The Chesterfield College Group helps businesses make the most of the new apprenticeship bonus scheme

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 14 April 2021

Apprenticeship experts from Learning Unlimited, part of the Chesterfield College Group, are helping businesses to make the most of an apprenticeship bonus scheme which offers up to £4,000 to employers who recruit an apprentice. The new government scheme, which started at the beginning of the month, provides an incentive to businesses to develop their workforce and helps employers build for the future as the country starts the next phase of lockdown easing.

 

Employers who take on a new apprentice between 1st April 2021 and 30th September 2021 will be able to claim a £3,000 incentive payment. If the apprentice is aged 16-18, has been in the care of their local authority or has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) employers will receive an additional £1,000.

The Chesterfield College Group is helping employers, large and small, to find the best candidates for their apprenticeship vacancies from a talent pool of students and applicants ready to find their next step in the world of work. They are also helping businesses navigate the recruitment process and the paper work, supporting the apprentice and employer throughout the apprenticeship.

East Midlands furniture manufacturer, Sitting Pretty took advantage of a previous incentive scheme introduced by the Government in 2020. When their order book doubled, the company needed to invest in a workforce to ensure they could keep up with demand.

Jim Henderson, company director and founding partner of Sitting Pretty, told us why the bonus scheme worked for their business and why others should make the most of the opportunities it offers. He said;

“We’ve always put the emphasis on trying to train young people who are new to the trade to make sure we have the skills we need in the business in the long term. We believe that we can encourage loyalty of our staff if we invest in them. We want to hold on to our talented workforce by developing them. Apprenticeships help us to do that.”

“Apprenticeships give us what we need to develop our business. The apprenticeship bonus scheme the government are offering ties in really well with what we are doing. We were delighted to take advantage of it to build our team to meet new customer demand.”

“Apprenticeships are needed to give young people the chance of a good career and fill the skills gap we have. Whilst the bonus scheme exists to encourage companies to take on more young people, it is a no-brainer for businesses to take advantage of it. With the extra financial help out there to take on more apprenticeships I think it is well worth taking the plunge.”

The latest apprenticeship bonus payment scheme offers a unique opportunity to find new talent and open the door for people all ages to develop their career.

To find out more about how the experienced apprenticeship team at Chesterfield College can help you, visit https://www.chesterfield.ac.uk/4000-bonus-payment-for-taking-on-a-new-apprentice-available-from-april/  or call 0345 850 1055.

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