Grants To Boost Apprenticeships

By Author: Fat Media
Total Articles: 14
Comment this article

With the 100 in 100 campaign well on its way and over two thirds of the 100 vacancies already created, the New Year sees even more opportunities for employers thinking of taking on an Apprentice to boost their business.
The 100 in 100 campaign run by the Lancaster Guardian and Lancaster and Morecambe College will help local business kick start 2012 by supporting growth and development in the local economy. Nearly 80 vacancies were created and filled for Apprenticeships at the end of 2011 and the campaign continues for a few more weeks with the aim of reaching and possibly exceeding 100 jobs.
Employers who have signed up have been eligible for a number of grant schemes which are provided by various different funding agencies in association with Lancaster and Morecambe College, grants of up to £2000 per year are available for those thinking of taking on a new Apprentice.
The Skills Support for the Unemployed project funded by the European Social Fund is a programme aimed at helping people into employment. There are a ...
... number of Pathways training courses currently delivered in Hospitality, Retail, Care, Construction and IT. This contract has an added incentive for employers. An employer could benefit from £2000 in staged payments if they take on an 18 – 24 year old Apprentice who has been through one of the College's training Pathways, as long as they are a small to medium enterprise and haven't had an Apprentice for at least the last 12 months. It's up to the employer how they use the funds; they could for example help to pay the apprentice's wages.
There is also specific funding available under a different scheme for employers within the construction industry, through the CITB Construction Skills Grant Scheme, employers could receive a grant of around £2000 subject to eligibility and depending on the course undertaken by the Apprentice. This scheme offers a number of different grants which the Employer Engagement team at Lancaster and Morecambe College can advise employers on.
Jacqueline Buchanan, Employer Engagement Coordinator at Lancaster and Morecambe College is keen for employers to approach the team about grants: ‘We are always happy to advise employers on these added incentives, there are different pots of funding out there and it can sometime be confusing to work out if you are eligible or not. The best thing to do is to contact us and have a chat with us and we can then advise you on the funding available and the application process. We know it can be worrying sometimes to take someone on, particularly in an industry like construction where work comes and goes, but if you know you have some financial support with a grant you can be sure that the position is secure.'
The grants and funding schemes are aimed at supporting employers who would like to take on an Apprentice but would benefit from some additional support to fund that position, the training for Apprentices is free so the entirety of the grant goes to the employer.
Apprenticeships are available to candidates of all ages and employers from any industry, so if you would like to find out more about the opportunities available and be part of our 100 in 100 success, do not hesitate to contact the Lancaster and Morecambe College team on 01524 521413 for more information.