DfE encourages more businesses to offer apprenticeships
|
Small businesses from across England feature in the Get In Go Far
campaign, highlighting the benefits of apprenticeships. Get In Go
Far - the government’s flagship campaign to promote apprenticeships
- launched a new wave of activity today (22 February 2017), focused
on promoting apprenticeships to employers. The campaign highlights
the wide range of benefits that apprentices can bring to a
business, with the aim of increasing the number of apprenticeships
offered in...Request free trial
Small businesses from across England feature in the Get
In Go Far campaign, highlighting the benefits of
apprenticeships.
Get In Go Far - the government’s flagship campaign to promote apprenticeships - launched a new wave of activity today (22 February 2017), focused on promoting apprenticeships to employers. The campaign highlights the wide range of benefits that apprentices can bring to a business, with the aim of increasing the number of apprenticeships offered in England. Advertising on the radio and LinkedIn will tell the stories of several businesses currently employing apprentices. This activity will also be supported by telemarketing activity carried out by the Skills Funding Agency. New analysis in support of the campaign highlights that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are set to recruit 202,000 new apprentices in the next 12 months, helping more young people get their foot in the door at leading companies across the country. Additional research also highlights the many ways in which apprentices boost the businesses they work for:
However, there is still more that needs to be done to ensure employers of all sizes gain the skills they need for their workforce. Almost three-quarters of SMEs still remain to be convinced about the merits of taking on an apprentice. Apprenticeships and Skills Minister Robert Halfon said:
Oliver Mangham, Applications Director at Fairfield Control Systems, who himself started as an apprentice and who features in the new campaign, commented:
Mike Cherry, Chair of the Federation of Small Business, has backed the new government campaign. He commented:
Berthon Boats, one of the stars of the campaign, advise customers internationally on buying and selling high-quality sailing, motor and performance yachts. They have taken on 65 apprentices in the last 6 years, helping them to bid on bigger contracts and ensure the future of their business. Fairfield Control Systems also feature. Their apprentices can gain a range of qualifications including a Higher National Diploma or Bachelors in Engineering (BEng). The knowledge and talent their apprentices bring have helped the company bridge a skills gap and grow rapidly. The campaign is launched in advance of a new ‘STEP’ funding offer becoming available to SMEs from 1 May 2017. Notes to editorsFor the purposes of this press release and calculations, an SME is defined as having 1-249 employees, excluding sole traders from the figures. This press release applies to England only.
Employer satisfaction survey of 4,000 apprentice employers conducted by IFF Research initially published July 2016. SME data revealing results of survey of 3,843 SMEs has not been published before. 500 businesses were interviewed by telephone on the IFF business omnibus survey by KANTAR Public. The survey data is weighted to be representative of the population of UK businesses. Interviews took place between 16 and 27 January 2017. *BEIS estimates of business population are available. **Allowing for “definitely” (0.9) and “probably” (0.5) factors in Kantar data
The government’s simplified ‘STEP’ funding arrangements for SMEs who don’t pay the apprenticeship levy (firms with a wage bill of under £3 million a year) becomes available from 1 May 2017. The ‘STEP’ arrangements provide 4 easy-to-understand ways non-levy-paying SMEs can access government funding for their apprentices:
|