Apprenticeships

The Training Services team are currently working very hard to provide up to date information, advice and support as the situation develops. 

As of 01/04/2020 we wish to make our customers aware of the following:

• If you are an apprentice with us and there are uncertainties with your current work, we will try to help you find alternative work experience and help you still finish your apprenticeship qualification. Under the current circumstances relating to the Coronavirus outbreak you will not be removed from your training course at UCM if you do not have a current employer. 

• The Department of Education, Sport and Culture do not currently have specific guidelines for employers with apprentices during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department will continue to make employer costs to employers who have an apprentice signed up to their Apprenticeship Scheme whilst their course and training continues. The Department would suggest that you continue to monitor the Isle of Man Government website (including DFE webpages) for further updates regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and any financial support that may be offered to business.

Should an Apprentice be made redundant, under the current circumstances the Department and UCM will commit to supporting completion of the training even if there is not an employer. 

Where possible, the Department and UCM will endeavour to assist with matching of Apprentices to new employers but this may be difficult in the current climate. 

• Bi-annual employer assistance payments: All the assistance forms for February have now been sent out to the relevant employers. Once received and completed please return to us at your earliest convenience. Payments will only be made following the successful completion of the form. Please note: Assistance will be paid to the employer for each full day of training whilst in paid employment, payment will only be made for days when the apprentice attends off the job training. 

• Notice to Employers of Apprentices Plumbing & Heating Engineers: Enquiries have been received by the department in respect of the provision of specialist Gas & Gas Safe courses from July 2020 onwards. The department will be running a re-tendering exercise in the coming weeks to select future training delivery and, therefore, a level of funding will be available towards these courses. As yet the department is unable to advise who the provider of these courses will be. It is not envisaged that the tendering process will have an impact on the future need for training or accreditation renewals. 

• Training update: Following the recent announcements regarding self-isolation for anyone coming to the Island, Energy Development Services (EDS) are suspending training until the instruction is relaxed.  Apprentices’ training programs will resume through to completion in due course.  

• Our main public counter at Hamilton House is currently CLOSED. You can send all correspondence and paperwork to us via email training@gov.im  

• Phone lines are currently open (687157) but we ask that you be aware that they may be busy or subject to disruption during this time.

This information is all currently subject to change as we receive daily updates from Isle of Man Public Health and the Chief Ministers Office.