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Traineeships will be available for young people aged 16-19 and for young people with Learning Difficulty Assessments up to an academic age of 25 from August 2013. The Government will look to extend traineeships to young people aged up to 24 in due course.

Traineeships are designed for young people who want to work, but need extra help to gain an Apprenticeship or employment. The programme is designed to fit individual learner needs, and will last for a maximum of six months. Traineeships will give young people the opportunity to develop skills and workplace experience that employers want, putting them in a better position to compete for employment opportunities. The core content of the programme will be a high quality work placement, work preparation training, and English and maths. Providers and employers will have the freedom to bring these elements together in the best way to engage and support individuals, so that they are prepared to take the next steps in building on their skills and future careers.　

As an eligible provider you will have a key role in coordinating traineeships with your local employers, and in engaging young people and ensuring that they meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the Framework Document. We want to build on the existing good practice by providers and employers, in creating a clear route to employment for young people. Employers will be at the very centre of traineeships, delivering high quality work placements in partnership with an eligible provider.
　
In 2013/2014, eligibility to deliver traineeship provision is limited to providers who hold a 16-19 funding agreement with the Education Funding Agency (EFA) or a 16-18 Apprenticeship funding agreement with the Skills Funding Agency (the Agency) and have achieved an Ofsted inspection grade of Outstanding (Grade 1) or Good (Grade 2). We are also developing opportunities for employers to lead the delivery of traineeships to young people, again as outlined in the Framework Document.

Providers who meet the quality criteria can begin delivering traineeships from the start of the 2013/14 Academic Year. A list of these providers, along with the funding rules for Traineeships, which providers need to adhere to as part of Agency contractual agreements, will be published week commencing 13 May 2013. Placeholder for: Traineeship eligible providers Hyperlink　

Traineeships will be funded in the same way as EFA Study Programmes for young people. EFA will shortly be publishing more information about how traineeships are funded in the Education Funding Agency’s funding guidance for young people 2013/14, which will be located here.

Agency providers with queries can contact their Relationship Manager or National Apprenticeships Service Account Manager for further information on how to get involved, or email: Traineeships.Discussion@education.gsi.gov.uk

EFA providers with queries can contact their territorial team; please follow this link for contact details.