College – Frequently Asked Questions & Guidance
The following information provides details and links to the current Rating apprenticeships available in England and Scotland, along with the qualifications within them. It also outlines training courses that some employees are providing for their Ratings and gives information about funding arrangements.
It is expected that new apprentices from September 2016 will commence onto Trailblazer apprenticeships standards when they become available.
English Apprenticeships, known as SASE frameworks
The specification of Apprenticeship Standards in England (SASE) is the old-style framework that sets out the requirement for apprenticeship training. The Maritime Occupations SASE has a number of pathways for apprenticeships within the maritime sector, those for Merchant Navy Ratings are:
Pathway 3: Able seafarer/tug rating (deck)
Pathway 4: Able seafarer/tug rating (engine room)
http://www.afo.sscalliance.org/frameworkslibrary/index.cfm?id=FR03245
http://www.afo.sscalliance.org/frameworkslibrary/downloader.cfm?FRID=FR03245
Able Seafarer – Apprenticeship Standard
Able Seafarer (Deck) – Apprenticeship Assessment Plan
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/456750/Able_Sea_Farer.pdf
In development:
Maritime Caterer apprenticeship standard and assessment plan
Engine Room (Electrical/Mechanical Mechanic) apprenticeship standard and assessment plan
Qualifications within the apprenticeship are:
Certificate in Maritime Studies: Able Seafarer (Deck) at QCF level 2
http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/75649.html
Level 2 Award in Maritime Studies: Deck Rating
The pathways for the Scottish frameworks for the Merchant Navy are:
Pathway 1 Able Seafarer/Tug Rating (Deck) GL63 45 & GL62 45 – Includes the certificate in Maritime Studies: Able Seafarer / Tug Rating (Deck) at SCQF level 5
Pathway 2 Engine Room Rating: GL2E 45 – Includes the Diploma in Maritime Studies: Able Seafarer (Engine Room) at SCQF Level 5
A Trailblazer is a group of employers developing apprenticeship standards for job roles in their sector. The standards they create will either be completely new or will gradually replace existing apprenticeships frameworks for job roles. The current standard approved is:
The Apprenticeship Levy is a levy on UK employers to fund new apprenticeships from April 2017, it applies to all employees with a paybill of over £3 million. The levy will be charged at a rate of 0.5% of an employer’s paybill and there is an allowance for first £15,000 against the levy payment amount.
Further information about the Levy can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-levy/apprenticeship-levy
The Department for Education (DfE) provides two worked examples as examples of how the levy will affect your paybill. You will notice that the smaller employer below will not have to pay any levy at all.
A: The large employer
Employer of 250 employees, each with a gross salary of £20,000:
Paybill: 250 x £20,000 = £5,000,000
Levy sum: 0.5% x £5,000,000 = £25,000
Allowance: £25,000 – £15,000 = £10,000 annual levy payment
B: The small employer
Employer of 100 employees, each with a gross salary of £20,000 would pay:
Paybill: 100 x £20,000 = £2,000,000
Levy sum: 0.5% x £2,000,000 = £10,000
Allowance: £10,000 – £15,000 = £0 annual levy payment