Apprenticeships help bring valuable skills into your business and create job opportunities with training. The Apprenticeship Hub offers free and impartial advice to organisations of any size across Hampshire and Surrey. Visit The Apprenticeship Hub website [2] for more information on funding apprenticeship training, levy transfers and sourcing apprentices and their How to hire an apprentice guide [3].

Guide to employing people [4] - A government guide that provides a range of information about employing people and being an employer. 

Employer guide to using recruitment agencies [5] - A government guide that provides information about using a recruitment agency to find staff.

HMRC guide for employers [6] - A government guide that provides a range of information for employers.

ACAS guide for employers [7] - ACAS provide information, advice, training, conciliation, and other services for employers and employees to help prevent and resolve workplace problems.

Taking on your first employee is a real milestone for any business. GOV.UK created a list of 7 points that business people need to think about when employing for the first time. 

1. Decide how much to pay someone - you must pay your employee at least the National Minimum Wage [8].
2. Check if someone has the legal right to work [9] in the UK. You may have to do other employment checks as well.
3. Check if you need to apply for a DBS check [10] (formerly known as a CRB check) if you work in a field that requires one, for example working with vulnerable people or in security.
4. Get employment insurance - you need employers’ liability insurance [11] as soon as you become an employer.
5. Send details of the job (including terms and conditions) in writing to your employee. You need to give your employee a written statement of employment [12] if you’re employing someone for more than 1 month.
6. Tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) by registering as an employer [13] - you can do this up to 4 weeks before you pay your new staff.  
7. Check if you need to automatically enroll your staff [14] into a workplace pension scheme.

When finding staff to recruit there are a number of options available such as the local job centre, connecting to local Colleges and Universities, recruitment agencies, LinkedIn, and job search websites.

For a list of local Facebook job search pages, plus contact details for the local Job Centre employer advisor, email jobskills@hart.gov.uk [15]. You can also send your vacancy details to our neighbouring local authorities to be included in their job bulletins. For Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council email partnerships@basingstoke.gov.uk [16], and for Rushmoor email skills@rushmoor.gov.uk [17].

Below is a list of well known job search websites you could consider using:

• www.cv-library.co.uk [18]
• www.monster.co.uk [19]
• www.gov.uk/advertise-job [20]
• www.indeed.co.uk [21]
• www.reed.co.uk [22] 

There are a range of benefits to promoting up-skilling and training the workforce. Below are some useful training opportunities for both businesses and individuals. For more training course information, including a range of online learning options, aimed at individuals looking to upskill, regardless of employment status please visit our Residents Employment and Skills [23] web pages.

Basingstoke College of Technology [24] and Farnborough College of Technology [25] are two local Colleges who provide training to support the needs of local employers. For a range of apprenticeships, professional courses and fully funded courses for those looking to upskill, visit the College websites.

Hampshire Chamber of Commerce offer a comprehensive selection of business training workshops [26] on a range of topics from Leadership to Trading Internationally.