I'm a sole trader. Can I take on an apprentice?

If you are a non-registered employer (e.g. sole trader, freelancer) you can't take on an apprentice directly but you can use an Apprentice Training Agency (ATA), selected from the register of approved Apprentice Training Agencies to recruit, employ and arrange training for you.  Organisations listed on the register have been through an application process with the ESFA that considers due diligence, financial management and operational details.

This page contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.  The information is applicable to England.  It is targeted at employers who are new to apprenticeships and contains the latest information at the time of writing.  If you are an employer who is already offering apprenticeships you may be operating under different rules.  For the latest, definitive information on apprenticeships, please visit the Apprenticeships topic on Gov.uk.