SMALL businesses in Warwickshire are being offered funds to help recruit new talent or train existing staff through apprenticeships.
Warwickshire Skills Hub is taking applications for Warwickshire County Council’s (WCC) Future Apprenticeships Fund.
Small-to-medium sized businesses (SMEs) in Warwickshire can apply for three different funds which are part of the council’s recently launched £900,000 Future Skills Programme, designed to help job-seekers into work through apprenticeships.
The Future Apprenticeships: Salary Support Programme offers £2,000 salary support for apprentices in new and emerging technologies.
SMEs taking on or upskilling an existing member of staff who is aged 50 or over can apply to the Future Focus Apprenticeships Programme: New Direction 50+ to cover the cost of the five per cent employer contribution for their apprenticeship training.
And the New Direction 50+ Skills Investment Fund is designed to support over 50s in gaining new knowledge and skills to help them progress in the workplace. The programme offers up to £1,000 grant funding towards training or a qualification to be delivered by a college or independent training provider.
WCC’s economy spokesman Coun Martin Watson said: “The Future Skills programme is a major and very welcome addition to the support available to businesses, education-providers and jobseekers across the county from Warwickshire Skills Hub.”
Businesses can make multiple applications for up to five employees up until March 31, to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and to be evidenced in a business growth plan. From April 1, this number will reduce to three applications per business.
Contact Future Skills Business Support Advisor Louise Stolz at [email protected] for more information and to apply.
