APPRENTICESHIP LEVY FUNDS
Apprenticeship levy payers are able to transfer up to 25% of their levy funds to a non-levy payer. This will enable the levy payer to keep money for apprenticeships within their supply chain, sector or communities rather than run the risk of their unused funds expiring and being returned to central government if not utilised within 24 months. For Hertfordshire this means re-focusing levy funds to those sectors within the county where we know apprenticeship programmes provide a very effective skills development and recruitment tool. These include our growth sectors such as engineering, life sciences, creative, the built environment and professional services but also those priority employment sectors such as health & social care, education, hospitality and retail.
Most organisations that transfer funds do so to help their supply chain or SMEs access training they couldn’t otherwise afford. Essentially, a transfer means the receiving organisation does not have to contribute to the cost of apprenticeship training. It also gives the receiver the choice of all the training providers listed on the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers.
To receive specialist advice from our team of skills and apprenticeship specialists please register your enquiry here.
IDEAS FOR LEVY TRANSFER PROJECTS
Opportunities for large employers may include:
- supporting SMEs within outsourced services/supply chain such as facilities, horticulture, onsite retail, catering, payroll, pensions
- targeting a specific sector where there is a known skills gap such as engineering, digital industries
- building capacity in voluntary, community and social enterprise sector to identify roles that can be trained through an apprenticeship
- Schools engagement – fund apprenticeships in local schools such as teaching assistants, facilities/catering, office and business roles
- Widening participation agenda through working with Job Centre Plus to engage those not currently in work and improving the numbers of those moving into an apprenticeship or paid role
HERTFORDSHIRE SUCCESS STORIES
VIATRIS AND RAPID RESPONSE JOIN FORCES TO DEVELOP THE SKILLS OF AMBULANCE SUPPORT WORKERS
Viatris approached the Hertfordshire Opportunities programme to seek advice and support in transferring up to 25% of their levy funds to other employers to help smaller businesses to invest in more training opportunities.
An opportunity was identified with a great and worthy organisation called Rapid Response. They are a registered ambulance service and medical training academy who provide thousands of hours of ambulance and event medical cover each year to clients in both the private sector and NHS.
Viatris' levy funds went towards training 7 x Level 3 (emergency, urgent and non-urgent) Ambulance Support Workers and they could not be more pleased to contribute to this important role, especially as it is a vitally enabling part of the Health and Social Care system where there is currently an acute need to attract more trained drivers into an essential and worthy career.
They plan to stay connected with Rapid Response and follow some of their apprentices through their apprenticeships journey.
SPORTING FUTURES AND PITNEY BOWES COLLABORATE TO SUPPORT THE EDUCATION SECTOR
Sporting Futures Training worked with Pitney Bowes in a partnership that has been created following Apprenticeship Levy Transfer.
Everyone hears that Levy Transfer is available to support smaller organisations in their bid to employ Apprentices, however, the process is one that appears to be a daunting experience to embark upon.
Pitney Bowes were looking for a partner organisation to share/gift their unspent Levy and specifically wanted to support the education sector. Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership put them in contact with Sporting Futures Training who were actively seeking a larger company who would be in a position to support some of their non-levy organisations.
It was a well-paired match and the Levy Transfer Process was gradually unpicked by Director Jo Pountney and Senior HR Lead at Pitney Bowes Angela Holland, resulting in a successful alignment of Levy Transfer with learners in various Apprenticeships from smaller organisations benefiting from the working partnership.
Angela Holland explains why Pitney Bowes have got involved:
After a fabulous morning spent with Sporting Futures, I was delighted to meet the apprentices and see their training real time. We are sponsoring 11 apprentices across the UK, supporting not only the school setting but changing the lives of the young people on these courses
TOGETHER TRAINING SUPPORTS JHP, A LOCAL SME, TO GAIN ACCESS TO A FULLY FUNDED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMME VIA THE LEVY TRANSFER SCHEME
Together Training and the University of Hertfordshire have a long standing working relationship and pride themselves on the training they offer and deliver to their employer partners.
Taking this partnership even further the University of Hertfordshire has recently transferred some of their apprenticeship levy to a local SME called JHP Electrical, enabling them to fully fund two members of staff to attend Together Training's Leadership and Management apprenticeship programmes.
Helen Patterson, Business Manager at JHP Electrical explains:
“JHP started as a family business, with a self-employed electrician. After some growth, Jonathan, our founder and now Director, was suddenly managing six people.
“With no previous management experience and only being qualified in electrical engineering, we needed to look at the different options to help Jonathan boost his management skills and get a qualification.
“We came across the Operations Management apprenticeship with Together Training, a Level 5 qualification that would be ideal for him. After speaking with Together Training and the university, we were able to receive the funds for the apprenticeship so JHP could have access to a number of apprenticeships.”
Together Training is a joint venture between Oaklands College and West Herts College, who have combined to offer an extensive apprenticeship provision.
John McMahon, Managing Director of Together Training, added:
“It’s great to see the university investing in local business to help up-skill their management and grow their potential.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION
If you are a levy payer considering transferring your funds to smaller organisations and want to learn more about the process and advice on how to engage employers within your supply chain, communities or sector please get in touch with our team on [email protected]
