This Privacy Policy explains how Apprenticeship Central collects and uses personal information when you use our website, contact us, apply for an apprenticeship vacancy we are managing, or otherwise engage with our recruitment and apprenticeship support services.
The General Data Protection Regulation
The General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) requires us to manage personal information in accordance with data protection principles and in particular requires us to process your personal information fairly and lawfully. This means you are entitled to know how we intend to use any information you provide. You can then decide whether you want to give it to us in order that we may provide the product or service that you require.
All our employees are personally responsible for maintaining customer confidentiality and will do their utmost to keep all data accurate, timely and secure. We provide training and education to all employees to remind them about their obligations.
What information do we collect about you?
We collect information about you when you register with us or apply for products or services. We also collect information when you voluntarily complete customer surveys, provide feedback and participate in competitions. Website usage information is collected using cookies — please see our Cookie Policy for more information.
Where we collect personal information from you, we will explain how that information will be used and provide access to this Privacy Policy. Where we rely on your consent for a particular purpose, such as contacting you about future opportunities or optional marketing communications, we will ask for that consent separately.
How will we use the information about you?
We will use your data to provide you with the product or service you have requested.
In order to effectively fulfil our role as a recruitment and placement provider, we may share your personal data (such as your name, email address, and application details) with organisations we work with who are actively looking to recruit apprentices, such as our employer partners. This enables them to communicate with you directly about the position you have applied for and any onboarding or programme-related matters. These organisations act as independent data controllers, and will handle your data in accordance with their own privacy policies.
We ensure that data shared with such organisations is done so securely, and only for the specific purposes of progressing your application or managing your apprenticeship placement.
We may use your data for marketing purposes, conducting surveys and providing you with information on our products or services, but only following your explicit opt-in to receive these communications. You have a right at any time to stop us from contacting you for marketing purposes.
If you no longer wish to be contacted for marketing purposes, please email enquire@apprenticeship-central.co.uk or click the ‘unsubscribe’ link contained within our customer emails.
We do not use your information to profile you, and we do not transfer your information outside of the UK or the European Union. Where you supply us your personal information, we will tell you what we plan to do with it.
Lawful Basis for Processing
We process your personal data on one or more of the following legal grounds under the UK General Data Protection Regulation:
- Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f)) – where necessary for our legitimate interests in providing recruitment and apprenticeship support services to our employer clients, including managing applications, assessing candidate suitability, communicating with candidates and employers, and facilitating apprenticeship recruitment and onboarding, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and interests.
- Contractual necessity (Article 6(1)(b)) – for the purpose of processing applications and facilitating apprenticeship placements.
- Consent (Article 6(1)(a)) – for optional marketing communications or other specific purposes where you have been given a choice and have provided your consent. You may withdraw your consent at any time.
Apprenticeship applications
Apprenticeship Central provides recruitment services to employers recruiting apprentices. Where an employer appoints us to manage its apprenticeship recruitment, candidates may be directed to Apprenticeship Central to apply directly for that employer’s vacancy, including from Find an Apprenticeship or other recruitment channels.
When you apply for one of these vacancies, Apprenticeship Central will collect and process your personal information for the purpose of managing your application on behalf of the recruiting employer. This may include communicating with you, assessing your suitability for the vacancy, screening and shortlisting your application, arranging interviews and supporting you through the recruitment process. Where necessary to progress your application, we may share relevant personal information with the employer recruiting for the apprenticeship and the apprenticeship training provider associated with the vacancy. Those organisations will process information they receive in accordance with their own data protection responsibilities and privacy policies.
How long will the information be stored for?
We retain application and recruitment-related information for up to 12 months following the conclusion of the recruitment process, unless there is a legal or operational reason requiring us to retain particular information for longer.
Where you have separately consented to Apprenticeship Central retaining your details so that we can contact you about future apprenticeship opportunities, we may retain your information for up to 24 months for that purpose. You can withdraw this consent at any time by contacting us.
Other personal information is retained only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected or where we are required to retain it by law.
We do not store or retain any bank account information.
Access to your information and correction
You have the right to control your personal data. If at any point you believe the personal information we hold on you is incorrect, you want us to correct or delete that information, or you no longer want us to hold that information or contact you, you can exercise your rights by contacting our Data Protection Officer using the contact details towards the end of this document. Your rights include:
• Right of access
• Right to rectification
• Right to erasure
• Right to restriction of processing
• Right to data portability
• Right to object
We will not make a charge for this service. Please note: we will not be able to delete information that is legally required, or essential to maintaining the services we provide to you. For more information about your personal data rights please visit the Information Commissioner’s Office: https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters
Cookies
We may collect technical data about the type of Internet browser and computer operating system that you use. This information does not identify you as an individual and is used only for tracking of site use. This is a technology called “cookies” which can be used to provide you with tailored information from a website. A cookie is a line of text that a website can send to your browser, which may then store it on your system. This helps us to identify you when you return to the site and tailor content to your preferences. For more information, please see our [Cookie Policy].
You can set your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie, giving you the chance to decide whether or not to accept it. However, in a few cases some of our website features may not function as a result.
What about Security?
Your personal data is processed in a manner that ensures that it is secure and your confidentiality maintained, including preventing unauthorised access to or use of your personal data and the equipment used for the processing of that data. Apprenticeship Central has implemented appropriate technical and organisational security measures to ensure the security of your data and we adhere to current regulations. Our website conforms with the latest security practices. Please note, however, that the Internet is not a secure system and you should always be cautious about the information you disclose online.
How do I contact you?
If you have any queries, requests or complaints on the subject of data protection or would like to opt out of any contact or communications, please do not hesitate to contact our Data Protection Officer:
Eleanor Baker Barnes
Email: enquire@apprenticeship-central.co.uk
If you are not satisfied with the Data Protection Officer’s response, or believe we are processing your personal data not in accordance with current Data Protection regulations, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Their Helpdesk number is 0303 123 1113 or visit https://ico.org.uk