Fishmonger Apprenticeship

Fishmongers are the face of the seafood industry. They not only prepare and sell fish and shellfish but also have an extensive understanding of the fishing industry. Filleting fish is just one of the skills an apprentice fishmonger will learn on the fishmonger apprenticeship.

Stock control, display methods, food safety, fish species and seasonality all form part of the knowledge, skills and behaviours of the Fishmonger Standard Apprenticeship. Selling to the public means apprentices also develop first rate customer service skills as they train to be a fishmonger.

The apprenticeship is set at Level 2 and typically takes 18-24 months to complete. Although most of the fishmonger apprentices time is spent learning in the workplace, 20% of the apprenticeship is ‘off the job’ training, so all the requirements of the fishmonger standard are met.

Download the Standard

Apprentice fishmongers may work in supermarkets, in large or small independent fishmonger shops or even a mobile fishmongers. Qualified fishmongers may go on to own their own business, or progress within a large retail or manufacturing business, either at home or abroad.

Qualifications such as the Level 2 Certificate in Fish and Shellfish Industry Skills, whilst not compulsory can help your apprentice to do their best at end-point assessment. For more information contact us.

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Why are the new apprenticeship standards better than previous apprenticeships?

Firstly, all the new apprenticeship standards, including the fishmonger apprenticeship standard, are developed ‘by employers for employers.’ Nobody knows better what is needed in a job role than the employers themselves. Secondly, one of the biggest changes is that apprentices now don’t automatically qualify after ‘serving their time’. They need to prove their new skills at ‘end-point assessment’ or EPA.

EPA is the name given to a series of tests that happen towards the end of an apprenticeship. Apprentices must succeed at end-point assessment to achieve their apprenticeship. These tests are directly aligned to the skills and knowledge the employer group has requested for the standard. An apprentice who succeeds at end-point assessment has been independently tested to assure that they are work ready.

Find out more about end-point assessment (EPA)

Level 2 Fishmonger Apprenticeship Funding

Funding for the fishmonger apprenticeship is either by co-investment with government or via the Apprentice Levy. The Level 2 Fishmonger Standard is a Band 15 apprenticeship, which attracts a maximum total funding rate of £12,000.

Large fishmonger employers (with a wage bill over £3 million pa) fund their apprenticeships through the Apprentice Levy. The levy is collected by HMRC at a rate of 0.5% of a business’s monthly wage bill. Smaller employers (with an annual wage bill below £3m) fund their fishmonger apprenticeships through co-investment with government. Employers only contribute 5% of their apprentices training and end-point assessment costs, with government funding the remaining 95%, up to the funding band maximum. For employers with less than 50 employees that 5% is waived if their apprentice is between 16-18 years  or between 19-24 and has a local authority education, health and care plan or has been in the care of a local authority.

Employers are now able to negotiate with their approved training provider, to ensure that they get good value training that suits their business. They are also free to choose their preferred end-point assessment organisation.

Find out more about apprenticeship funding

Need more advice on the fishmonger apprenticeship?  contact us