If you’ve been thinking about bringing in an apprentice, summer 2026 is the moment. The funding has never been more generous, the apprentice minimum wage makes it genuinely affordable, and the government is actively pushing to make it easier for small businesses to get started.
Here’s what you need to know, and which apprenticeships could be the right fit for your team.
Training 100% Funded For SMEs From August 1st.
From August 2026, apprenticeship training for under-25s at SMEs will be 100% government funded. That means zero training costs for your business. Not 95%. Not “most of it.” All of it.
If you’re not a levy payer (and if your annual wage bill is under £3 million, you’re not), the government will cover the full cost of training for any apprentice under 25.
For apprentices aged 25 and over, the government still covers 95% of training costs, with your business contributing just 5%.
What about wages?
As of April 2026, the apprentice minimum wage is £8.00 per hour. This applies to apprentices under 19, or those aged 19 and over who are still in their first year.
Once an apprentice turns 19 and passes their first year, they move onto the standard National Minimum Wage for their age group:
- 18 to 20: £10.85 per hour
- 21 and over: £12.71 per hour
Most employers pay above the minimum from the start, and the best ones see it as an investment rather than a cost. But the point is this: hiring an apprentice is affordable, especially when training is fully funded.
And if your apprentice is under 25, you won’t pay employer National Insurance contributions either.
Which apprenticeships make sense this summer?
Here are the apprenticeships we deliver at Pro Apprenticeships, matched to the kind of roles SMEs are actually hiring for right now.
Marketing
Perfect if you need someone to own your social media, email marketing, content, or campaign activity. This is one of our flagship programmes, and our apprentices consistently achieve distinction-level results. If your marketing is currently “when we get round to it,” this is the fix.
We offer three marketing apprenticeships for SME, Multi-Channel Marketer, Content Creator & AI Content Creator.
Duration: 15-18 months Ideal for: Agencies, e-commerce businesses, professional services, any growing SME that needs marketing done properly.
IT and Software
From support desk to software development, these programmes cover the technical skills your team needs. Whether you’re looking for someone to manage your systems, build internal tools, add web development skills to your team or strengthen your IT capability, there’s a route here.
Duration: 15 to 24 months depending on level Ideal for: Web design agencies, MSPs, companies with in-house IT teams.
Business Administration
The all-rounder. If you need someone who can manage operations, handle customer communications, support projects, and keep things running smoothly, this is the one. It’s also one of the most versatile apprenticeships available, adaptable to almost any sector.
Duration: 12 months Ideal for: Offices, practices, growing teams that need structure and support
AI and Automation
This is where things get interesting. If your business is ready to start using AI tools, automating processes, or building smarter workflows, this apprenticeship gives you someone who can actually do it, not just talk about it. It’s one of the most in-demand programmes in the country right now, and we’re one of very few providers delivering it.
Duration: 18 months Ideal for: Tech companies, digital agencies, forward-thinking SMEs across any sector
Teaching Assistant
For schools and education settings that want to develop dedicated, qualified support staff. This programme builds specialist skills in supporting learning across the classroom.
Duration: 18 months Ideal for: Primary and secondary schools, SEND settings, multi-academy trusts
Why summer?
Summer is the natural hiring window. New school and college leavers are entering the job market. Existing team members are settling into the year. And with the new funding kicking in from August, the timing lines up perfectly.
Starting now means your apprentice will be trained, settled, and adding value before the year is out.
How we can help you?
We are an independent Training Provider, that’s mean apprenticeships are everything that we do! We’re Ofsted Outstanding which means we aren’t interested in getting bums on seat. We take real time in our recruitment service (which is entirely free), to ensure a real fit in terms of ethics, skills and culture.
Our apprentices achieve a 94% distinction rate and a 100% first-time pass rate. We work primarily with SMEs because we understand how small teams operate, and we know that every hire really matters.
We handle the funding, the paperwork, and the training. You get someone who’s learning, contributing, and growing from day one.
Training is done the workplace, your apprentice’s tutor will develop a learning plan tailored to your apprentice and your business. Your apprentice will spend 20% of their time ‘off-the-job’, which means time shadowing, learning, or working on their apprenticeship studies.
Ready to talk?
If you’re considering hiring an apprentice this summer, we’d love to have a conversation. No hard sell, no jargon, just an honest chat about what might work for your business.