and Guidance for England>
SkillsActive manages the Hair and Beauty Apprenticeship frameworks in partnership with Habia, the sector body for the hair, beauty, nails and spa sector.
For Hair and Beauty Apprenticeship frameworks see the HABIA website.
For more information on apprenticeships in England see the National Apprenticeship Service website.
National Apprenticeship Service website>
Register your interest in discovering more about how Apprenticeships could benefit your business >
There are two types of Modern Apprenticeships available in the active leisure, learning and wellbeing sector in Scotland:
For information and documents relevant to Apprenticeships in Scotland see Frameworks and Guidance for Scotland.
Frameworks and Guidance for Scotland>
SkillsActive manages the Hair and Beauty Apprenticeship frameworks in partnership with Habia, the sector body for the hair, beauty, nails and spa sector.
For Hair and Beauty Apprenticeship frameworks see the HABIA website.
For more information on modern apprenticeships in Scotland see the Scottish Qualifications Autority website.
Scottish Qualifications Authority website>
For more information on Apprenticeships in Scotland please email
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
SkillsActive works with employers to ensure Apprenticeships across our sector deliver the knowledge and skills their business needs.
Fill the skills gaps in your company and build a highly loyal workforce with Apprenticeships. Find out how to access funded training.
Find out about Apprenticeship funding, frameworks, certification and verifying your apprentice’s training.
Kick-start your sport and active leisure career with an Apprenticeship. Find out more about the different types of Apprenticeships available.
Ensure your Apprenticeship programmes meet the needs of employers with SkillsActive’s frameworks.
Read our frequently asked questions to learn the facts about what an Apprenticeship entails.
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