Details of a £1,500 financial incentive from the Government have been announced, targeting organisations with up to 50 employees who take on an apprentice for the first time, or the first time in the previous three financial years*. Eastleigh College can help you access this grant, covering all industry sectors and all levels of Apprenticeships, as well as source a suitable apprentice for your vacancy.

Apprenticeships offer many benefits to businesses, small and large, including:

• Improvements to your bottom line
• Filling an existing skills gap
• Motivating your workforce

The Apprenticeship Grant for Employers of 16 to 24 year olds is available until March 2013 for employers who are able to offer an Apprenticeship opportunity to a young person they recruit. Funding will start from 1 April 2012.

Each eligible employer can receive a £1,500 incentive to recruit an apprentice, in addition to the costs of training, which for young people aged 16 to 18 are already fully met by the National Apprenticeship Service.

Prime Minister David Cameron said:
"I'm delighted to underline our commitment to strengthen our economy by helping employers take on apprentices and ensure that the UK workforce has the skills that businesses need. Under this Government Apprenticeship starts are increasing at a record rate, with improvements across the age range, in all sectors, throughout the country.

"By making Apprenticeships a gold standard option for ambitious young people, we are sending a message that technical excellence is as highly valued as academic prowess. And by focusing investment where it is most needed to deliver sustainable growth and offering real ownership of vocational training to employers, we are equipping businesses with the skills they need to rebalance our economy and distribute opportunity more widely."

*Not eligible if the employer employs an apprentice with an Individual Learning Record (ILR) start date of April 2009 or after.