Using the Apprenticeship Service (formally Digital Apprenticeship Service DAS)

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How to use the Apprenticeship Service (AS): a simple employer’s guide

Across critical care sectors, building a skilled and confident workforce has never been more important. Apprenticeships provide a powerful way to nurture talent, support career progression, and ensure teams have the knowledge to thrive in demanding roles.

At tend, we believe in turning learners into leaders and helping organisations like yours to invest in careers with heart, and skills with purpose. More than that, tend is passionate about making the process as straightforward as possible. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to using the Apprenticeship Service (AS).

From understanding what the Apprenticeship Service (AS) is to how it supports apprenticeship funding and training, this guide explains everything employers need to know. If you’re ready to create your AS account, follow our Step-by-Step Apprenticeship Service Setup Guide for detailed registration instructions.

The role of the Apprenticeship Service (AS)

All employers in England looking to hire apprentices need an Apprenticeship Service account. The Apprenticeship Service was introduced in 2017 as part of government reforms. It’s an online platform that employers use to reserve apprenticeship funding, manage funding, and handle provider payments from start to finish.

The service allows employers to search for and select training providers, and supports funding and provider payments for employers that pay the apprenticeship levy, and those that do not.

For non-levy employers, funding must be reserved before or within the same calendar month as enrolment, ensuring there are no delays to getting staff started. This helps ensure apprenticeship funding is in place before training begins.

While many choose to work with tend to manage this process on their behalf, you also have the option to manage reservations directly. Either way, our team is here to provide guidance and support whenever you need it.

Setting up your Apprenticeship Service (AS) account

Creating your Apprenticeship Service account is straightforward, but you’ll need some key information about your organisation before you begin.

Our dedicated Step-by-Step Apprenticeship Service Setup Guide walks you through everything you need to do, including:

• Creating your account
• Adding your organisation details
• Accepting the employer agreement
• Adding tend as your training provider
• Setting the correct permissions

Giving tend permissions in your Apprenticeship Service account

Once you’ve added tend as your training provider, you’ll need to give us the appropriate permissions within your AS account. This allows us to support you by:

• Adding apprentice records for your approval
• Supporting funding reservations
• Helping manage recruitment, where required

Full instructions for setting provider permissions can be found in our Step-by-Step Apprenticeship Service Setup Guide.

This simple step removes the admin burden from your team, leaving you free to focus on what matters most: delivering excellent care.

What happens after enrolment

Once apprentice details have been added to your AS account, you’ll receive an email asking you to review and approve them. Once approved, apprenticeship funding can be released and the training programme can begin.

From there, our Development Coaches work closely with your apprentices, tailoring the learning to both your organisational needs and the individual’s career goals, drawing on our wide range of accredited health and social care apprenticeships.

The tend difference

When you choose apprenticeships with tend, you’re not just signing up for training. You’re joining a movement dedicated to raising standards in care, empowering staff, and making sure the workforce is prepared for tomorrow through our tend-trained approach to workforce development.

Our partners consistently tell us that the support, structure, and professionalism of tend makes a tangible difference to the confidence of learners, and the resilience of the wider team, as shown in our King’s College Hospital apprenticeship partnership case study.

Upon completion of their learning, apprentices will be able to proudly showcase that they are tend-trained, building a workforce that stands out for its expertise, compassion, and professionalism, reflecting tend’s commitment to high-quality, tailored care training..

Ready to get started?

The Apprenticeship Service may seem complex at first, but with tend by your side, it becomes quick and straightforward. Whether you’d like us to support you throughout the process or prefer to manage your account yourself, our team is here to help every step of the way.

If you haven’t yet created your Apprenticeship Service account, follow our Step-by-Step Apprenticeship Service Setup Guide to get started.

tend® is more than a training provider. We’re your partner in success.

Let’s turn learners into leaders and shape careers with heart, and skills with purpose, together.

Got questions about using the AS? Reach out to the tend team today on 01753 596 004 or email info@tendtraining.co.uk.