Leeds City College welcomes new government scheme to support young people into employment

Leeds City College has welcomed the new government scheme announced by the UK chancellor aimed at helping young people secure employment.

The government announced a new bonus for employers to hire apprentices over the next six months, and from August to January, any firm that hires a new young apprentice aged 16-24, will receive £2,000, while those that hire new apprentices aged 25 years and over will be paid £1,500.

There will be no limit on the number of incentive payments that an employer can claim for eligible apprentices, as long as each apprentice meets the criteria, including being a new employee.

Lee Pryor, Director of Apprenticeships, said:  “Apprenticeships deliver significant benefits for all businesses that employ an apprentice. Education and training raises the level of skills available in the economy, as well as driving productivity and national prosperity.

“As the economy recovers from the Covid-19 outbreak, apprenticeships will be more important than ever in helping businesses to recruit the right people, and develop the skills they need to respond to conditions and grow – both now and in the long-term.”

As the UK enters the second phase in its recovery, the chancellor’s plan is designed to support jobs by focusing on skills and young people. Central to the government’s three-point plan will be the landmark Kickstart Scheme, a £2bn fund that will create hundreds of thousands of new, high-quality government-subsidised jobs for unemployed young people.

A number of high-profile businesses have announced large-scale apprentice recruitment drives in recent weeks, with a pool of more than 700,000 thousand school leavers to pick from.

Pryor said that the chancellor’s recent announcement has further solidified the need for apprenticeships and added that there is an opportunity to regenerate a wide range of traineeships across the West Yorkshire region.

“The benefits of apprenticeships for young people include getting them on the career ladder and providing them with the practical skills they need to progress in their chosen industry.

“Our teams across Leeds City College have made every attempt to ensure that apprentices are getting the support they need during this time in order for them to progress, and we are committed to supporting employers to recruit the best apprentices in sectors that include health and social care, science, hospitality, engineering and more, as the country begins to open up again.”

“Employers can transfer up to 25% of funds entering their account to support employers in their supply chain or work with regional, local and sectors partners. The transferred amount should cover 100% of the eligible training and assessment costs for the apprenticeship standard,” said Lee.

For more information on apprenticeships email employers@leedscitycollege.ac.uk.