Fresh Call For Donors As Levy Gathers £1.8million To Help Local Apprentices Kickstart Careers

A programme designed to supercharge apprenticeships has seen almost £2million pledged by 11 businesses to get more people into employment.

Now the Tees Valley’s Apprenticeship Levy Matching Service is looking for more employers to become levy donors.

So far, the Levy Matching Service has seen 11 businesses pledge roughly £1.8million – and the support has helped 26 businesses take on 89 apprentices.

The service is supported and co-ordinated through the Tees Valley Combined Authority – and the team is keen to reach larger employers who may have unspent Apprenticeship Levy funds to encourage them to become levy transfer donors.

Beth Brockwell is a Business Co-ordinator at Steel River Quay – helping to co-ordinate huge ship movements and imports taking place on the River Tees, at Teesworks.

Beth, 26, is working towards a qualification in leadership and project management with the help of levy funding.

She said: “I always knew I wanted to go on and get more experience.

“I would definitely recommend the Apprenticeship Levy for people who may be in full-time roles and want to upskill.

“If you get the chance, go and do it.”

The Levy Matching Service uses unspent apprenticeship levy funding from major employers to create more apprenticeship opportunities and develop the region’s pipeline of talent.

Under the service, the Combined Authority matches companies with unspent funds to local businesses to cover apprenticeship training and assessment costs.

Major global names including the BBC, Amazon and bp have all signed up to provide financial support to firms in the region.

There is £600,000 currently available in the Tees Valley fund for firms looking to take on apprentices.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “We’ve attracted huge investors including bp and Amazon to our region to create thousands of jobs.

“The levy service is an example of how bringing these big names here creates opportunities far beyond their initial investment.

“We’ve already seen £1.8million pledged, helping our local businesses recruit apprentices and supporting our young people into careers.

“But there is still so much more we can do.

“I would urge any larger employer with unspent levy funds to get involved and become a donor.

“At the same time, if you run a smaller business looking to grow – and you want to invest in your future – get in touch and see what support is available.

“The jobs are here and there are more coming. We want to make sure local people have the skills to access them. Apprenticeships help build the workforce we need to ensure our young people can have rewarding careers close to home.”

Launched in 2017, the Apprenticeship Levy is a tax on employers which is used to fund apprenticeship training.

It is payable by all employers with an annual pay bill of more than £3million at a rate of 0.5% of their total pay bill.

It allows organisations to pay an amount each year towards the costs of enabling new apprenticeships and upskilling existing employees.

Firms generally use their levy to support those who take up apprenticeships in their own workplaces.

But when that money is not spent, it can be transferred to businesses who do not have a levy fund themselves to cover the costs for apprenticeship learning and development.

Cllr Lisa Evans, TVCA Cabinet Member for Employment and Skills, added: “Apprenticeships can be truly life changing. They provide people with the opportunity to earn, learn and gain valuable experience at the same time, while helping employers build the skilled workforce they need.

“When people think of apprenticeships, they often think of traditional trades, which remain hugely important to our economy.

“But apprenticeships now provide routes into an enormous range of careers, from engineering, manufacturing and construction through to digital, creative, professional and health industries – which are all growing in our region.

“For many young people, an apprenticeship offers a pathway where they can thrive outside a traditional classroom environment, discover their strengths and find a career they are passionate about.

“We’d love to see more large employers come forward and pledge their unused levy funding so even more opportunities can be created across Tees Valley. I’d also encourage businesses of all sizes to explore the scheme and find out how it could help them recruit, develop talent and grow.

“As our region continues to attract investment and create jobs, apprenticeships will play a crucial role in ensuring local people have the skills to seize those opportunities and build successful careers here.”

To find out more about levy opportunities, go here.