Large employers in West Yorkshire have pledged a total of £9 million to fund hundreds of apprenticeships in smaller firms.
In a major boost for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), a new £3 million package for apprenticeships was announced by Mayor Tracy Brabin on Small Business Saturday (7 December). The new funding is part of a regional scheme that links large employers with smaller businesses to fund new apprenticeship opportunities.
So far, £6 million from large employers has been delivered by Mayor Brabin to create 1,000 apprenticeships in SMEs. By working with large employers like Bradford-based Morrisons, the Mayor has helped to ensure that funding which would otherwise go to the Treasury has instead been used to support local SMEs.
The Mayor praised the large employers that are part of her apprenticeships scheme for helping to “keep the West Yorkshire pound in West Yorkshire”, by using the percentage of their annual pay bill that must be spent on apprenticeships – known as “the apprenticeship levy” – to support SMEs in the region. Other large employers to “transfer” some of their apprenticeships funding to other businesses and public sector organisations include ASDA, which has funded new apprentice PCSOs and call handlers in West Yorkshire Police; Howdens, which has boosted the number of construction workers building vital new infrastructure for the region; and Card Factory, which has provided funding to upskill more people into essential healthcare roles, bolstering the frontline of the NHS.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: "By teaming up with our region’s biggest businesses, we’ll create £9 million of apprenticeships in smaller firms, giving a thousand people the skills they need to succeed.
"Our innovative apprenticeships scheme is putting more money in people's pockets, growing the workforce of our small and medium-sized businesses, and keeping the West Yorkshire pound here in West Yorkshire, boosting our economy. By partnering with business, we’re upskilling people into the vital jobs we need to build a stronger, brighter region.”
Clare Grainger, Group People and Corporate Services Director at Morrisons, said: “We're proud of Morrisons’ ongoing commitment to apprenticeships, building skills and supporting the next generation of leaders in our company.
"In partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Morrisons has shared £1 million of apprenticeship funding to help other local businesses and public sector organisations develop their workforces. This is an important part of our commitment to the region and will help to ensure critical sectors have the skilled professionals they need."
One of the SMEs supported by Morrisons’ apprenticeships funding is A2Z Learning Centre in Bradford, which provides childcare for children aged 5 to 15 as well as wrap-around support for families, including classes for parents, activities for children, and food vouchers for struggling households. Shaziya Younas, Director at A2Z Learning Centre Ltd, said: “As a director at A2Z Learning Centre, we are thankful to Morrisons for funding and supporting the Apprenticeship Training Programme.
“This has given us the opportunity to grow as an organisation as well as provide opportunities for existing and new staff, so they can engage in learning programmes to enhance our services and improve the value achieved from having well-trained staff.” Fawziyah, an apprentice at A2Z Learning Centre, said: “Being on the apprenticeship programme has been amazing, and has opened many doors for me that I never would have been able to do myself.
“I am thankful for the support that I have had from my managers at A2Z Learning Centre and the support from my co-workers has also been phenomenal. Learning on the job has been the absolute best way for me to gain new skills for my current role and for the future.”
Apprenticeships give people the chance to earn money whilst gaining the qualifications and experience they need to pursue their passions and progress into secure, well-paid employment. More than half (531) of the places funded through the West Yorkshire Mayor’s apprenticeships scheme so far are in the health and care sector, with hundreds of aspiring pharmacy assistants, physiotherapists and paramedics currently being trained as a result of the scheme.
Mayor Brabin is encouraging large employers who are interesting in pledging some of their apprenticeships funding, as well as SMEs who could receive some of this funding to take on an apprentice, to find out more about the scheme online, with a drive to reach £10 million by the New Year.
