Tees Valley Chosen to Lead New Apprenticeship Scheme for Young People

Tees Valley has been chosen as one of the first areas in England to deliver vital new help for young people to build successful careers through apprenticeships.

Tees Valley Combined Authority will work with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), local employers and training providers to test the new Apprenticeship Brokerage scheme.

It has been designed to help employers create apprenticeship opportunities and navigate the system, while connecting young people aged 16 to 24 with vacancies, particularly those not in education, employment or training.

The £9.4million programme for Tees Valley will include help for young people who narrowly miss out on an apprenticeship to find another suitable opportunity with a local employer.

A new system will be established, similar to university clearing, which will redirect strong “near miss” candidates to other local vacancies rather than allowing their talent to go to waste.

Tees Valley has been selected as part of the first group of Mayoral Strategic Authorities to take part.

The pilot will use a range of methods to connect talented young people with new job opportunities while helping small and medium-sized businesses identify the talent they need, navigate apprenticeship delivery and access wider support.

The decision reflects the strength of Tees Valley Combined Authority’s proposal and its strong partnerships with employers, education providers, Local Authorities and the Department for Work and Pensions – backed by a strong record in supporting business growth and workforce development.

The pilot aims to support 1,500 additional apprenticeship starts across Tees Valley and forms part of wider government plans to create 50,000 more apprenticeships for young people and give apprenticeships a stronger role alongside university as a route into a good career.

It is also designed to help employers, particularly small and medium-sized firms, reach a wider pool of motivated young people while helping tackle local skills shortages.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “Being chosen as one of the first places in the country to deliver this new scheme is a huge vote of confidence in Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.

“We’ve got brilliant young people and brilliant employers here. But we know how tough it can be when someone comes close to getting an apprenticeship only to miss out at the final hurdle.

“Instead of losing that young person’s talent and ambition, we want to be able to say, ‘there is another great opportunity just down the road’.

“We’re bringing skilled jobs to our region and we need to make sure local people have the skills and opportunities to take them. This scheme will build on the work we’re already doing to help more people into high-quality apprenticeships and rewarding careers.”

The new programme will add to a range of apprenticeship support already available through Tees Valley Combined Authority.
The Combined Authority provides advice to employers about apprenticeships and the support available when taking on an apprentice.

It also operates a Levy Matching Service, which connects businesses with larger employers willing to transfer unused Apprenticeship Levy funds. These transfers can help cover the cost of apprenticeship training and assessment.

Sarah Walker, Tees Valley Combined Authority Director of Business Solutions, said: “Every young person deserves the chance to use their skills and fulfil their potential. We will now work with employers, education providers and other partners to deliver a joined-up approach that delivers for everyone.

“Together, we can help more young people access apprenticeship opportunities while supporting businesses to find and develop the talent they need.”

Young people can also use the Tees Valley Careers Hub to learn more about apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships are open to people aged 16 and over and combine a paid job with training. They can provide routes into careers across a wide range of industries, from entry-level roles through to higher and degree-level qualifications.

The Government first announced plans for the apprenticeship brokerage pilot earlier this year, with Mayoral Strategic Authorities and employers central to its delivery because of their knowledge of local employers and skills needs.

The Tees Valley pilot will now help test and develop the brokerage model and provide lessons for how it could operate more widely.

Businesses wanting more information on how to get support, including with apprenticeships, can go here.