Today we announced that employers can now apply for a £1,000 cash boost to help them take on new trainees.
The new scheme will support young people to gain the skills and experience they need from the very start, helping them to get a job, an apprenticeship, or pursue further study.
What will the funding do?
The cash boost – which is available until 31 July 2021 - will help businesses with the cost of providing a high-quality work placement for a trainee.
This includes providing facilities, uniforms or helping with travel costs. Businesses offering new traineeship opportunities will receive the £1,000 bonus for every trainee they take on with up to a maximum of 10 trainees.
Employers can claim the cash incentive for all work placements that have been completed since 1 September.
Recent figures show that 66% of trainees get a job, take up an apprenticeship or go on to further study within 6 months of completing their programme, and today’s announcement will expand the scheme even further, giving thousands more young people the opportunity to gain the skills they need to start a new career as we build back better from the pandemic.
This will support this country and our businesses to fill and create more jobs, giving young people a better start while boosting productivity.
What are businesses and experts saying about the announcement?
The scheme has been welcomed by businesses across the country including Specsavers and Bright Stars Nursery, who have expressed their support for traineeships.
Louise Powell, Head of Apprenticeships, Specsavers said:
We began offering Traineeships in September to provide an opportunity for young people to experience a real working environment and for our store partners to recognise the young talent available. So far, we have had 16 Trainees and 10 of those have now been offered a job with 9 about to start their Apprenticeship. We have a further 24 vacancies and we have been amazed at the continuing quality of candidates presented by our partner Qube throughout.
Jo Morris, Owner, Bright Stars Nursery said:
Bright Stars has really benefited from having Katie on the traineeship, it has allowed us to see that she is serious and committed to working as part of the nursery before having her as an apprentice and it has shown us that she genuinely wants to be part of Bright Stars and the vision of the nursery. We have also benefited greatly from Katie’s continued enthusiasm and happy manner around the nursery, she always has a smile on her face, and this has impacted on both staff, children and parents.
Palan Sood from Sood Marketing has praised the scheme, saying that it will help more young people get the skills they need to start a new career, as we build back better from the pandemic.
In addition, the chancellor Rishi Sunak has also lent his support to the new scheme announced today:
My number one priority is to support, protect and create jobs, which is why for the first time ever we’re giving businesses £1,000 to cover the cost of trainee work experience, because we know that traineeships are a proven way to give young people the skills and opportunity, they need to be ready for work.
We also know that our young people will be vital in the national effort to recover from the pandemic, so I urge businesses to seize this opportunity and help us harness the talent of our young people and offer hope for the future.