Modern Apprenticeship Programme Rules

To thrive and grow, Scottish businesses need employees with the right skills.

A Modern Apprenticeship helps employers to develop their workforce by training new staff, and upskilling existing employees. For individuals, an MA is a job which lets them earn a wage and gain an industry-recognised qualification.

Providers can find the programme conditions, specification and associated documents for Modern Apprenticeship delivery below.

SDS has elected to extend the period of the MA Contract 2021-2022 to the 31st of March 2023. The MA Conditions and MA Specification have been reviewed and updated with effective date as of 1st April 2022.

However, as the existing MA contract has been extended to the 31st March 2023, there will be no changes made to the MA Programme Specification - Appendices including dates and footers (with exception to Appendix 7- ESF Audit Requirements and Appendix 4- Enhanced Funding Contribution form). There are amendments to the MA Conditions Appendices.

Please ensure you read the version history in each document for all the updates.

SDS introduced temporary emergency COVID-19 Interim Measures in April 2020 to assist Providers to maintain momentum during unprecedented circumstances. These COVID interim measures were not designed to be a long term solution and are regularly reviewed and some (e.g. alternative to signatures) are still in place currently until 30th September 2022.

New! Webinar on Using Electronic Signatures

• Electronic Signature Provider Webinar Recording June 2022
• Electronic Signature Provider Webinar Q&A June 2022 

Skills Development Scotland is delivering Foundation Apprenticeships with support from the European Social Fund.