27 August 2020

New incentives to boost employer take-up of apprenticeships and traineeships

Skills Training UK has launched a Incentives for Skills Recoverycampaign to highlight new incentives for employers to invest in their workforce through apprenticeship and traineeship programmes.

The campaign follows the Chancellors’ recent ‘Plan for Jobs’ which introduced an array of benefits for employers to invest in training and recruiting both new and existing staff.

What incentives are available for Apprenticeships?

New incentives include up to £2,000 for any employer looking to recruit a new apprentice aged 16-24 between August and January 2021, with £1,500 available for employers recruiting apprentices aged 25+.

SMEs can also benefit from an increased number of apprentices they can take through their apprenticeship service account, up from three to ten. This means they can now upskill or recruit apprentices quicker and benefit from 95% – 100% government co-funding.

Why start now?

These new incentives come at a crucial time as the UK battles with the lasting effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reporting 220,000 fewer people were in employment between April and June.

Stephen Crawley, CEO of Skills Training UK, said; “We were pleased to hear about the incentives which help support employers to invest in their staff and future workforce through apprenticeship programmes.

“The ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly had a significant economic impact on the country, but also made the need for a highly-skilled workforce more important than ever.

“Working with over 750 SME and Levy-paying employers across NHS, local authorities, advanced manufacturing and other sectors, we will continue to provide them with the support and guidance to make the most of these new incentives and ensure they have vital skills needed for recovery.”

Traineeship incentives with Skills Training UK

In addition to apprenticeship incentives, The Chancellor announced a £111 million investment in developing traineeship programmes for young people with employers being offered £1,000 for each trainee (up to ten) who they take on for 70 – 100 hours work placement.

Skills Training UK was one of the pioneers of traineeships and continues to be one of the largest providers. It has a proven track record in working with disadvantaged young people aged 16 – 24 who often have limited educational attainment and/or challenging personal backgrounds and who require significant levels of support.

Graham Clarke, Director of Education and Social Mobility at Skills Training UK, said; “The injection of £111 million by the Chancellor in 30,000 traineeships will be pivotal in providing a lifeline for young people as the UK economy recovers from the pandemic.

We urge employers to consider taking on trainees and to benefit from the £1,000 incentive, which will not only provide that young person with the skills to support their career, but could lead to hiring a long-term employee who can bring vital new skills to their business.”