An apprenticeship is a type of employment that combines work with learning. Apprenticeships can exist under a traditional, common law, form of agreement, or under a modern apprenticeship agreement.

Under the traditional, common law, apprenticeship, the training is the primary purpose of the contract, while undertaking work is secondary. Consequently, these contracts can be very hard to bring to an end.

In contrast, modern apprenticeship agreements, under s.230 the Employment Rights Act 1996, can be terminated in the usual way, and there are other benefits to the employer, for instance in terms of the wage rates that must apply.

However, for an apprenticeship agreement to be valid, a number of conditions must be met.

Find out what these conditions are, and more about apprenticeship agreements here.