In a boost for firms looking to develop their own staff government funding some apprenticeship programmes have been increased; leading to an uplift in the number of applications say training providers.
Employer funding for Licensed Conveyancer apprenticeships has increased to a maximum of £18,000 and Legal Technician apprenticeships funding has increased to a maximum of £10,000; the amount of funding available depends on whether an employer pays the apprenticeship levy or not with the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) welcoming the reported increase in apprenticeships.
There are currently eight training providers for the programmes, listed on the CLC’s dedicated apprenticeship web page. The courses can be accessed via distance learning, and can be completed full or part time at college or in the workplace. The increased funding also coincided with the introduction of a new end-point assessment (EPA) which tests the knowledge, skills and behaviours gained during an apprenticeship programme. The EPA is a regulated qualification by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). In response to the uplift in funding, one training provider says it has seen a 50% uplift in the number of conveyancing apprenticeships since September 2024.
Cheryl Kelsall, Curriculum and Performance Manager – Professional Service at Total People, said
“We’ve worked hard to increase the profile of the apprenticeship route into conveyancing and are now seeing strong results. Qualified conveyancers can be difficult to recruit, so the apprenticeship is a perfect route for employers to bring in new talent. Anyone who undertakes their apprenticeship with Total People will have 20% of their working week dedicated to off-the-job training or attending knowledge webinars. It is an ideal route to gain a licence to practise.”
Group Training Manager at PM Law Group, one of Total People’s largest apprenticeship clients, Nicki Crossley added
“The apprenticeship levy has been really useful because it has enabled us to invest in more members of our staff than we would otherwise have been able to. The CLC apprenticeships allow us to upskill and promote from within. Applicants gain theoretical and practical knowledge alongside increased confidence, which in turn leads to a far better experience for our clients. It is of huge benefit.”
Welcoming the increase in funding Stephen Ward, Director of Strategy and External Relations at CLC said
“It’s good to see the recent changes having a positive impact on the number of people embarking on a conveyancing career following the funding and assessment changes. Apprenticeships allow employers to benefit from funded opportunities to train the next generation of specialist property lawyers and are a great way for would-be conveyancing professionals to earn while they learn. I’d encourage employers to speak to our training providers about the opportunities available.”
Ward himself hosted a panel discussion during March’s National Conveyancing Week discussing the importance of cultivating conveyancing talent at a time when recruitment is increasingly challenging. Alongside Karen Buckley, (People & Culture Director at Movera), Janine Wellington (Managing Director, Convey Law), and Katrina Lamont (Chief of Legal Operations, Montpellier) the panel explored culture, standards and pathways to better qualifications for staff.
This article first appeared in Today's Conveyancer.
