CASH BOOST EXTENDED FOR EMPLOYERS WHO TAKE ON APPRENTICES

A £1,500 grant scheme to help small businesses take on young apprentices has been extended for a further year.

The Apprenticeship Grant for Employers (AGE), which was launched last February, has also been increased to cover up to ten apprentices per company.

Welcoming the extension of the grant, Fiona Mellett, Chief Executive of Skills Solutions, Greater Manchester’s largest provider of Apprenticeships said:

“I know it can be a big decision for busy small companies to take on an apprentice. Employers may be concerned about the time recruitment and training will take, and anxious about how it will work. Here at Skills Solutions, we take away much of the administrative burden from employers, and leave them to do what they do best, growing their business.

“The £1500 grant is a token to acknowledge the commitment that employers make to taking on a young apprentice. I hope many more people will take up this cash incentive to develop their business, and train up the workforce of the future.”

Previously split over two payments, the AGE grant will now be paid in a single instalment. The incentive is available to businesses with up to 1,000 employees.

Apprenticeships have become more popular than ever as higher education tuition fees have risen, and last year, there were a record 110,000 Apprenticeship applications in Greater Manchester.

Fiona Mellett said: “We know that many businesses believe Apprenticeships deliver the skills needed in order to grow so we are delighted that the grant has been positively received by employers for helping them to do just that.

“Apprenticeships come with a guarantee of quality, giving young people a job with training, and are proven to deliver a significant return on investment, so this really is a win-win initiative for employers. There has never been a better time to recruit an apprentice, so I hope more organisations will look at how they can benefit from this grant over the coming 12 months and reap the rewards of a more motivated, skilled and qualified workforce.”

Source: Greater Manchester Chamber