Kaplan urges employers to look into funding opportunities
Leading training and education provider, Kaplan, has called for London businesses to ensure they are aware of funding opportunities so that they don’t miss out.
The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) offers businesses The Apprenticeship Grant for Employers (AGE). This is reserved for smaller businesses, hiring 16-24 year olds, which have not hired an apprentice in the previous year. This incentive, GBP1,500 for each apprentice, is in addition to government funding.
Statistics from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have demonstrated a rise in apprenticeship popularity; in 2011/12 520,600 people started apprenticeships which was up 13.9% compared to the previous year. More than 400,000 businesses in London are eligible for the AGE grant.
Kaplan training centre manager for London, Sharon Ward, says: “The new Apprenticeship Grant, in addition to existing funding for training, will help more local businesses in our area to take advantage of the business benefits of recruiting apprentices, including increased productivity, improved competitiveness and a committed, competent and skilled workforce. Kaplan has a track record of success in helping employers who haven’t previously employed an apprentice, or have not employed an apprentice in the last 12 months, to find and develop the right talent for their business.”
Ward added: “Kaplan’s training centres in other parts of the UK are already working with companies to access this funding, and we want to ensure that London is not left behind.”