23 March 2017
Employers across the South East Midlands are being given the chance to expand their workforce and embrace the new world of apprenticeships.
A new project has been launched to encourage employers to integrate apprentices into their existing staffing structures, helping create new jobs and get people into the world of work.
Businesses within the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) area can benefit from European funding until July 2018 that has been earmarked to help small businesses to develop their workforce through Apprenticeships.
Stephen Catchpole, chief executive of SEMLEP, said: “The government is looking to boost productivity in the UK by investing in training three million new apprentices by 2020.
“Funding rules have been simplified and a range of new incentives for employers are now available. We will be helping employers discover what’s available for them and find ways to revolutionise their workforce with apprentices keen to learn and develop, becoming an integral part of their business for years to come.”
Support on offer will include:
The project supports a range of sector-specific training courses that can get businesses apprenticeship-ready and better placed to meet skills needs.
Businesses will be given a choice of training provider from across the region who will be help with core skills such as Maths, English and employability.
Small and medium businesses will fund no more than 10 per cent of the cost of training an apprentice, with government funding the remaining 90 per cent. All employers will receive a one-off payment of £1,000 for training an apprentice.
For more details of the project click here and an independent adviser from the Association of College Eastern Region (ACER) will be in touch. If you would like to speak to someone for advice on this project, please call ACER on 01480 409309.
