Apprenticeship Subcontracting Policy
The University of Cumbria delivers Higher and Degree Level apprenticeships to businesses in the following sectors:
- Business and Administration
- Care Services
- Engineering and Manufacturing
- Health and Science
- Protective Services
In normal circumstances, the University will plan and validate programmes with the intention of delivering all parts of the programme itself, without the use of subcontractors. The University will only agree to subcontract delivery of any part of an apprenticeship in the following circumstances:
- Where it is a contractual requirement with the employer that part of the delivery of the apprenticeship is subcontracted to them.
- Where the University does not have the in-house expertise to deliver an essential part of the apprenticeship.
The University will also subcontract the delivery of English and Maths functional skills where an individual does not already hold or cannot demonstrate that they hold the qualifications in these subjects required by the ESFA funding rules.
In all these cases, the decision to subcontract will be discussed with the employer before entering into a subcontract arrangement and will be recorded in the legal contract for services with the employer.
Where any element of the programme, including English and Maths, is subcontracted to the employer or another provider, they must be either a Main or Supporting Provider on ESFA’s register of Apprentice Training Providers or a registered Employer Provider.
All subcontracted provision will be subject to the University’s Subcontracting Policy for ESFA Funded programmes which sets out how the University will monitor and quality assure subcontracted provision. This policy applies to all subcontracted provision including that provided by employer providers, main providers or supporting providers. This policy can be found HERE.
The University will make a maximum of 15% charge for the management of subcontractors which covers the cost of monitoring visits, report writing and due diligence checks. The activity undertaken to monitor a subcontractor is set out in the Policy.
Payment to employer providers will be made to cover direct costs only as required in the ESFA funding rules. Employers subcontracted to deliver part of an apprenticeship must evidence the direct costs of their delivery in order to claim payment. These payments will still be subject to a 15% charge for the management and quality assurance of the subcontracted delivery.