The government yesterday launched its plan for delivering 3m new Apprenticeship by 2020. The document – ‘English Apprenticeships: Our 2020 Vision’ – pulled together a number of the reforms and commitments that we were already aware of, including the creation of a ‘Digital Apprenticeship Service’ to help employers recruit candidates and find a training provider, and also commitments that large public sector bodies will have to make to the employment of Apprentices.
One important commitment that stands out is the plan to continue with the Apprentice Grant for Employers (AGE) until the end of the 2016/17 academic year ie. July 2017. This is provided to firms with under 50 employees, with £1,500 being available to support each of their first five Apprentices aged 16-24. Given the continued uncertainty around the existing CITB construction industry levy and grant arrangements, this will at least provide something of a boost to our continued attempts to drive up Apprentice numbers in an industry that needs them urgently. More detail on the plan from the link below:
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