Businesses Take Action To Prepare For Apprenticeship Reforms

1st November 2016

Sheffield City Region businesses have started to take action to prepare for the government's apprenticeship reforms next year.

Sixty employers attended a sell-out breakfast briefing about the apprenticeship levy at The Sheffield College's Silver Plate Restaurant on Granville Road. The Sheffield College and Sheffield Chamber of Commerce jointly hosted the event on October 13th. Now more employers are being urged to prepare for imminent apprenticeship funding changes that will affect all sized businesses. Andrew Hartley, Business Development Director, The Sheffield College, said: -It's good to see so many employers taking action to prepare for the national apprenticeship reforms. The event attracted a fantastic turnout and was a sell-out. He continued: -The changes will affect all employers next year and we would encourage more businesses to get in touch with us, and find out more, to ensure they are well prepared. The way that the government funds apprenticeships is changing next year and the reforms will affect all employers from April 2017. An apprenticeship levy is being introduced for all public and private sector employers with a pay bill of more than £3 million a year. The future funding of apprenticeships will also change for non-levy payers including small to medium sized businesses. Research commissioned by the British Chambers of Commerce shows there is still a lack of clarity among businesses over the government's apprenticeship funding reforms. A survey of more than 1,600 business leaders across the UK, in August 2016 and supported by Middlesex University, revealed that nearly two in five (39%) of business people still have no understanding, or haven't heard, of the apprenticeship levy. Richard Wright, Executive Director, Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, said: -Businesses don't yet fully understand how they can access the funding available for apprenticeship training from next year so events like this are critical. The College has invested heavily over the last few years to put in place the facilities and staff necessary to offer top class vocational and technical training that employers want, whilst retaining the diversity of its offer. If businesses want help accessing the funds or designing the right course they should contact the College or the Chamber. The Sheffield College which has a £321 million economic impact on the city annually - works with 850 employers to deliver apprenticeship programmes in a wide range of industry sectors for more than 2,000 apprentices. To find out how your business could benefit from apprenticeships, visit The Sheffield College website or call 0114 2602600. Follow us on Twitter @sheffcol and Linkedin.