Small businesses in Salford can receive a share of £100,000 funding if they commit to providing apprenticeships for adult learners.
The University of Salford will donate the money to employers as part of a move to support adult learners aged 25 and over across the city as they look to access training programmes and refresh their existing skills.
To mark its tenth year of providing apprenticeships alongside undergraduate and postgraduate study options, the university launched a fund worth £100,000 at the start of National Apprenticeship Week on 9 February.
The funds will support small businesses operating in Salford that do not pay into the apprenticeship levy and have to co-invest with the government to fund apprenticeship training for employees.
Businesses need to be in either of the following sectors to apply and be looking to support an apprentice in the construction, engineering, manufacturing, health and science industries.
The University’s Apprenticeship teams currently work with around 500 employers across the NW and beyond, and recruit to 18 apprenticeship programmes, with the number growing all the time.
Local employers can apply to receive funding through the government’s website, or by emailing email A.K.Lochman@salford.ac.uk.
Paul Ward, Director of International and Regional Development at the University and lead for the Apprenticeship programmes at Salford said: “Over the past ten years the University of Salford has worked with around 3500 apprentices and played a big role in enriching the jobs and skills sector in Greater Manchester.
“We want to make apprenticeships more accessible and affordable to young people, and see significant value in upskilling, re-skilling and lifelong learning amongst those who are aged 25 and above. This pledge underlines our commitment as a University to maximising skills and employment opportunities for local people in Salford and Greater Manchester.”
Cllr Teresa Pepper, Lead Member for Skills, Work and Business Support at Salford City Council, said: “This pledge is a powerful statement about what Salford stands for: a city that invests in its people and its potential.
“By supporting apprenticeships in the sectors that keep our communities thriving, this funding will open doors for residents of all ages and help small businesses build the skilled workforce they need to grow, and ensure Salford’s success is shared by everyone who calls it home.”
The funding will cover the full cost of an apprenticeship training programme up to the funding band maximum. The University will commit to paying for a specific apprenticeship throughout its term, until the person involved has completed the course.
