£1.9 million apprenticeship support benefits Greater Manchester small businesses

Since March 2019, Greater Manchester based small businesses have benefited from a £1.9 million apprenticeship support package launched last year, with 186 businesses receiving £3000 grants from Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).

Support from GMCA has focused on incentivising small employers to create apprenticeship opportunities and remove barriers that often prevent them looking at this route to recruitment.

Also as part of the support package, GMCA commissioned the Growth Company to develop an online matchmaking service, which allows large businesses to donate any unspent funds in their apprenticeship levy accounts to smaller businesses, which otherwise must pay 5% of the costs.

Since the Levy Matchmaking Service launched in August 2019, £2 million of unspent apprenticeship levy funds has been made available.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham said:

This support package has already created a substantial number of opportunities for residents in the city-region and we hope to create even more as we move forward.

“Apprenticeships are crucial in bridging the skills gap and creating good quality employment opportunities which boost productivity. It’s vital that we continue to remove the barriers and make job opportunities in the city-region feel accessible to Greater Manchester residents, both young and old.”

Councillor Sean Fielding, Leader of Oldham Council and GMCA lead for Education and Skills, said:

These results show just how important apprenticeships are to the city-region and that we are doing everything we can to help businesses make the most of them.

“Improving the quality and growth of apprenticeships is a fantastic way to get people into work, allowing them to have the support they need to enter and sustain employment and with the chance to up-skill and progress in their careers. Apprenticeships are an excellent route for anyone looking to start, change or develop their careers.”